My brain, why?

[fredericks]

[Poll #1765505]

I ask because I've come across "free reign" twice in works of authors whose writing I generally admire (fanfic, not pro fic, so there's that). I read a metric shit ton of Saddle Club books when I was younger and "free rein" just makes more *sense,* in that it's implied that the party involved has liberty to do whatever. Whereas "free reign" just seems redundant... unless you're a monarchial history buff and you want to make some subtle commentary about dowagers and puppet heads of state and the like.

Yes. I am weird. I know this.

ETA - K, I realize how silly this is, particularly when speaking of fanfic, where it's not uncommon to see "prostrate" used incorrectly. Don't people use betas?

Comments

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I picked "free rein" because, well, that's the primary used one, but "free reign" actually works as well, and now i'm wondering how often I've maybe not noticed which one has been used.
Everything I've come across online has said that rein/reign are used interchangeably at this point. It's just one of those situations where reign makes me think of something different than what the writer intends.

Something else that irks me? The misuse of "then" and "than." Happens all the time and it just jars me. I'm not a grammarian by any means, but sometimes I grab onto things mentally and can't let go.

Speaking of medical quirks with fic, any excessive handwaving of major traumatic injuries tens to take me out of stories. If you're going to do amnesia fic, either make it medically accurate or play it as cliche.

thought the pharm companies designed the brand names so that they were easy for people to say?) to diseases to Things They've Googled And Are Now Obsessed With)
I'm with you on that one.

[captainschlumpy.livejournal.com]

ahaha! I commented before I read your other comments! Also, free rein as in giving a horse its head and letting it run. I don't get the reign usage at all. reign means rule. That's just bad English and makes me all sad face. Kind of like totally typing in random words all random. :P

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

*grin* I knew we'd be on the same page.

I don't get the reign usage at all. reign means rule
I feel the same way. It makes me sad that "reign" is getting more use than "rein."

[captainschlumpy.livejournal.com]

I found another one that annoys me. The constant misuse and/or misunderstanding of the word fetish. If you want to read werewolf/twincest/Harry Potter fanfic, it is not your fetish unless you can not perform sexually without the aforementioned fanfic in the room with you. It's just what you like to read, not a fetish. I do not think it means what you think it means fangirls.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I always wonder how much is willful ignorance and how much is naivety. I've made a lot of blunders in regards to gender, sexual, and alignment sensitivity from just not knowing over the years. And in fandom it's easy to offend by just not knowing and not knowing to ask.

[etcetera-cat.livejournal.com]

I have, honest to god, had to tell someone--one more than one occasion!--that no, them having a nosebleed does not mean that they've caught myxomatosis from that wild rabbit they brought in to us the other day unless they, themselves are also a rabbit. *facepalms forever*

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

LOL. The Radiohead song ruined it for you.

[etcetera-cat.livejournal.com]

Darn you, Thom Yorke! *tiny fistshake*

[utopiantrunks.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on then and than. That and to/too... There are others that bug the heck outta me. If I'm tired or distracted enough, sometimes I'll make the very errors that drive me nuts... But generally I catch them when I proofread... or my beta does.