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animation, comedy, funny, grammar, humour, mistakes, music video, spelling, stories, weird al yankovic, word crimes, writers, writing, youtube
I’m not a grammar nazi. Maybe it’s because I know I make mistakes all the time? I’m sure there are mistakes in the post. I think in professional work, it’s necessary to write well. I like when I see well-written status updates but to be honest, I don’t think less of people because of their ability to spell or use grammar. Some people don’t care. Some people hated school. Some people didn’t get the same educational opportunities. For many people in my social circle, English is their second language. In casual social-media settings, as long as I can understand you, I’m happy. But I sure do appreciate someone who knows how to write English properly.
I found this video by Weird Al Yankovic hilarious (he’s been making a whole bunch of new songs recently, it’s great!) and had to share. We may have some readers who hate word crimes with a passion and can relate. Even as someone who is relatively lax, I found myself laughing.
Warning: the damn catchy tune of ‘Blurred Lines’ is the musical backdrop. So you may have that tune stuck in your head for a while! I’m just glad I can enjoy this song without thinking about the original horrifying lyrics.
What did you all think? Did you find it funny? Do you hate word crimes or are you pretty chill about it all?
– Ermisenda
Ermilia 
Greetings from the professor! How are you this fine morning?
Very well. Thank you. And yourself?
I’m doing well! A bit professorish, you know.
I burst out laughing. Of course. That tune is still playing in my head.
I think this is an imaginative idea for a song. Have been hearing about it last few days. First time I’ve heard it. Thanks for sharing. 😀
No problem! It got quite a few laughs from me. It was really well constructed and super catchy! I much prefer these lyrics to the original.
I am fairly ‘chill’ as long as there is clarity. I might not like the colloquial American ‘I could care less’ (I take it as a contraction of ‘as though I could care less’) but – pace Al – I am never confused about the speaker’s caring/not caring. I’m also fairly understanding when people write ‘it’s’ for a possessive – after all in the overwhelming number of cases an apostrophe preceding an ‘s’ DOES signify possession – although I would correct it when I see it.*
Our modern language(s) have reached the state they are in** because of centuries of errors and bastardisations. Very few countries have the French equivalent of the ‘Académie Française’, and maybe that’s what keeps our languages as living, developing things. The English language, as it is spoken and used in Britain, and in Scotland in particular, has changed significantly during my lifetime – American usages, ‘Esturine’ accents’, neologisms due to changing social and technological circumstances, the fading and/or redefining of regional ways of speaking – and few of those changes have been either welcomed by all, or have been introduced by people who take thought and care over how they speak (who are usually, let’s face it, the middle class like me anyway!). Conservatism in language always brings with it the possibility of class dominance.
I once said I would be prepared to see English have a stable core (necessary for a language which is an international mode of communication) with a flowing, creative, vibrant periphery. I also said I didn’t mind if the norm of that core included the phrase ‘you gots to fill in boxes one thru ten’, as long as it wasn’t a matter of compulsion. I’m concerned that our ‘oldspeak’, through a conservative attitude to language, should become our ‘Newspeak’ – a way of controlling our thoughts.
M.
* In fact I can think of a situation right now where ‘it’s’ as a possessive is totally correct. Can you?
** or should I say ‘the state in which they are’? See!
I really like the idea of English having a stable core with a flowing, creative, vibrant periphery. I guess it’s what we have and what all languages have. Interesting point about social class and class dominance too.
The video was great. I was bouncing in my seat the whole time. Blurred Lines is stuck in my head a lot of the time anyway, so no worries.
There are far more heinous word crimes than bad grammar.
Hehe. It’s darn catchy! I always feel like moving to the beat.
I would like to think that I am reasonably good at grammer and vocabulary. But listening to this I have already identified several no-nos that I do regularly.
Great to hear new stuff from Weird Al. Always a classic.
I love so much of Weird Al’s stuff. His new album doesn’t disappoint. Have you heard his song ‘Foil’?
So many uses for a piece of metal! It is truly a wondermaterial!