Dear Grammar Police,
After 15 years of blogging, writing and podcasting, I feel it is time to take a stand. It never ceases to amaze me how prosaic, pedestrian, unimaginative people can persistently pontificate about classical grammatical structure as though it’s neurosurgery or rocket science. I assume you, grammar police, are the same people who hated Picasso, because he couldn’t keep the paint inside the lines and the colors never matched the numbers. You must be related to those who imprisoned Galileo for heresy, implying that the Earth was not the center of the universe. It is one thing to enjoy good prose, but it is completely different to publicly deride someone about misplacing a coma or misspelling a word.
Most of my posts and articles are written after a very long day. I do all my own writing. No one pays me for it. It is done because I care. In my effort to provide a principle and a concept that will dramatically change one’s health, I may miss the misspelled word or inappropriately conjugate my verb.
I will admit that I’ve had my fair share of “its” instead of “it’s,” and I’ve spelled many a word wrong at 12:32 AM. But, I’m not performing surgery. (I’ll admit that I’ve never left the “i” out of public before.) The fact that I actually publish loads of FREE articles and videos after working 16-18 hour days, taking care of thousands of patients, should be enough to receive a simple “Thank you, Dr. Nally.”
But, NO! The grammar police attack and tell me on a regular basis how terrible I am because I spelled supplement with an “a” or my i-phone’s auto correct changed “there” to “their.”
It seams that I usually get my point across about health and diet, because the inspectors of the written word tell me that my grammar or punctuation or spelling needs to align with the clearly understood point I attempted to write. In fact, they will print the information off and bring it to my office… with corrections in red pen, mind you.
I realize that in the pompous minds of the “Word Nazi’s” those of us who misspell or incorrectly conjugate our written prose lose credibility. Do I need your pedantic pompous credibility? Not really. These are often the same people who won’t take my medical advise, even though their version of a vegan diet is causing progressive obesity, hypertension and vascular disease.
You don’t own the words. You don’t have the right to mock and deride people for misplacing a coma. The free use of words, is not elitist and is not governed by you. To my recollection, I never voted for a “Word Sheriff.”
Many of you are English teachers, editors, or experts in the fields of writing. Do you write to me to help me construct my prose more effectively?
I think not.
I say that because, your letters are publicly posted and laced with sarcasm, derision and some of the rudest comments I’ve ever read. I am an expert in field of obesity and weight loss, yet, I don’t run up to you, or a stranger for that matter, when I see you in Wal-Mart buying cereal or donuts and yell, “Don’t eat that… you’re already FAT!”
Do I stand by the McDonald’s drive-through and criticize you for buying French fries?
No.
So why do you think you have the right to pedantically cast stones at my prose when I’ve never met you, and I have never solicited your advise? What gives you the right to whip out your sharpie and feel obligated to perform the equivalent of derisive graffiti on my prose? Your unsolicited public criticism of my “wordsmithing” is the equivalent of calling me “FAT” in public.
I see language like music, it has the ability to be modified, twisted and accented to tickle, tantalize and tease the reader by the creation of emotion. But you wouldn’t understand that, because you’re too busy worrying that my misuse of an apostrophe when I wrote “donuts” might cause a puppy to die.
If I turn a noun into a verb for the sake of fun, or to stir emotion, don’t have a conniption! Shakespeare is famous for this, he did it all the time. If you can’t hack it, then table my blog for another time when you have matured enough to chair your emotions. (See, it wasn’t that painful, was it?)
To be honest, I’m really uninterested in your opinions about my prose . . . or should I say disinterested just to piss you off?
Try to pay no attention to them, Doc Nally. Keep the content flowing for those that appreciate it. (But your article WAS funny!)
What’s that I hear!? A round of applause.
Well said!!! Bravo!!
Boy are you setting yourself up for some nasty feedback.
Sent from my iPhone
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I’m gonna keep this simple: YOU ROCK!
As a full time NMD student, I too enjoy writing in my blog to help add to the discussion of life, health, and nutrition. In a couple years, when I’m a doctor, I’ll keep it up. You’ve unwittingly become a role model to me. I listen to you and Jimmy on Keto Talk and I hope to shadow you one day in the near future (if you’re cool with that of course). Keep up the good work. You’re a great doc and a great guy.
Get ’em Doc! We love your blogs and videos. I appreciate your directness and honesty and all the great advise you provided over the last couple of years. Shake those haters off!
