Sunday, December 1, 2013
Kudos to Katie Hawkins and her students at Brown Middle School! Businesses should set a good example by using proper grammar. It is especially important at a time when we are trying to improve educational standards and test scores. I hope that Bi-Lo will respond by changing its signs. And kids, while you are at it, here are two more examples that get on the nerves of this grammar nerd -- "Shop Local" and "Live Fearless."
LINDA ANDREAE
Does anybody know who is in charge of the Obama administration?
Front page headlines stated Chattanooga council members voted in favor of granting married couples' rights to homosexual couples. The Bible states homosexuality is an abomination. The above ruling shows these council members do not honor God, their creator. They are turning their back on God.
ELIZABETH ANDERSON
I applaud the efforts of Ms. Katie Hawkins (TFP 11/23/13) to instill the fundamentals and finer points of grammar in her students. However, I was appalled to read that she had suggested Time magazine use the phrase "lended money" rather than "loaned money." Neither is correct. The past tense of the verb lend is lent. Many words are used incorrectly these days. Take the word apropos (meaning with regard to), which is erroneously used instead of appropriate (meaning suitable). Regards is another problem word. There is never an "s" when it is used in the phrase "with regard to," but it is appropriate to say "Give my regards to your mother." And what about the hordes of people who confuse amount with number? The use of number is correct when we are counting unrelated (discrete) items, while amount is used in talking about things that we weigh or measure. An example: "The recipe requires a large amount of flour, but a small number of eggs." There are exceptions, of course, and I could go on ad nauseam, but attention to just these few points of grammar would add to the credibility of many writers and speakers.
JANET HOPE, Ph.D.
Tyranny of the majority has come to America. Foxes vastly outnumber hens in this country, and they each get a vote as to what to have for dinner. The problem is that only hens are working, and there are 108 million freeloading foxes.
GARY SMITH, Flintstone, Ga.
I think all have equal rights, but not man to man or woman to woman. Our God says it is abomination. Our city taxes will surely go up to pay for this. Otherwise, where will it come from. There is enough on the City Council to reject this.
BETTYE THOMAS, Hixson