I try to keep my posts uplifting or at least upbeat, but here's something I can't get over. Have you seen this? It's an ad posted on our city busses and I am appalled.
No, I do NOT lay in bed. I lay me down to sleep, I lay down my sword and shield, but I LIE in bed.
Here's what Mirriam Webster says:
Lay means "to place something down flat," while lie means "to be in a flat position on a surface." The key difference is that lay is transitive and requires an object to act upon, and lie is intransitive, describing something moving on its own or already in position. Beyond the present tense, the pair can become more confusing because lay is the past tense of lie, and laid is the past tense of lay.
They also say,
Lay and lie have been tripping up English speakers for 700 years, and no one should be judged harshly for being among the confused.
Okay, I'll calm down, and thank you for letting me get that off my chest.
But for an ad on city busses, shouldn't someone have checked? Where was the copy editor?
Now, here's one that's beyond the pale.
Isn't this beautiful? Hirschfeld is another of my favorites and an inspiration. I'll have to do a full post for him. This is a Christmas card from the New York Public Library, thanking me for my support. but look at what's inside!
To quote my beloved Aunt, Jan, "Holy Hat!" This is the New York Public Library! I'm reminded of a card I once saw that said,
"Dear Everybody,
Not to sound slutty, but please use me
Signed, Grammar
I know, I'm not one to talk. Typos have appeared in my work even after countless rigorous proofreadings. Let's recognize what a hard job all copy editors do and give thanks for all the times they get it right.
To lend on a note of aspiration and reminder of the best in all of us, let me present
my Great Niece,
Maya Devi Nampoothiri Swanson
September 24, 2020
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