Little things that irk you.. (no swearing please)

[Brad]

Yes! I can't help responding with 'and no pun provided'.

People using i.e. when the mean e.g. and vice versa and people who say 'visa versa' and who can't pronounce the word 'specific' so just say 'pacific'. I could go on. And may do later.

[ItsThere]

People who say (or write), 'no pun intended' when they haven't made a pun. People who think the abbreviation of et cetera is ect (it's etc) and people who don't know how to use 'sic' properly.

Misuse of the Oxford comma?

[NW2013]

Are you saying I've misused it? That's a full stop after 'pun'. Anyway, if not the Oxford comma isn't in standard use in British English so that one doesn't bother me.

Also the cartoon above hasn't capitalised 'Stalin' or 'JFK' but have for 'Oxford', dolts.

There should be a law of the Internet, could be named after me, that states if you are pointing out an error in someone's forum post (especially) about grammar or language that you're a billion times more likely to make a mistake in your own post. (In general, not aimed at ItsThere)

[JSR]

I think he's referring to your first comma.

[charlesr]

Actually, how do you use "sic"?

[NW2013]

I think he's referring to your first comma.

That's not an Oxford comma either. An Oxford comma only applies when you are listing three things.

You use 'sic', most commonly, when you're quoting someone who has made a mistake. It's a way of acknowledging that you know it's a mistake but you've left it in the quote intentionally.

[JSR]

That's not an Oxford comma either. An Oxford comma only applies when you are listing three things.

Yeah, probably why he asked if it was misused; as the comma has no function in its position.

[koopatroopa90]

Yeah when I was trying to work out whether or not ItsThere was directing that at you or not (I concluded not) I did think that comma was unnecessary, but tbh I couldn't really care less

When using 'sic' don't you just write (sic) after the mistake? How the hell do people muck that up?!?

[NW2013]

Nope. The list has to be consecutive, for example: 'bread, margarine and jam' or 'bread, margerine, and jam'. The Oxford comma is the one after 'margerine' in the second list. My original post isn't a consecutive list.

[endo]

Yeah, probably why he asked if it was misused; as the comma has no function in its position.

A bit like the semicolon in that sentence

[Dogg Thang]

place is srsly full of grammer natzis

[JSR]

A bit like the semicolon in that sentence

You sure? It says it can be used "Between independent clauses linked with a transitional phrase or a conjunctive adverb".

[parkinho]

Things that currently irk me include the ridiculously slow Internet connection at my mother's home, and how tediously dull this thread is!

[vanpeebles]

You sure? It says it can be used "Between independent clauses linked with a transitional phrase or a conjunctive adverb".

Just don't use it ROUND MY BINS OR BACK FENCE!

[endo]

You sure? It says it can be used "Between independent clauses linked with a transitional phrase or a conjunctive adverb".

'As' is just a conjunction though. If you replace 'as' with the synonym 'because' in the sentence, the effect is a bit more jarring.