This Time the Pedant is Wrong!

Sheldon has occasional comics that feature “the Unnecessary Pedant,” who corrects minor points of grammar. This time the human is right! I really don’t need to say anything else.

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Usually people use “may” incorrectly by using it as a substitute for “might.” (Old joke warning:) An example of using “can” incorrectly as a substitute for “may.”

Technically:

• “May” refers to permission.
• “Can” refers to ability.
• (“Might” refers to possibility.)

A long time ago I worked on a math textbook project. I got kudos for the word problems I wrote, but the mathematicians insisted that we use “can” when “may” was correct, so maybe the language is changing.

Another of my hobby horses. This grocery store gets it right. Fewer, not less.

What does your grocery store say???

(FYI, my grocery store says “about 15 items.”)

Here’s the comic:

https://www.gocomics.com/agnes/2020/07/26

“Addled” is an adjective. For that matter, you can’t go up to the front of the room and addle, either, so I don’t see a verb form, either.

What do you think?

I happen to know that a final “u” in Japanese spelling is not pronounced. Carefully compare what she said with what her dad says in the last panel, and I think you’ll get it. Any of you Japanese speakers out there able to verify my post here?

If you don’t know what a mondegreen is, do a search in the upper right corner of this post.