grammar police

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Noun

grammar police pl (plural only)

1. (idiomatic) One or more people who make negative comments, which are usually unsolicited and unwanted, concerning the correctness of someone's English usage.

   Synonyms: grammar cop; grammando, grammar Nazi

   Coordinate term: wordie

   • 1997 September 7, Patricia T. O'Conner, “Grammar Cops”, in New York Times, retrieved 13 March 2018:

     The grammar police are cruising the info highway, and they're writing tickets. In newsgroups . . . bad English does not go unnoticed.

   • 2012 May 30, Heidi Stevens, “Language: More fun with fewer rules?”, in Chicago Tribune, retrieved 13 March 2018:

     Some wordsmiths wield their lexicological powers like an angry red pen, rooting out errors and marking them for all the world to see. (We're talking to you, Grammar Police.)

   • 2013 May 29, Harry Wallop, “Hay Festival 2013: Oxford professor asks for grammar pedants to relax”, in Telegraph, UK, retrieved 13 March 2018:

     A leading Oxford University academic has implored “the grammar police” and spelling pedants to be a bit more relaxed about changing standards of written English.

   • 2015 September 24, Madeline Case, “Have you sworn an oath to the Grammar Police?”, in Business Management Daily, retrieved 13 March 2018:

     [S]ince my mother-in-law was a former public school teacher, she is the Grammar Police.