Could HAVE not Could OF...

[Guest Bilo]

As an English teacher, some of the grammar on this thread disgusts me. <_<

[RumbleFox]

You know what (and I know you've all been waiting to hear what the Mighty RumbleFox thinks of all this), I do get a little bile filled when I see "could of". Unless, of course, it's in the sentence "Could "of" be used to rhyme with Rebrov?"

X

[Asha]

I hate it when people write things like “Romanes eunt domum” instead of the more correct “Romani ite domus”

Love that scene.

Dative. NOT DATIVE. ACCUSATIVE. ACCUSATIVE.

[danny.]

Drives me mad too - the scary thing is people think 'could of' makes perfect sense

[Ashley]

And what, exactly, is "slag"?

Wow. I'm sure you've made a typing mistake before.

[Daggers]

Wow. I'm sure you've made a typing mistake before.

I think you'll find the correct English response was "Your mother".

[The Doctor]

Wow. I'm sure you've made a typing mistake before.

Heinous crime, definitely a witch, burn it at the stake.

Slight spelling mistakes don't bother me that much but They're/Their/There, Know/No and Have/Of just piss me off, there's no excuse for that level of ineptitude.

[Tielemans63]

Sorry, I'm pretty lenient when I see typos and mispelt words, and I try not to be too high and mighty where grammar is concerned, as some folk have better education than others, but "could of" grates like no other phrase. It doesn't even make bloody sense! Please, stop it NOW.

You should of said something sooner.....

[Rincewind]

Sometimes I am lazy when typing (usually on here) but If it's something important I check through what I wrote.

I sometimes deliberately make make mistakes to see if anybody notices..

There and their type of mistakes used to get to me too. It's basic English taught from an early age. If the teachers don't pick up on it surely the parent should or don't the parents do their children's homework anymore?

I nearly put 'there' instead of 'their' but iI may not have been believed that it was deliberate. I have just noticed some typos. Can't be bothered to change them.

[lcfcadam]

Wow. I'm sure you've made a typing mistake before.

I actually apologise , given the context of the thread I just couldn't resist...

[Haydos]

I support the use of Oxford Commas in certain situations.

[Wycombe Fox]

Johnny helped his Uncle Jack off his horse

or

Johnny helped his Uncle jack-off his horse

[Trav Le Bleu]

At a previous job I had we had a regular customer call up who's name was Jack Mycock and we had to ask him his full name to ID him every call.

True story.

[jonthefox]

Mate,I had to get a job when I was 11 I had no time for a good education,I worked my fingers down to the bone.

Paper round ,,',,'',,,,...?...

[The Doctor]

I support the use of Oxford Commas in certain situations.

Who gives a **** about an Oxford comma,

I've seen those english dramas too.

Sorry, can't resist a good sing-song.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Is an Oxford Coma like a Chelsea Smile or a Glaswegian Kiss?

[DB11]

If the teachers don't pick up on it surely the parent should or don't the parents do their children's homework anymore?

What? Why would the parents do their child's homework??

[Jimothy]

Sorry, I'm pretty lenient when I see typos and mispelt words, and I try not to be too high and mighty where grammar is concerned, as some folk have better education than others, but "could of" grates like no other phrase. It doesn't even make bloody sense! Please, stop it NOW.

You could of put this in the "What grinds my gears" thread!

[FoxesAreBlue]

I suppose it's come from the local dialect of shortening "could have" to "could've" and then by extension (and I suppose accent) to "could of".

here though, the word "of" is looking and sounding the same as it's original meaning but in actuality taking on a new meaning (the same as "have").

Or perhaps I'm just talking ""shit""

[Charl91]

I suppose it's come from the local dialect of shortening "could have" to "could've" and then by extension (and I suppose accent) to "could of".

here though, the word "of" is looking and sounding the same as it's original meaning but in actuality taking on a new meaning (the same as "have").

Or perhaps I'm just talking ""shit""

I'm in my final year of an English degree, and I only realised about a year ago that it was "could have" rather then "could of". I think it's a local dialect thing, rather then an incorrect grammar one; where I was brought up, most people said "could of" and I never realised it wasn't grammatically correct.

Perhaps it will soon become obsolete. Like "than" and "then" - you don't seen a lot of "than" around anymore.

[Rincewind]

I suppose it's come from the local dialect of shortening "could have" to "could've" and then by extension (and I suppose accent) to "could of".

here though, the word "of" is looking and sounding the same as it's original meaning but in actuality taking on a new meaning (the same as "have").

Or perhaps I'm just talking ""shit""

No you are probably right. I noticed it listening to the match commentary. Stringer was saying 'could of'. Normally I would 'have' taken no notice but with this thread ongoing I thought of it I have done it myself when speaking. As you say it is the Leicester accent although the error is common place all over. Do Geordies write ' I went t'game Sat aft'noon' (or is that Yorkshire?)

Whatever, It is something that some employers may look at when setting people on so when doing formal letters it is best not to get into bad habits.

[FoxesAreBlue]

I never did a degree or anything but I remember studying accent and dialect in English A-level. I often end up in a debate with my mums partner with things like this (he's just arrogant and stupid so doesn't understand the difference.

Trying to explain to him that 'beaver' and 'belvoir' are DIFFERENT but sound the same is like banging your head agains the wall.

Also 'live' as in "I live in Leicester. And

'live' as in "we go live in ten minutes"

He just don' get dat shiz

[Zingari]

I never did a degree or anything but I remember studying accent and dialect in English A-level. I often end up in a debate with my mums partner with things like this (he's just arrogant and stupid so doesn't understand the difference.

Trying to explain to him that 'beaver' and 'belvoir' are DIFFERENT but sound the same is like banging your head agains the wall.

Also 'live' as in "I live in Leicester. And

'live' as in "we go live in ten minutes"

He just don' get dat shiz

That would be quite bad if he were to address a queen as quean

Tell him to look up "homophones" and explain to him they aren't gay haters

And "heteronyms" for the other example.

[danny.]

Accents are pronouncing various words differently - this is using a completely different word instead though, one that makes no sense - it's just wrong to write 'of' instead of 'have'.

Would be the same if a northerner wrote 'gnaw' instead of 'no' - that's how some people pronounce it, but one means to bite, other opposite of yes - wouldn't make much sense writing that would it?

[Charl91]

Accents are pronouncing various words differently - this is using a completely different word instead though, one that makes no sense - it's just wrong to write 'of' instead of 'have'.

Would be the same if a northerner wrote 'gnaw' instead of 'no' - that's how some people pronounce it, but one means to bite, other opposite of yes - wouldn't make much sense writing that would it?

It's not an accent thing though (as most people are actually saying "could of" rather then mis-pronouncing could've), rather a colloquial word in which the two words are interchangable in that context, which probably originated from misunderstanding could've but has evolved since then.

The word "of" has become slang for "have" in this instance, where it's gained a new meaning rather then being used in its normal context.