While we were working on our digital photo album, Art commented that I'd used the word alright incorrectly. He thought that it should be all right. I looked it up and found this Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tricks for Better Writing.
Very interesting:
Alright vs. All right
It seems that alright is not even a correct word according to grammarians. It's a very informal word according to my World Book Encyclopedia Dictionary published when I was a kid. However, it is gaining acceptance. Informally alright means satisfactory or OK. Are you feeling alright? All right means accurate. The bookkeeping figures are all right.
All together and Altogether
All together means collectively. They went to the prom all together. Altogether means entirely. We are altogether too tired.
All Ready and Already
All ready is supposed to mean being prepared. I am all ready for the next tsunami alert. Already is concerned with time as in I made the cookies already. So... could I then say, "I'm all ready already for the next tsunami alert"?
All right already... so Art was right. I am seriously altogether tired. I'm sure glad we're done with the Trip Albums. Do you see why it was so stressful?
Very interesting:
It seems that alright is not even a correct word according to grammarians. It's a very informal word according to my World Book Encyclopedia Dictionary published when I was a kid. However, it is gaining acceptance. Informally alright means satisfactory or OK. Are you feeling alright? All right means accurate. The bookkeeping figures are all right.
All together and Altogether
All together means collectively. They went to the prom all together. Altogether means entirely. We are altogether too tired.
All Ready and Already
All ready is supposed to mean being prepared. I am all ready for the next tsunami alert. Already is concerned with time as in I made the cookies already. So... could I then say, "I'm all ready already for the next tsunami alert"?
All right already... so Art was right. I am seriously altogether tired. I'm sure glad we're done with the Trip Albums. Do you see why it was so stressful?
Oh goodness that is so funny. I'm surprised my English teaching daughter doesn't reprimand me for using the incorrect terms.
ReplyDeleteI make that mistake all the time, spell check reminds me I'm not correct, good advice Kay, we seem to be finding ways to shorten up everything!
ReplyDeleteYears ago I read that alright is incorrect, just as alwrong is incorrect. That has stuck with me!
ReplyDeleteThis was funny...amazing how many times we have used or seen the words used incorrectly!
ReplyDeleteI probably use alright more than I should. I used to teach English, but I sometimes get careless when I am in a hurry. I suspect our society is rapidly changing the language considering the short cuts that we take--acronyms, texting shorthand, and no punctuation or capital letters. My biggest quarrel with current language usage is the misuse of it's. It is a contraction which always means it is and it is not a possessive. Oh well, the purpose of language is communication and as long as we understand each other, we succeed.
ReplyDeleteYou are one of the few bloggers who almost NEVER makes a grammar mistake. The one that drives me a bit nuts is "it's" being used when "its" is correct. The way to tell that one is that the contraction means "it is" and if you cannot use the two words instead, the hyphen is wrong. I have seen alright many times but it still isn't correct. Thanks for the clarification, Kay.
ReplyDeleteGood reminders of things I think I knew at one time (Journalism was my major, so I at least should have known them), but have forgotten or just gotten careless about.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure that I am All right All the time:)
ReplyDeleteI often refer to Grammar Girl when I have a question about a word.
ReplyDeletecongrats on finishing the albums-must be time for another trip??? lol!
ReplyDeleteNo, no, no... not for a while please.
Deletecan't say I've ever used alright myself! Interesting, those other words, English is not an easy language!
ReplyDeletei've used alright & already many times but i can see where i may have used them incorrectly at times. i've never used the others to my knowledge. thanks for sharing this with us. hope all is well. have a great day~
ReplyDeleteI have used them all and most likely wrongly. Any more I always split the words and hope no one notices. I have fears what tweeting will do to our language and spelling.
ReplyDeleteI can never remember my grammar rules from school. May be (or is it Maybe) I wasn't taught proper grammar at all. I survived writing exactly how I speak. Not a very good communicator either. Husband (who is, at least has a degree in communications) always has to remind me I'm not, even sits in the examining room to make sure I'm emphasizing all the important points to my doctor.
ReplyDeleteL. from W.
Actually, what I think I've seen most misused is they're as in: There going to the market. People forget that they should be using the contraction for They are.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's the most misused abbreviation. They're. Then again, I am the lady who can't spell.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on finishing the trip albums. As for grammar, I have always been a stickler for it in my writing. Yes, alright is wrong and all right is correct.
ReplyDeleteAm still mooning about your Moonlight Shower Tree! (Great name, Mom, that I shall ever use now)
ReplyDeleteThanks, teacher!
Have a GREAT Week
Aloha from Honolulu Town-Side
Comfort Spiral
> < } } ( ° >
Funny. I love how you checked to see if you were right in the way you used alright. Now, as far as being prepared for a tsunami goes, it is good to know that you already are all ready. ;)
ReplyDeleteOur languages are evolving. None of us would be able to understand the English language as it was spoke hundreds of years ago and that goes for the spelling too. I wonder where we'll be in another few hundred years. Well, there's always Google Translate :) You must be thrilled to have finished all those trip albums.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! I sure am thrilled. I don't think I'll be ready for another trip for a good, long while.
DeleteSo glad you explained all that. But, I think I'll read it again when I'm not so sleepy. Ha!
ReplyDeletealrite.
ReplyDeleteI find the older I get the less sure I am of grammar and it is because it is always changing. Text speak is gradually being assimilated and accepted - grrr!!
ReplyDeleteGrammar police!!!
ReplyDeleteI loathe mistakes, too. There are plenty. It is my pet peeve.
I worked so hard with my gr. 8s. They younger teachers don't get it, though. sigh.
I've been so busy. Happy to make a visit.
One client in hospital, the other having a mastectomy.
It's been a tough couple of weeks.
Greetings from Cottage Country!
A pet peeve of min -- just like "a lot".
ReplyDeleteWe were watching John Carter last night and there was a part where the Martians were speaking so they put subtitles beneath. They had the Martian saying, "Alright. Alright. Alright." I had to laugh. I wouldn't recommend the movie though.
Delete