Three Writing Guidelines That Seem somewhat Idiotic
In the world of writing, rules can be as changeable as the wind and as bizarre as a cat playing the piano. A humorous author, known for their blog focusing on humor, teaching, and writing, recently shared their experiences with language usage and regional differences in a guest post.
One such issue that often crops up in critique groups is the use of "towards" versus "toward." The author, who prefers the British spelling, found themselves receiving comments about their choice. However, they are less strict about a few rules that they deem as "dumb."
One such "dumb" rule, according to the author, is the use of "all right" versus "alright." The author previously believed that "all right" means "completely correct" and "alright" means "okay." But, they acknowledge that "already" and "altogether" are standard, but "alright" is not.
Another interesting regional difference the author highlighted is the placement of punctuation inside quotation marks. In American English, periods and commas are typically placed inside closing quotation marks, regardless of whether they are part of the quoted material. For example, "She said, 'Hello.'" This is a consistent rule in American style.
However, British English, on the other hand, usually places periods and commas outside the closing quotation marks unless they are part of the original quoted material. For example, "She said, 'Hello'." This approach is more logical and reflects the actual punctuation of the quoted content.
The author, trying to avoid criticism, follows the US rule of placing punctuation inside quotation marks. Yet, they find it logical that a quoted word or phrase should be considered its own entity and not have punctuation invading it.
The author also mentioned the loss of "u" in words that crossed the Atlantic or the Canadian border, such as "colour" versus "color." This regional spelling difference is another example of the quirks that language can present.
Despite these challenges, the author generally does a good job at spotting errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. They continue to contribute insightful and humorous perspectives on the sometimes peculiar world of writing.
The author, with a focus on humor, teaching, and writing, delved into the fascinating realm of fashion-and-beauty and lifestyle, discussing the quirks of regional differences in spelling and usage. They noted the difference between British and American English in the placement of punctuation inside quotation marks, with British English favoring an approach that reflects the original punctuation of the quoted content.
In the realm of education-and-self-development, the author highlighted the word "alright" as a rule they find illogical, acknowledging the standard usage of "already" and "altogether," but questioning why "alright" is not.
The author also embarked on a travel across the linguistic landscapes, comparing words such as "colour" and "color," showcasing another regional spelling difference in the English language. This journey into the world of words serves as a testament to the author's commitment to sharing their experiences and insights on the sometimes peculiar, yet captivating, world of writing.
