From time to time, Grammar Glitch Central recognizes companies who "get the grammar right" or point out good usage in their businesses.  Today's "Getting the Grammar Right" recognition goes to RUBES Cartoons for a second cartoon that highlights a common usage issue. This is #5 in our series. Others who have been recognized include Publix grocery stores, the Associated Press, the Blondie cartoon, and Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Leigh Rubin's first cartoon highlighted on this blog had to do with recognizing the difference between LIE and LAY. (See the "Greta the Grammarian" post for June 1, 2011.) Here is the second cartoon:

Rubes® cartoon © 2011 Leigh Rubin-Used with permission (www.rubescartoons.com)

People often confuse DESERT (an arid, sandy location that has little or no vegetation) with DESSERT (the tasty and sweet ending to a meal–think key lime pie or German chocolate cake). Because both DESERT and DESSERT are legal words, your spell checker will not spot this error, so keep your brain in gear!

Thanks again to Leigh Rubin for Getting the Grammar Right. You can enjoy his other work at www.rubescartoons.com.

A reader sent me a wonderful story yesterday about an eagle that fell out of a tree and was rescued by the Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in the Puget Sound area of Washington State. One of the trainers has a special bond with this eagle, and they each came to encourage the other at difficult times. I loved the story but not the incorrect use of LAY for LIE twice in the story.  Here are the sentences that bothered me:

It was loaded up with shredded newspaper for her to lay in.

I used to sit and talk to her, urging her to live, to fight; and she would lay there looking at me with those big brown eyes.

LAY is a verb that takes an object, as in "The eagle laid eggs in its nest." or "She would like to lay the wreath at his grave."

LIE is a verb that means "to recline or put your feet up." It does not take an object and should have been the verb of choice in these two sentences:

It was loaded up with shredded newspaper for her to lie in.

I used to sit and talk to her, urging her to live, to fight; and she would lie there looking at me with those big brown eyes.

If you would like to read more about this eagle and about the wonderful work of the Sarvey Wildlife Center, go to www.sarveywildlife.org.

While watching coverage of the US Open last weekend, I heard yet another incorrect use of LAY. Rory McElroy, who won the tournament, was on the 7th hole when one of the announcers began to speculate about how a win in this tournament would skyrocket McElroy's career.  The announcer then asked this question:

What lays ahead for McElroy?

As above, the correct verb choice should have been LIES, which, by the way, Doris Day used correctly in the old song, "Que Sera, Sera" when she sang, "I asked my mother, what LIES ahead" in the movie "The Man Who Knew too Much."  The golf announcer should have said:

What lies ahead for McElroy?

Congratulations to McElroy on his 16 under par win and on being the youngest player to win the US Open since 1923.

I subscribe to a blog for writers that often includes good information.  Sometimes, however, it contains complaints that are poorly written, like this one:

One hundred years ago there were less writing people in the world. There were less literate people in the world able to write. It is frustrating to know that you are placing your work in a negative and overcrowded environment where you have less chances of success and that you are going to have to spend time doing what a TP (Traditional Publisher) would be doing for you rather than getting on with the book.

I have pointed out in several previous posts that there is a usage difference between LESS and FEWER.  FEWER should be used for things that can be counted (like PEOPLE, PEOPLE, and CHANCES).  LESS is used for things that cannot be counted (like LAUNDRY, SALT, or KINDNESS).

Having worked in both the business community and the publishing industry, I can assure would-be authors as well as prospective employees that editors and HR interviewers are often faced with far more manuscripts or applications than they can handle.  When this is the case, their first cut is almost always based on how well written the content of the manuscript or application is.  They can quickly eliminate prospects simply by using good writing as the first criterion.

The paragraph above would not pass muster with most editors, primarily because of the incorrect use of LESS in three different places. The paragraph should read this way:

One hundred years ago there were fewer writing people in the world. There were fewer literate people in the world able to write. It is frustrating to know that you are placing your work in a negative and overcrowded environment where you have fewer chances of success and that you are going to have to spend time doing what a TP (Traditional Publisher) would be doing for you rather than getting on with the book.

Quality writing rises to the top, even in slush piles, so take care with the mechanics of your writing.

 Here is a usage Glitch I have not seen before. The sentence appears in a newsletter article about making ethical choices:

There are five main causes of unethical verses ethical choices: pride, power, pressure, pleasure, and priorities.

Whoops! VERSES are lines of poetry or numbered subdivisions of chapters in the Bible. VERSUS is a preposition that sets up an alternative or contrast, which is what the writer needs in this sentence–a contrast between unethical and ethical choices.  The sentence should read this way:

There are five main causes of unethical versus ethical choices: pride, power, pressure, pleasure, and priorities.

PLEASE NOTE that your spelling checker would not catch this error because both VERSUS and VERSES are words.

I do like the message of this sentence and the quotation from businessman, author, and philanthropist W. Clement Stone that appears at the end of the article:

Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.

What a world this would be if everyone kept these keys on their ring!