From the procmailex(5) man page:

The same as above, but, if the `94-01' directory wouldn't have existed, it is created automatically

This is just as bad as (or even worse than) using conditional + conditional 1 . It should be, "if the '94-01' directory doesn't exist, it is created automatically."

¶ 705 Posted at 04.08 AM ⇒ No Comments ( grammar nazi )

The past tence "payed" is legitimate English in the context of "paying out rope." It is wrong in other senses, such as making payment.

¶ 774 Posted at 01.33 PM ⇒ No Comments ( grammar nazi | fyi )

• A tenet is a principle; a tenant lives in an apartment.
• Myself is the reflexive pronoun. You use it if you are doing something to yourself. It cannot be a subject. It cannot be an object.
• You take a different tack, not a different tact.
• You take reins; you reign over a kingdom.

¶ 838 Posted at 08.21 PM ⇒ No Comments ( grammar nazi )

On a government form:

I understand that both myself and my spouse must sign below.

Wrong wrong wrong. First of all, whenever you have a compound subject, the first person is always last. Secondly, Myself is the reflexive pronoun. You only use it when both the subject and object of a verb refer to the same party. It should be:

I understand that both my spouse and I must sign below.

The canonical example is from "Austin Powers:"

Allow myself to introduce... myself.

The reason that is wrong is because the verb allow is being used as an imperative. The sentence above is (grammatically, if not semantically) equivalent to:

You allow myself to introduce myself.

Stated that way, the error is clear. It should be:

(You) allow me to introduce myself.

A quick test to see if it's right: switch the person. The first example becomes:

He understands that both himself and his spouse must sign below.

Clearly wrong. The second becomes:

Allow herself to introduce herself.

Again, it's clear.

¶ 1251 Posted at 11.02 AM ⇒ No Comments ( grammar nazi )