Grammar Pet Peeves

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

This has been driving me nuts when I see it on Facebook:

If you are a member of a sorority, and you graduate from college, you are an XYZ ALUMNA


You are not an "XYZ alumnae."

You're not an "XYZ alum."

You're not an "XYZ alumni"

Why does the abbreviated "alum" bother you? Just that it's not legit?

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Why does the abbreviated "alum" bother you? Just that it's not legit?

I bothers me because it is incorrect, and there are terms that are more appropriate.

[SWTXBelle]

Also, how much harder is it to type an "a" or an "ae"?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

I bothers me because it is incorrect, and there are terms that are more appropriate.

How is it incorrect? Informal, sure, but alum (which is in the dictionary as an informal form of alumnus/i/a/ae) is no more incorrect than dorm, fridge or grad student.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

How is it incorrect? Informal, sure, but alum (which is in the dictionary as an informal form of alumnus/i/a/ae) is no more incorrect than dorm, fridge or grad student.

When I see official banners at a University functions that say Alums, but everything else is advertised as Alumni it isn't sticking with a consistent style (note the Alumni Office didn't do this, it was an individual College/department). I also agree with SWTX, it isn't that hard to add the letters.

Just pick a style and stick with it for consistency, bu I also think a lot of people don't know the differences among alumna, alumnus, alumnae, and alumni.

[SWTXBelle]

If you graduate college, you should be able to identify yourself and your fellow gradutes correctly.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

When I see official banners at a University functions that say Alums, but everything else is advertised as Alumni it isn't sticking with a consistent style (note the Alumni Office didn't do this, it was an individual College/department). I also agree with SWTX, it isn't that hard to add the letters.

Just pick a style and stick with it for consistency, bu I also think a lot of people don't know the differences among alumna, alumnus, alumnae, and alumni.

I agree with both the idea of consistency and that Universities should not have banners that say "Alums." But the example that KSUViolet gave was Facebook. In my view, "alums" in university publications =/= appropriate. But on Facebook, not a big deal to me.