Maybe I missed the memo - but did I miss a grammar revolution?
When did the world start alphabetizing the word THE? When I first started noticing this - I thought it was a random fluke - a stock person had failed language arts or something - but now it appears to be more and more common. Correct me if I am wrong - but doesn't "the" just kind of get the throw-away treatment? Such as "Sound of Music, The?" If not, "T" would be the longest section of any store. Is this an accepted form, now? I have not been able to locate things because I simply did not add the word "the" to the title. Or did all this start with the implementation of THE Ohio State University?
Along with the "THE" faux pas - when did the world start alphabetizing by first names? I thought, again, proper names were alphabetized by last names. Sinatra, Frank. Capone, Al. Are the younger generations not learning this? I really don't spend that much time in music stores - but at Christmas looking for CDs . I couldn't find Bruno Mars or Bob Seger. I thought maybe CDs are now blase and people only downloaded music - but no - as it turns out I found them both under B. So, looked for other artists and sure enough - alphabetized by the first name...Chris Brown. Tom Petty. Unless you are Cher, Adele or Sting - I think we should go back to the last name first. I didn't look for Meat Loaf.
I also saw a list of names from my kids' school in first name alphabetical order. I asked the front desk clerk why it was this way - and he told me both ways were right. I told him he was wrong. No wonder it takes forever to get anything done in the office - instead of going to the J file for my children - they apparently sort by first name. Glad I don't have a Jack, Cody or Maddy. I'd be there all day.
I don't know when this became the accepted grammar rule and I don't like it. And by the way - in the 2012 US New and World Report Book of Best Colleges and Universities...The Ohio State University is listed under O - not T.
Friday, March 9, 2012
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