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| A Most Superlative Book? |
I'll be the first to admit that, although I consider myself to be quite fluent in English, it was not my first language. I grew up with Sinhala (or Sinhalese) as my first language and learned English as a second language. As a result, I am very hesitant to correct other people's English.
However, I was taught certain rules about comparative and superlative words, including the rule that the superlative form of a word showed the ultimate level or degree. So, when I saw the title of this book, on sale at the drug store, I just had to take a picture of it to share! I was taught that it should be "funny, funnier, and funniest". Does "most funniest" indicate that the jokes are funnier than the funniest?
My mother taught English among other subjects, including an English as a Second Language course at a university. I wonder what she would have thought about this book title? Friday, October 18, was the anniversary of her birthday. I remembered how happy she was when my daughter and I surprised her with a birthday cake and pizza (she loved pizza) on her 85th birthday. We didn't realize that it would be the last birthday she'd celebrate.
I took it easy, today, and got my Covid vaccination. It was while I was waiting to be vaccinated that I saw the book that is pictured above. I didn't want to take the flu vaccine at the same time, so, made an appointment for that for next week. This time around, I didn't get the urge to shop side effect! LOL. I did receive a free bag of blue corn tortilla chips for getting vaccinated and a coupon for $5 off $20 purchase at the store.
Later, M tended to the garden and he brought me two cuttings of a variegated jade plant and a "blue" jade plant.
I spoke with Aunt C and texted with cousin N. Later, I called former neighbor T's daughter K and got an update on T.
On Friday, I was grateful for:
- Memories of my mother and being able to think of her and remember the good times without crying
- Being able to get my Covid vaccine and schedule the flu vaccine
- A free bag of tortilla chips
- M's help with the garden and gifts of plant cuttings
- Phone calls with family and friends
Friday's joyful activity was video chatting with my daughter.
Plans for Saturday include friend R coming over to collect her packages; I offered to bring them to her, but, she insisted that she wanted to visit me.
What are your plans for the weekend?
I think when you're selling a joke book, you're not worrying about grammar. Another one is "favorite". If something is your favorite, by definition, it is the one you like the best. But it is common, to say "more favorite". Anyway, I'm glad you were able to have fond memories of your mother on her birthday. BTW, I got a bag of popcorn when I got my flu shot. :)
ReplyDeleteI suppose you are right. Even so, one would think that book publishers would make it a point to offer grammatically correct English.
DeleteThank you, June.
I hope you enjoyed your bag of popcorn; I enjoyed my tortilla chips. :)
I have two superlative pet peeve that makes my ears jangle: "You are the funnest cousin". I hear it often and it drives me nuts.
ReplyDeleteThe other I hear mainly from folks who are young adults. Goodest is another ear jangler.
I have heard "funner" and "funnest". Can't say I've heard "goodest", although, I suppose it makes a certain amount of sense, given how strange English grammar can be. "Good, better, best" vs. "good, gooder, goodest". It's a living language and it is evolving, I suppose.
DeleteI would definitely have sighed at that joke book! A similar example which annoys me is the new use of "least worst option". I don't know if it has made it to the USA yet, but I hear it all the time here, from politicians, journalists, commentators. There can only be one worst (or several equally bad among a range), so the phrase makes no sense. If they mean the "least bad" option, what is wrong with saying that?
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad your mum had a happy last birthday with her favourite food, and both of you to help celebrate. I suppose, like other English teachers, she would have been disappointed to see that joke book. I recall in Japan being shown examples of bad English and being asked to explain the grammar. It makes the job impossible!
Good that you are getting the latest jabs organised. My parents are booked in too. I don't know whether I want to try for another one or not. (I won't get it unless I ask/beg.)
I don't think I've heard "least worst option" yet, but, no doubt it might spread over to us, eventually.
DeleteThank you, Lady Ella. I think, by that time, my mother might have forgotten it was her birthday until we presented her with a cake (earlier that month, she had asked me who I was, thinking I was a cleaning lady, asking me who was paying me and what time I was going home; she didn't believe me when I told her that I was her daughter and then, the next day, she called me at the office to say that the cleaning lady didn't show up! LOL) But, she never forgot the fact that she had been a teacher!
I hope you are able to get vaccinated if you want one.
I'm glad you managed to avoid any unwanted side effects from your vaccination ;)
ReplyDeleteThis morning, I took Lily shopping for some new clothes and shoes (she keeps growing!) and tomorrow we're going swimming. Xx
Thank you, Jules. Sounds like a fun weekend, shopping and swimming. :)
DeleteMost Funniest is definitatly not correct! I think that, in general, non-native English speakers have better grammar than many native speakers! I think this might be so for other languages as well.
ReplyDeleteI also got the COVID vaccine on Friday, and the flu one at the same time but different arms. The one where the COVID shot was is very sore, the other fine. I had a rough night but now feel no ill effects. I wasn't offered any treat or special deal!
I think you are right, Celie; when we learn a language by studying it, we learn the rules of that language. But, when we learn to speak a language without studying it, we don't always learn the grammar and rules until much later, if ever.
DeleteOh, you were brave to get both vaccines at the same time! I'm sorry your arm was sore and you had a rough night. I'm glad that you are feeling well, now. I'm sorry you were not given a treat or special deal!
Having a good background in English grammar is almost a curse, as it really grates to see or hear poor English (ESL users can be forgiven, but they are usually correct in what they come out with, unlike some people with English as their mother tongue). I suspect that the Joke book is trying to be over the top with the cover, but it "grates" just the same!
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm sure the joke book was going a bit over the top with the title. It just seemed so wrong to me. A child who was about 8 or 9 years old was looking through the books on the rack and I thought that titles like the one on the joke book must be so confusing.
DeleteLovely memories of Mum. That joke book would have made me laugh. I didn't grow up with English as a second language, but when I emigrated here (from England) my English was quite different. One of the funny memories from my son's childhood was when he was in school and they were asked who spoke two languages. He put up his hand and said he spoke American and English!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. :)
DeleteOh, your son's response was great! :D I learned British English; when I came over here, I had to learn different words and spelling!
That certainly isn't good English. One that I hear said by news presenters sometimes is "it's almost exactly one year since....". It's either almost one year or exactly one year since it can't be both! We aren't offered anything when we have our jabs, so unfair :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, it can't be almost exactly!
DeleteI'm sorry you weren't offered a treat after your injections. Apparently Celie (see above) didn't receive anything, either!