[wherein Reena acts like a Grammar Na-- Loonie]

[reenka]

I have a thing. It's... a... it's a grammar thing, sort of, but really it's a me thing.

Maybe everyone has a 'thing' with English like this. It would certainly make me feel more normal if this were so, but somehow I doubt it. Still. Feel free to tell me if you also have this type of 'thing', hehe. :D SHARE YOUR PAIN. ><;;

This one's a stylistic error-- more like a stylistic yucky-ickiness-- that drives me UP THE WALL whenever I see anyone use it in nearly ANY context in a fic (to the point where I have to grit my teeth hard and if I already dislike the fic, I -will- stop reading), and in normal writing it just REALLY ANNOYS ME. A LOT.

And I do not know why people do it. WHY??! WHYYYYYYyyyy??! WHY ARE THEY SO CRUEL :( MY POOR EYES :((

Anyway, it's stuff like this bit from a post on yaoi_daily: "That tap was meaningful for our uke... It caused him to go touch himself!" (my italics).

Words literally cannot express how much I hate the "caused" in that sort of context. It grates on me. It HURRRRRTS USSS, PRECIOUSSSS :(( Whyyy couldn't people just use 'made' or rewrite the sentence without passive voice?? WHYYYYY. I don't even care about passive voice in ANY OTHER INSTANCE, but for some reason the 'caused' to explain sexual/non-official/emotional things (which I seem to find a lot in romances-- WHY) is just MORALLY WRONG. WRONG I TELL YOU. :P

Basically, it's just your standard flowery/over-elaborate/too-formal-and-stiff style, the sort of thing where people write without any idea of how what they're writing actually sounds. It's funny 'cause how I myself write and speak are two very different things, so I definitely understand the difficulty here-- the separation involved-- because I too used to be an overly metaphorical ass, but. But. To have what amounts to apparently NO concept of inner euphony-- how words feel and sound together, forget whether it'd work for you aloud-- that is just something I can't overlook or 'forgive' in any sort of writing, 'cause it's not about grammar, really. It's something no rule can really teach you, and you don't need to learn it-- you can just hear what you write. Ugh.

It's like a slap to the face for me, a dash of cold water in my pants, it's like screeching feedback in my ears. And worse. Seriously.

...Well, y'know, we all have our issues :>

Comments

[illiterate.livejournal.com]

I hate first person. I JUST CANNOT TAKE IT. First-person in fic drive me up a bloody wall. Especially in HP fic. I also don't like real books written in first person. First person, I loathe thee.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, yeay! I'm not alone :D
Well, the truth is, good first person (ie, extremely limited narrator AND some good reason for the 'I' in terms of voice) is v. hard to do 'cause a lot of beginning writers default to it so it muddies the waters a lot. Like, many badfics which suck for various other reasons are -also- written in the first person from Amber Fushia Lavender Ravensoft's pov, or something :> :>

[loftily.livejournal.com]

Your layout is so awesome.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Heeeeeeee. You really have the most unexpected icons sometimes :> Sporti..ness, everywhere *____*
And! One of these days I'll have to actually customize my layouts again -.-;;;; And make new icons for myself ><;; I've become mondo lazy. Livejournal, I just don't love you like I used to, baby :/

[loftily.livejournal.com]

They're all from Stick It! I'm kind of obsessed now, I can't help it. :))

[ladyrelaynie.livejournal.com]

You are definitely not alone. I do the same thing, constantly. My big squick is misspelled words. I sometimes get an uncontrollable urge to walk around with a permanent marker and correct things (this impulse was strongest when I was in college, where handwritten signs abound). Another thing that just kills me is when qu- words are spelled with K. Like Kwik stop. ACK! *twitch* WRONG!!

Also, that icon? Priceless. (the canon LOL one)

~Relaynie