A Quickie Grammar Lesson

Alert reader Tami Morrison sent me the following picture from her iPhone.

Now, there are several things wrong with this picture:

1. Despite what the sign says, this milk is in a box, not a can.

2. When milk is dry, nonfat, and instant (when I think "wet" at least is an essential characteristic), when does it cease to be milk?

3. If this "milk" were in a can, you still would never call it "can milk."

 

You see, "can milk" is either just two nouns sitting side by side, with little or nothing to do with each other, or it is a partial question: "Can milk?" (And if you're President Obama, your answer to that question would be "YES Milk Can!") I'm not sure what Albertson's was thinking, but they need a stern talking to. Maybe Obama could take care of that one, while he's at it.

 

This discussion brings up another pair of nouns that is commonly misused in the scrapbooking world: "pattern paper." The correct term is "patterned paper."  Why? Because the "-ed" plays the vital role of turning the noun "pattern" into an adjective that describes "paper." Likewise, you say "striped sweater" instead of "stripe sweater" and "bearded lady" instead of "beard lady."

 

A Sample Conversation
Obama: I need an inanimate object to do a favor for me.
Angie: Can milk?
Obama: Yes, milk can! 

Not Okay
can milk
beard lady
stripe sweater
pattern paper 

Okay
canned milk
bearded lady
striped sweater
patterned paper

Comments

[Amy So]

Also:

it's whipped cream, not whip cream. That one always makes me nuts! mmmm....nuts AND whipped cream. ;)

[Laura Pineau]

How about iced tea not ice tea?

And when did you have this fascinating, if strange, conversation with Obama?

[Stefani]

That IS a fascinating conversation! I was also thinking of another way "can milk" can be used as is... maybe it's since my grandpa was a dairy farmer that I thought of it.

If Roger gets up early he can milk the cows.

[Jingle]

This is GREAT! That photo is just, well, it's horrible, but so very amusing! I actually just posted my top 10 grammar pet peeves on my blog today! This would make a great addition! LOL!

[Leasa]

I have a question based on my 4th grade daughter's homework assignment.

She had to find and circle all of the adjectives she could find in several paragraphs.

One of the phrases was "every spring training."

Is spring an adjective? My husband and I had a discussion about this.

[Sarah Martina]

^^^ @ Leasa- In that sentence the word "Spring" was an adjective. It was used to describe the training. But, I'll let the expert confirm that...(lol!) That's just my guess.

Ok, Angie... re: that sign. It was really difficult for me to read the entire post because of my urge to take a sharpie to my computer screen and FIX that sign! Lol... Thanks for the lesson. I hope whoever sent that picture prints this post out and tapes it to the sign. Lol! I would!

Off topic... Am I the only one who thoroughly checks my comment for spelling & grammar mistakes before posting? For some strange reason, I only do that on this particular blog. Lol! ;-)

[Laura]

My grammar gripe of the week: using complimentary instead of complementary.

Unless the colors in the project are complimenting each other ("Hey nice shade, pretty thing!) it should be complementary!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kelli]

I'm almost afraid to post incase of poor grammar.
I love the "Yes Milk Can!" I'm newly lactose intolerant, milk can do so much more than be good for your bones! It makes me run to the can faster than I've ever run before!

[Jody]

I love how that brain of yours works. lol

[Kristy Chuhaloff]

Haha! I go to the same market as Tami, and have walked by that sign many times, shaking my head in wonder. Who made that sign, and how come no one noticed the error?

[sebnem]

You crack me up! I think that while my grammatical corrections to others come off as annoying (which is why I no longer make them), yours are just wonderful!

[Hannah Means]

Boy, are you right on the money! My favorite grammar gripe is when people people refer to healthy foods. Do the peaches have pink cheeks? Do the potatoes have bright eyes? It's healthful food, folks! I once went so far as to write to Woman's Day magazine about it and they replied that is was common usage so they are overlooking the grammar mistake. Grrr! Thanks for your grammar campaign.

[Connie Carpenter Macko]

When can we stop attributing that quote to President Obama and give it back to Bob the Builder where it rightfully belongs? I mean seriously - I love the man and what he stands for and will defend him to the end... but can you say credit where credit is due?! (LOL)

[Margaret McGarry]

I was logging on to add "ice tea" to the list of noun-noun errors that drive me nuts, though I see someone beat me to it.

And, speaking of grocery stores, I once told my husband that I preferred Target over Walmart because Target uses the word "fewer" properly in its checkout signs. (As in "10 items or fewer." Walmart has lanes for "10 items or less," which is wrong.)

Angie, I love your sense of humor and your savvy grammar sense.

[Jennifer Larson]

Thank you for taking on the destruction of the past participle. If I read one more student write "I use to do this," I will cry.

[Lorraine]

I love your thinking. Your blog posts make me smile. Keep up the good work!

[chair]

Funny!
I wonder what they were thinking though...
Canned goods AND milk?

[Deanna]

One of my pet peeves is when people leave off the -ed. "The car needs washed." No, "The car needs to be washed." or "The car needs washing"...
I have an uncontrollable urge to ask 'What happened to the 'be'?' But they won't get it.

[KristineArnold18]

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