incorrect usage

incorrect usage

Posted Jul 30, 2004 16:15 UTC (Fri) by giraffedata (subscriber, #1954)
In reply to: X at OLS by ncm
Parent article: X at OLS

"Correct usage" does have, at base, an objective meaning: it means "expected to be understood by most readers".

That's just the opposite of how I understand "correct usage."

The term is used to distinguish two sentences that both can easily be understood. The "correct" one additionally follows certain rules so as not to offend language purists. I personally find the correct form less ambiguous in many cases, but unless you know the grammar well, as most native speakers do not, you don't.

Example: "to send someone an email, click on their address." Easily understood, but incorrect because "their" is plural and "someone" is singular.

A sentence that can't be understood -- which is just jibberish -- usually goes by some description other than "incorrect usage."

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