Atta boy Adam! Anyone who really gives a shit enjoys everything you write, any way you write it. I bet you write ten times better than these hammer heads can read a blood test report. In the words of a late great friend of mine. “Fuck em!” – Uncle Tony
Love it!
Sorry that people criticized to such an extent, that it necessitated this post…albeit done with humor…
I appreciate everything you do Doc Nally! Your a doctor for jimmy crickets!!!! I could care less if a apostrophe is out of place. Is an apostrophe out of place going to kill someone?……NO …..not comprehending your message will!
Know that your changing lives and making a difference in this world!
Doc Nally…
My Dad taught me before you were born, “Do not have rabbit ears”. Some people have uncontrollable egos. As if you didn’t know already.
I remember sending a message like this to Jimmy. It is so frustrating when you give so much of yourself. Conscience and good information is what the majority of your listeners want. That is what you are doing and is so appreciated…
My Dad was a good man, as you are also,
Sincerely,
Karen D
You are the best Doc Nally!!! I LOVE listening to your podcasts with Jimmy and appreciate all your knowledge you share. I’m sorry the Grammar police felt they had to attack you. I like to think they feel they are helping the well educated person with the medical degree – which is pretty funny. I found your post clever and well written! I have to say that I laughed at the misspelled word I found. Please don’t stop. Keto on!
I left it there just to see who would pick up on it!!
I don’t care if you misspell every other word, the message is getting to the job done. Being a smart cookie that I am, I can read it if you wrote it backwards. Some people have nothing else to do, they need to prove to them selves that they are smart. Your smarter then most of us and we love you for that. Like you said they can just go be spiteful someplace else.
Oh my, now I know why I love you so much!!!
Thank you, Dr. Nally. 🙂
Only a narcissist would do this , Dr Nally. There are some disorders that even keto cannot fix. Please, please keep doing what you’re doing. I, for one, appreciate you so much. And remember, observe don’t absorb!
Thank you for sharing all,of your experience and knowledge with us! You rock!
Bravo Doctor Nally‼️?
So sorry you have to deal with this. Especially when you give so freely of your time to share your knowledge. I like to think that the majority of us podcast listeners (and blog readers) appreciate your work too much to ever be so critical and rude (and idiotic, if I may say so).
Hang in there Dr. Nally! And thank you!!!!!
…”prosaic, pedestrian, unimaginative people can persistently pontificate about classical grammatical structure as though it’s neurosurgery or rocket science. I assume you, grammar police….”
Lol good for you. You do realize the grammar police will be busy looking up the definitions of the words in your post and that will keep them busy and away from annoying you from the next few days. 🙂
Krtkl unhape pepl hav tu find falt n uthr pepl. Its just a fakt. Yer werds matr wethr or not tha r speld krekle.
(I couldn’t help myself) ?
Critical, unhappy people have to find fault in other people. It’s just a fact.
Your words matter, whether or not they are spelled correctly.
Love it!!
Wel said Doc. I haet the constent barage of gramer poliec on the net.
(Boy that was hard to type with spell check constantly correcting my purposeful errors. Lol)
Have a stupendous day!
Love! It!
Keep on ketoing – you are saving lives. The typos just make some folks happy. Hope they get your message!
Doc Nally,
I appreciate every word you write (spelled however) and urge you to “Keep Calm – And Keto on”
I heard somewhere Grammar Police contain high levels of Troll-ose that causes insulin spikes and inflammation. My prescription to you is more Bacon, as needed.
Good for you! People are so freaking RUDE! Btw, THANK YOU, Dr. Nally. ?
Mabel
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Well articulated….
Thank you for the information you provide, I appreciate it. I have lost 40 lbs since October 1st, just started seeing Dr. Halburg in May this year and I eagerly await the new podcast each week. I am an engineer and am good with numbers, but also have issues from time to time with grammar and spelling and everyone gives me a hard time about it as also…so I can relate. I can’t tell you how many of your stories I share on a weekly basis in the journey of Keto. My advice, if someone complains, block them, you don’t want to be friends with them anyway! This post was very funny and I LIKE IT!
Thanks
Casey
As long as I can understand what you are saying, I could care less. I would be afraid to comment such irrelevant criticism if you decided to just delete me. Oh no! That would be catastrophic, yes catastrophic
Drink water, roll on. Those of us who read your posts for the beneficial information they contain could care less what these individuals have to say. Please don’t let them discourage you. You are respected and appreciated by most of us!!!
OMG….people need to get a grip! Way to go Doc! People need to get past whatever they believe is grammatically incorrect and GET THE FREAKIN’ MESSAGE!
