Strange etiquette/grammar things your mom was a stickler for

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:butTONS vs. buttins.

Legs down at table

Yeah vs. Yes
Oh my vs. OMG

Huh? What the heck were you doing with your legs at the table?

[Anonymous]

"Hay is for horses" when I'd say "hey." This was my dad, actually.

I hadn't thought of that in years and he's been gone a long time, so I'm glad this thread prompted me to remember it.

[Anonymous]

"Mable Mable if you're able keep you elbows off the table."

[Anonymous]

My dad was always snarky about "good vs. well". Also a recent episode of the Crown reminded me of him. You never "beg" pardon.

He also had a thing about shoes, even if they were brand new and I was just trying to show them to my mom I wasn't allowed to wear them inside. But barefoot is gross and to this day he makes me wear slippers when I visit.

My mom was big on "your back never touches the back" when sitting down.

[Anonymous]

Can vs May, she also wouldn't let us say "due to" to provide the reason for something. She insisted that "owing to" was the correct way to say that, "due to" was strictly in the context of money owed to someone.

[Anonymous]

My mother was very strict about grammar. Still is, in fact. Not diction, but no grammatical rules could be broken without her calling you out.

My dad was very strict about manners. Specifically, if another adult walked into the house (even if it was just a neighbor returning our snow blower or something), you had to stop what you were doing, turn the TV off, come over and say hello. No exceptions. And remember, this was before it was easy to watch a TV show if you missed it!

Especially in the age of streaming TV, I will absolutely require the same of my kids.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if they are strange, but my mother was/is a stickler for most grammar and etiquette rules.

Grammar ones that haven't already been mentioned include rearing (children) vs. raising (cattle).

Etiquette includes only moving your soup spoon from the front to the back of the bowl, only buttering a bite size piece of bread, sitting straight up and bringing the food to your mouth rather than your mouth to the food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“I beg your pardon” instead of “what.”

Ugh, this is so middle-class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When answering the phone:
Other person: Hi, is Larla there?
Me (Larla): yes, this is she

How are you?
I am well

These aren't strange, they are correct.

[Anonymous]

The one that immediately leaps to mind, OP, is not ending a sentence with "for."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“This is she” on the phone.
Same on the “may/can” thing and “chickens lay but people lie” on lay/ lie
NEVER elbows on the table
The order in which you introduce people: “Mrs. Smith (older or higher ranking person), I would like to introduce Larla (younger or lower ranking person) to you. Larla, please meet Mrs. Smith.”
No calling people’s houses after 9pm
Thank you notes out the door within two days

I feel like everyone has completely forgotten this distinction. People "lay" around all the time and it drives me crazy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Following on the other post, what are some of the etiquette things your mom taught you? My mom, for instance, insisted on "The steak is done but you are finished." Said whenever I said, "I'm done with my homework!" for example.

And also, whenever my poor, unsuspecting friends would call on the phone and they would say, "Can I speak to Larla?" "I'm sure you can but do you mean 'May I speak to Larla?'

Grammar pet peeves?

"Where's he at?"

Ending a sentence with a preposition.

"He could have ran fast."

Incorrect past participles.

My mom would chastise you for your awful and incorrect title that ends with a preposition!

For what things was your mom a stickler?

[Anonymous]

No cursing or swear words, ever. “Only those with a poor vocabulary resort to foul language.”

Also she was concerned that peppering your everyday language with swear words would become a habit and then you’d be very embarrassed when you’d reflexively use this language in an inappropriate setting.

[Anonymous]

I’m last 2 PPs:

Also got corrected on misuse of “I/me!” I could be running into the house crying that, “Sherry and me got stung by bees!” And my mom would be chiding, “Sherry and I! Sherry and I were stung by bees! Would you say ‘me got stung?’ No!”

Also a stickler for proper “this is she” response over the phone! Never, ever reply “this is her” or “speaking!”

[Anonymous]

My mother thought it was the height of rudeness if someone called the house after 8pm. She would lay into people on the phone, which is also the height of rudeness! I just learned to jump for the phone quickly and warn my friends about this quirk.