Language Curmudgeon

I have become and amateur language curmudgeon in my middle age, although I am by and large very tolerant of other folks' writing and speaking styles. I have a few pet peeves, however, that drive me nuts. Perhaps by airing them, I can help myself get over them:

1. "Nauseous" means having the characteristic of inducing nausea in others. "Nauseated" means you have nausea. If you say "I'm nauseous", you are saying that you make other people sick, when you probably really mean to say that you are nauseated.

2. "Therefor" is a perfectly cromulent word even if Microsoft Word's spell check doesn't recognize it. It means "for it" and refers back to an antecedent in the sentence or even an earlier sentence. Example: "This settlement covers both the leases and security given therefor." The word refers back to the leases and could be replaced with "for them". "Therefore" is an entirely different word which connotes "accordingly" or "consequently". Akin to "therefor" are the words "therefrom", "thereunder", "thereto", "thereat", "thereupon" and the like. You can also do the same thing with "here", as in "hereunder".

3. There is nothing wrong with the passive voice, even if Microsoft Word underlines it with a green squiggle. It is useful for emphasizing the object when the subject is not all that relevant. It is also good for making a less emphatic statement. My favorite is using it to be deliberately evasive or obscure. "Mistakes were made, and people were killed." "Responsibility has been taken."

4. It bothers me when people use "hopefully" for "it is hoped that". "Hopefully" is an adverb that denotes that an action or proposition is taken or uttered in a hopeful manner. "'We are going to take Congress," he said hopefully." "They planted their crops hopefully but had no guarantee of success." Those are OK. "Hopefully, I won't fall down the stairs today." That's not right.

5. "And I" is not always right, and "and me" is sometimes right. "He yelled at John and I" is wrong. You wouldn't say "he yelled at I".

6. "Aren't I" is wrong. You wouldn't say "are I not" or "I are not good with figures". I advocate the use of "ain't" as a contraction for "am not". That's what it means. The use of "ain't" with the second or third person or the first person plural is wrong, but you can deliberately use it incorrectly to make a point, of course. "GW Bush ain't much for book learnin'".

These are the peeves that bother me most. Hopefully, they are now exorcised and won't make me so nauseous any more. Hey, lookie there. I'm already bending the rules myself, aren't I?