Month: June 2008

Using Google to Examine English Usage

Common English Blunders, Misspellings

Google, or any other search engine for the Web, can be a tool for examining English usage on the Web.

For example, one can use Google to get the number of Web pages containing a correctly spelled word vs. the number of Web pages containing one or more misspelled forms of that word.

One can also look for bad grammar, bad punctuation, and so on.

Several of my blog posts have included my results of these kinds of searches at Google.

To find these blog posts, simply go to the blog archives, enter “Google” (without the quotation marks) in the search box, and click the [Search] button.

However, don’t expect these Google-based comparisons of correct versus incorrect usage to remain static. As usage changes, so will the Google results.

“… net net effect …”

Adjectives, Nouns

I heard this a few times on a conference call recently.

Problem:
I do not know why two “net” adjectives are needed, and I suspect that many other people don’t know, either.

Explanation:
The speaker was explaining the effect of an action.

It has become popular in American English to say “net effect” instead of just “effect”.

I understand modifying the noun “effect” with the adjective “net”; it means something like final result.

I do not understand modifying the phrase “net effect” with yet another instance of the adjective “net”.

Given this lack of understanding — and I’m sure that I am not the only one — it doesn’t make sense to have two instances of the adjective “net” in a row, unless one is absolutely certain that everyone in the audience understands that distinction.

Solution:
“… net effect …”

“The DVD is due on next Sunday.”

Adverbs, Nouns, Prepositions

I heard this at Blockbuster Video over the weekend.

Problem:
The phrase “on next Sunday” did not sound right.

Explanation:
My wife and I were renting a DVD at a local Blockbuster Video store last Saturday evening.

Blockbuster has a seven-day return policy.

I was expecting the Blockbuster sales clerk to say one of the following:

  • “The DVD is due on Sunday, June 29.”
  • “The DVD is due next Sunday.”

So when I heard her say, “The DVD is due on next Sunday,” I was taken aback and began to wonder why “on next Sunday” was incorrect.

Here is what I realized:

  • The clerk wanted to say when the DVD was due.
  • Saying when is equivalent to modifying the verb “due” with an adverb or adverbial phrase.
  • “Sunday” is a noun.
  • One can combine the preposition “on” with the noun “Sunday” to get an adverbial phrase that says when.
  • The phrase “next Sunday” is already an adverbial phrase because it says when.
  • Therefore, it is a mistake to combine the preposition “on” with the adverbial phrase “next Sunday” in an attempt to get an adverbial phrase.

Solution:
“The DVD is due next Sunday.”