Correcting people’s grammar, unsolicited, in a social context, is rude. Right? We can all agree on that.
That said, we can’t help but quietly enjoy the new iOS sticker pack Grammar Snob, which allows users to overlay red-pencil corrections of common grammar, spelling and usage errors onto their iMessage chats.
Corrections for a few particular peeves of ours appear in the set, including lose/loose, couldn’t care less, and properly placed apostrophes.
As much as an editor’s soul might warm to more red-pencil marks everywhere, does the world really need more pedantry? Mashable, Engadget and The Verge snarked that Grammar Snob is “the perfect app for people who are objectively the worst,” “ready to ruin your friendships,” and a way to “make enemies for life,” respectively.
Yes, the power to bring conversation to a screeching halt by boldly and colorfully humiliating your interlocutor’s adherence to standard written English is a mighty one, and it must be wielded with care.
Here are some general guidelines:
DON’T correct your best friend’s spelling of “lose” vs. “loose” when she sends you an emotional text about the death of her beloved pet rabbit.
DO correct your frenemy’s use of “could care less” when she messages you something callous about the death of your best friend’s rabbit.
DON’T scratch out “expresso” in a second date invitation from a promising suitor, overlaying it with a chilly “espresso.”
DO scratch out “your” in a bitter text from a Tinder match who’d been unsuccessfully angling for a booty call, overlaying it with “you’re.” (”You’re a frigid bitch” is much more grammatically satisfying to read.)
And of course, always remember that correcting others’ grammar can be classist, ignorant of variants in dialect, and might make you look like the fool yourself.
With immense emotional power comes immense responsibility, young texters. Use these Grammar Snob stickers, but don’t use them thoughtlessly ― unless you wish to find yourself without annoying Tinder bros and bosom friends alike.
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