Have you ever been so absolutely sure of a grammar rule you haven’t looked it up in decades? Did you cringe whenever you heard or saw people break the rule? Did you correct people with a righteous tone in your voice?
Only to find out, years later, that you were wrong?
In writing this column, I’m learning even more about grammar than I ever thought possible. I’ve been covering the basics, so far, but I’ve been researching more complex topics for the future. In doing so, I’m even learning things I thought I knew!
I forget which teacher, parental unit or well-meaning elder hammered this point into my head, but I have spent the first quarter decade (and more) of my life believing the only proper way to use the word “till” is in reference to farming or a cash register.
Apparently, I was wrong. Very wrong.
According to FreeDictionary.com and a host of other reliable sources, “Till and until are generally interchangeable in both writing and speech.” (Italics mine.)
Whenever I heard the phrase “till next time” used, I always pictured the word as ‘til. (Do any other writers picture words as they are spoken or do I have another problem, too?)
Although ‘til as an abbreviation of “until” (the apostrophe replaces the un-) has become commonly accepted, it is actually etymologically incorrect.
Not only have I been correcting people who didn’t need correcting because they were right, but I was instructing them to use a form that, while accepted today, is not technically correct. And I call myself a grammar purist?
Incidentally, in my research I discovered another meaning for till.
(noun) Glacial drift composed of an unconsolidated, heterogeneous mixture of clay, sand, pebbles, cobbles, and boulders.
Thought I’d share, although I can’t foresee myself using that one anytime soon and if someone misused it I’d be sure not to notice.
Till next time…
P.S. The worst part is, as I typed the last line of this post – it just looks wrong. Part of me wishes I could remember who hammered the so-called rule into my head, or where I picked up this misinformation, but I guess it’s time to let it go.
Writers, help me out here. Have you ever been instructed incorrectly or developed a false belief about word usage? When and how did you find out you were wrong? Did you tell anyone you had corrected in the past or just quietly change your ways?