You do so much for us and like you said…FOR FREE!
THANK YOU! Thank you for all you do for so many of us. Don’t let the red-penned few spoil it for the rest of us.
Thanks again Doc. You’re awesome!
Dr McNally,
I appreciate your podcast, blog and daily thoughts. As a retired teacher, I just have to say, “Nobody likes to be corrected on their grammar!”
So keep on rocking and ignore those uppety grammar police. ?
Bravo Dr Nally, or, is that, Dr Naly. OMG I cant spel. I just want you to know how appreciated you are. I have learned so much from you. Like Dale says “Keep Calm and Keto on”.
You’ll find those trolls all over the internet. Unless it becomes something dangerous, there’s nothing we can do about them. However, I’ll bet that your ‘word Nazis’, being readers of your writings, are not the bad ones and will not escalate. After all, we’re all Ketonians!! It’s a brother/sisterhood! But hooray for shouting back at them. It’s uber rude for them to comment in such a way. Please know that your excellent work is appreciated so much–by tons of us!!! You ‘Word Nazis”—STOP bothering our Doc Nally!!!!
Hey dere Doc! Now you’ve gone and embarrassed me. I haven’t noticed any of these things in your writing. I check your site every day looking for your postings. I gobble ’em up. It’s my experience in life that error free writing is no accident, and it don’t come free. Editors and fact checkers cost plenty if you want professionally error free publications. Self-publishing on the Internt is what it is. We get lots of content that is professionally informed, even if the writine could be, even though the writing could be improved by a proofreader/editor. (Rats, my cat’s on the keyboard again.)
Dr. Nally we love you!!! People who feel small try to bring others down with them. Keep doing what you do! Your work is so important and I deeply appreciate it!!
Thank you Dr.Nally for all your hard work and dedication on behalf of your patients and others that your influence touches. I’ve been one of your patients for well over a decade and in that time you’ve maintained a level of medical care that I’ve rarely seen in other medical practices. I wasn’t aware of negative feedback for inconsequential grammar. I am aware however, of the amazing doctor that you are and how your medical expertise has helped my life, and the lives of my family. You are valued as a physician by many. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. Thank you for the time you invest in helping others like me and my family. To achieve the level of care you give, takes dedication and sacrifice from you and your family. Thanks to you and your family and the time you sacrifice, my family and I have hope for better health. Know that you’re appreciated by many.
Doc, your heart is open to help people. Critics hearts are closed to build up their frail self worth. I’ll follow your lead in this one. ???
Well deserved… and we’ll written! Do what you do best, Dr. Nally, and know that your fan base goes faaaaaaar beyond the petty critics!
PS, Thank you for helping me discover good health and a shrinking waistline. I O U
???????? Thank You.
Dr. Nally my nurse notes are sometimes so funny I would love to share them with You Tube and make money… There are people who are just Nasty. Keep on being who you are I don’t like you for your spelling / grammar I like you for your honest approach to your patience and your GReat sense of humor God continue to bless you in your practice we benefit from your work always Sharon.Stueber
Dear Dr. McNally;
I speak well english and and, rite even gooder!
Samuel Clemens would be rolling over in his grave at the limited focus of your detractors. The man wrote in dialect of the english language. Your writings are fine. I, for one, appreciate the humor and recognize my own foibles when I write as well. I’m a lousy typist. Keep up the good work! Many appreciate your efforts, and humor. Too many people take themselves too seriously. I’ll though a little bit of Latin in my closing, though by no means do I know it well.
Nunca illigitimati non carborundum. Loosely translates to “Don’t Let the bastards wear you down”.
My best regards,
Russ Goodman
You are an extremely intelligent, well informed, compassionate, fun person. And then there are those medical degrees! I recommend you to everyone I care about AS well as strangers in the grocery store. (I tend to leave the normals alone). Listen, I have been a nurse for “gulp” “40 years. Everybody knows nurses only go to the best physician’s. I thank those goofballs for getting you ticked off or many of us wouldn’t have had the opportunity to tell you how much we luv ya! P. S. GOOFBALLS I know I can’t spell and have forgotten most of what I learned in grade school so please don’t “help me”.
I used to work as a proofreader and dabbled in editing. Apparently, I have a somewhat keen eye and pick up on typos quite often. That said, I have recognize your labor of love and would never critique your posts, unless it were in scientific error (which I’m not the expert and would likely miss it). Keep on keepin’ on!
You should’ve just ignored it doc.
Anyway, thanks for all you do.
These are the same people that deride e.e. cummings for lack of upper case.