(no subject)

[roxy]

It is TOE the line. Not TOW. I know, seems weird, but that's what it is. TOE.

Comments

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

And the more you read that sentence, the dirtier it becomes. (Don't ask me why)

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*blink*

Reeeeeeeeeeelly...hunh. *eyeballs you*

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

I guess it's because, after enough repetitions, I start interpreting it as "tonguing" the line, which is dirty.

Also, your icon terrifies me because I is afraid of frogs.

[zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com]

There's a line drawn on the ground; you line up so your toes are on the line...toe the line.

Now shall we discuss there, their and they're? How about its and it's? :P

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

LOL!!! I know, right?

Okay, you guys know I battle its and it's constantly, oy!

[zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com]

When I write there is a constant verbal dialogue going with my inner editor: 'it is' is it's...the possesive in this case is its.....

English is a weird language (and I had to stop and think how to spell weird!

[zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com]

And look I spelled possessive wrong even while thinking about it. It is time to quit!

[rosy5000.livejournal.com]

But what if I want to pull the line with me and not walk it? *g*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*eyeballs you*

Eh-hem.

[jackien1968.livejournal.com]

A thousand times YES!! That one drives me bananas. It doesn't seem as weird if you picture a line in the dirt and contrast toeing the line with crossing the line.

<3
Jackie

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Right! What do people think that means, that they're saying tow the line? *puzzled*

[jackien1968.livejournal.com]

I think you use a towline to pull a barge or some other towable thing. But that has no relation to our poor oft-mutilated idiom.

<3
j

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

They're thinking about taking on the burden of the party line, not a literal line in the dirt.

[dawnybee.livejournal.com]

Do you think me daft that I didn't know that. It makes perfect sense but it's one of those things that I think I've heard rather than seen. See, you do learn something new everyday!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

It's understandable that folks are just hearing these phrases, and have never seen them written since a lot of the phrases are pretty old. *koff* Or so I've been told....

[selinamoonfire.livejournal.com]

*snerks*

I guess that depends on if a call to Triple A is needed.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*SNORFLE*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Did he toe a line--or tow a line?

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Ah! *Excellent* visual!

[agent-jl36.livejournal.com]

That tiny rant made me laugh! People say things so easily without realizing WHAT they're saying. Or writing.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

ack!! I love your icon!!!

It's true! I check almost everything I write because I'm never sure--even when I'm sure I'm sure, lol!

[myownghost.livejournal.com]

funny you should say that. i clearly remember, some years ago, being "corrected" about that in the opposite direction and have ever since been sure that "tow" was correct and that it has something to do with sea lanes. or something. dang. well, i don't use the expression anyway, so carry on. :)

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

See? some folks are know-it-alls. Though really, the reason I check myself when I write is because in RL, I'm almost always insisting I'm right and finding out I'm wrong.

[tabaqui]

Heeeee!
Yes.

And it's not 'to all intensive purposes'. It's 'to all intents and purposes'. Arrgh. And, also? 'Voila' not 'wahla' or any other variation on a word that starts with double-you.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

'to all intensive purposes'

RIGHT?!!
I mean what the heck, it doesn't even sound like that unless you're really only half paying attention...*shakes head*.

And wahla is a joke--I can't believe anyone would seriously think that voila is wahla. *laughs like crazy*.

Though we do enjoy saying "viy-ola" for voila at the Rose Manse. :)

[tabaqui]

*snerk*

I have seen it all, bay-bee. Seen it all. It's sad, really.
*twirls you*

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

Ha! That isn't one I've seen, but I know exactly what you're talking about. I've seen many misused cliches, but people who obviously have never thought about what they mean, or who've only heard them and not seen them. My pet peeve is 'his taught stomach quivered under the gentle touch...' Aaargh! Unfortunately, taught instead of taut is not something the spellchecker picks up on.

[(Anonymous)]

Or "his taunt stomach." Seriously? His stomach is going "neener neener neener?"

People who use "defiantly" when they mean "definitely" bug me, because I know what happened; they typed "definately" and their spell check auto-corrected it to the first word its algorithm came up with, and they didn't proofread afterwards.

And finally, prostate/prostrate. :)

--Jessica

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

*snicker* Neener, neener, neener - that's awesome. I haven't seen that one, but I can imagine how hilarious it would be to come across - which would then pull you out of a story, so not so hilarious after all.

I'm right there with you on prostate and prostrate. Eek!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

LOL!!!!! I *HATE* that one!

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

I just read one earlier today, and I thought of your post. It was about 'Superman dawning his suit.' I cringed.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*snicker* Maybe they meant 'darning'...*giggle*

eta: oy with the keys...

[kattahj.livejournal.com]

I know, seems weird, but that's what it is. TOE.

As an ESL speaker, this has always made perfect sense to me. Which most idioms don't. :-)

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Yes! The way the phrase is meant to be used, it's the only way it makes sense!

[elsmoka.livejournal.com]

How would you even tow a line that is drawn on the floor. Huh?

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*FALLS DOWN LAUGHING*

Right???

[nashmaveric.livejournal.com]

Yeah, every time I see that, my mind goes off on a tangent. I mean, where are the towing the line to? And did they need special equipment or does the car-towing stuff work on lines too?

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

And did they need special equipment or does the car-towing stuff work on lines too?

Heeeeeeee!!!!

[rednihilist.livejournal.com]

*rolls eyes* It's like, c'mon, people! That's what Google's for! It'll take two minutes' "research" and then you won't come off as silly. And lazy. *shakes head*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Thank you, right?? Or for cryin' out loud, read something else besides fanfic! *nods*