Published on 12, July, 2020
The stereotyped autistic person is obsessed with maths, science, technology, but I wondered if there is another type who is obsessed with words, correcting word mistakes, dictionaries, learning new words etc. A Word Nerd.
I am a proud Word Nerd, I have zero interest or skills in maths, science, technology. It is a reason I didn't even consider I was autistic until I was in my 40s/50s- I wasn't a computer geek, so I couldn't be autistic, could I?
What do you think?
I also really love language, particularly etymology. I like the freedom that a big vocabulary gives me in creative writing and how one word can have multiple meanings depending on personal interpretation. I also like to correct grammar mistakes.
My favourite correction being "IT'S STANDING! NOT STOOD!"
I let grammar mistakes go if it's to do with local dialect though. (Eg "I were" instead of "I was")
I also like plays on words or funny signs in shops. Something which I can't get past is the phrase "so good" usully about food. It's crept in from America. I don't know why I hate it so much but it just makes my skin crawl.
Yes: stood. Is that a dialect thing in Uk? ‘so good’ for food literally makes me visualise the alimentary canal
Exactly! hahaha. If he'd literally killed her, she wouldn't be typing!!
Honestly!
How did they type that!
Someone online wrote: My boyfriend was so angry that he literally killed me.
I hope not!!!
Oh that is literally super annoying!
Or saying 'literally' in every sentence, usually wrongly.
Or using "super" an adverb or modifier.
Same here. And 'I was sat down in the waiting room.' SITTING down, not sat.
The no. 1 bugbear for me is for example:
Strawberry's for sale. There are lot's and lot's of books.
That unnecessary apostrophe for plurals! No plurals use apostrophes!
Unless it's 'I was stood up' of course.
"I was stood at the bus stop" no! Standing! You don't say "I was went to the shops". It's become naturalised in our language now....I don't think it's to do with local dialect.