By grammarnazi-forareason - 03/07/2013 06:48 - Sweden - Stockholm

Today, I had the questionable honor of explaining the difference between "your" and "you're" to my boss, and very diplomatically make her see why her poor grasp of language could affect our credibility as a communication agency. I'm Swedish, and English is my third language. She's American. FML
I agree, your life sucks 57 644
You deserved it 3 756

Same thing different taste

Top comments

Talientary 8

This will probably offend some people, but oh well. I'm an American. Let's just say that I can name a few different versions of "English" that I've heard that you probably wouldn't recognize. I wouldn't expect much from the stereotypical American. #yoloswaql8rlol

Comments

I commend your english sir, you could teach most fml posters a thing or two. Hopefully the feeling of superiority over your boss makes up for the fact that she gets more money than you.

I have a Swedish friend whose English is much better than mine, and it's his fourth language.

I just got to ask, what's his first three? Most swedes learn it as a second language in third/fourth grade.

It's actually surprising how many people do not know the difference between to two.

I'm not going to jump on the "stupid Americans" bandwagon because native English speakers everywhere are like this. Go to some parts of England and it's as though they're speaking an entirely different language. My parents learned English in school (English is actually my father's second language and my mother's third) and when I compare their English to other native speakers I can tell that their English is considerably better. Native speakers everywhere butcher their language.

ulissey_fml 22

Not where I live, they don't.

The FML commenters will hate you. Good luck with getting FML's OP, I'm sorry I can give you just one...

Second, third language speakers are better at speaking English because they want to learn, where as the others are forced to learn.

No they're better at speaking English because they learn it in an academic environment where they're taught all the grammar rules and are forced to speak it correctly if they hope to pass. Native speakers butcher it because they learn it in an informal setting (i.e their homes, their friends from school, from TV, etc) where they also pick up rubbish and therefore grow up speaking rubbish. Secondly, not all second or third language speakers learn because they WANT to learn. Most of them (particularly with English) are forced to learn it. I know that here in South Africa the majority of kids don't speak English as a first language yet they have to learn it because that's the language they're taught in at schools and universities and it's the main language of communication in the country.

Forced to learn? Funny, I don't remember forcing either of my children to learn the language. They seem to be picking it up perfectly well on their own, even my 2-year old. No, what you mean to say is that people generally don't give a ****. If people actually cared more about proper grammar, this would never be an issue.

Some ppl are forced to learn it's great that your kids want to learn and are doing well but it's not like that for everyone

As a swede myself I can only agree, I have found myself in this situation a couple of times. But then again, swede's butcher the swedish language as well.

OP your stupide thère is absoulutuly now difference !

you should have used "their" to add another one.

Iceman got defeated again by the voxpopuli ! Hurray hurray !

This is a pet peeve if mine. It's not that hard to use basic spelling and grammar.

It's not that hard to proofread two sentences for grammar mistakes before posting a comment on grammar either.