Learn To Say It Correctly!!

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Doesn't it just drive you insane when someone tells you that Mr. Smith's O2 STAT is 96%?

It's O2 SAT people! Sat, short for saturation. I even hear respiratory therapists saying this. I am sooooo tempted to say something next time, but I know it's just petty, so I needed to vent here. Thank you.

No one is perfect. I demand less of people on the weekend. :)

On Monday the beatings will continue.

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Language is an evolving and dynamic means of communication. The award winning essay on this website used "it's" in error, instad of "its." Watch for the day when the errors that urk us professionally today become standard usage! Even more interesting, only people in the profession will be able to understand what those inappropriate words are supposed to mean... sort of an "in-lingo."

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care, Gero, dementia.

An expression I just recently heard: "the vernacular always wins." (someone at an IRB meeting was complaining about a sentence ending in a preposition, others pointed out that it has become common usage)

Language, unless it's dead, like Latin, changes. Some changes will grate on some of us for a long time, eventually, most of us get beaten down and ignore it.

Inappropriate use of apostrophes will always make me crazy.

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The problem with English is that it changes on it's own. Almost every major language has a governing body. English doesn't, which is why bad English is becoming acceptable.

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Specializes in onc, M/S, hospice, nursing informatics.
Stanley-RN2B said:
No one is perfect. I demand less of people on the weekend. ?

On Monday the beatings will continue.

Cute... only wish I could sometimes!

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LOL you used "it's" incorrectly in your response... trying to prove my point?????

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care, Gero, dementia.
The problem with English is that it changes on it's own. Almost every major language has a governing body. English doesn't, which is why bad English is becoming acceptable.

The problem with "governing bodies" is that they have no real control over what happens on the street. Example in point: the French attempt to keep non-French words out of their language. It may work on an official level (if they haven't given up) but it certainly doesn't work in terms of how people speak. When you think that Shakespeare introduced something like 1,000 words into the English language, it makes you realize how vibrant and alive the language is. Also, spelling was no standardized until I think the 19th century

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Specializes in Hospice.
Stanley-RN2B said:
Incorrect. ?

'If I were' is standard formal.

'If I was' is standard informal.

:chuckle:

If you are going to get me you had better come better prepared. 

I learned "were" is used when expressing a want, wish, or a desire:

I was at school all day.

I wish I were at the pool right now.

If I were at the pool, I would be very happy.

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I asked on of the professors and my college about this for an objective opinion. Not only did he speak of the informal and formal versions of English, he went on to rant about how we needed a governing body to control the evolution of formal English.

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care, Gero, dementia.
Stanley-RN2B said:
I asked on of the professors and my college about this for an objective opinion. Not only did he speak of the informal and formal versions of English, he went on to rant about how we needed a governing body to control the evolution of formal English. :chuckle:chuckle:chuckle

Which strikes me as wishful thinking -- kind of like trying to "straighten" and "tame" a river -- it keeps wanting to go back to its own banks and meandering ways.

Ah, I just noticed he said "formal" but how to do that and not just wind up with something archaic and not used?

Considering that the humanities in general, and English in particular has a terrible habit in academe of writing in the most impenetrable and obtuse manner -- that wouldn't be my role model for usable English! 

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Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

The trouble with that scenario is that there are several different countries who use English as their main language.All of these countries have their own brand of English,spellings etc. which one would therefore be the definitive version?

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Specializes in Emergency/ Critical Care.
The trouble with that scenario is that there are several different countries who use English as their main language.All of these countries have their own brand of English,spellings etc. which one would therefore be the definitive version?

Possibly we could start with England?

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