Monday, March 24

Grammar Geek

It's a heavy burden to be such a grammar geek. I'm not even that well-spoken, yet a split infinitive, comma blunder, or misuse of a word can send me into a real funk, or paroxysms, depending on the day.
Yesterday. Easter day. We are in church. DH is up front playing some of the finest backup guitar it's ever been my privilege to hear. The pre-church announcements are showing up on the big screen, keeping the congregation attentive until the service starts. And...there it is.

"Habitat for Humanity BBQ Dinner.

I cringe. I look away. I look back. Yep, it's still there.
I can wait all day for the other shoe to drop. It's not going to.
Finally the fellow in front of me is looking around to see who is coming in to church on time. It is Easter, after all. "Why the frown?" he asks. I point at the big screen. By this time the slide has advanced to another announcement. He reads it and turns to me with a puzzled look.
"It's already gone," I whisper. "Habitat for Humanity." I make air quotes with only one hand. "They did not close the quotation marks."
Uncomfortable pause.
"It makes me crazy."
He smiles. "It bothers me, too," he sympathizes. Yet deep inside I resent him. "I know you are not as crazy on it as I am," I am thinking.

It's church. Charity begins at home. It's Easter, for Heaven's sake. Can't I just let it go?

But I can't.

Listening to NPR today. On Fresh Air, Terri is interviewing the author of a new book, "The Ten Year Nap." She reads from her book and says the young woman looks around at all her baby gifts and the 'detritus from the shower.' She pronounced it, "de-TRITE-us." Hm. I never really knew, but I've always pronounced it, "DEH-tritus." Short "i" in the middle. Came home and actually looked it up. Not because I was sure I was right, but because I wasn't. And I needed to know. Had to.

How weird can one person be?

BTW. It is: de-TRITE-us. I feel better, just knowing. I knew you would, too. :)

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