The English language

First of all may I say that I am currently in the middle of a week of nights, and my patience is running thin what with the complete buggeration of my body clock coupled with seeing too many irritating pissed people who feel the need to present themselves to A&E because (surprise surprise) they feel sick.

I thought I should add that disclaimer before I launch into my tirade...because people who mutilate their own language really PISS me off.

I have lost count of the number of signs I have seen with misplaced apostrophes - 'Video's for rent', 'Fish and Chip's' (no really), and, by far the best I have ever come across - 'We fix roof's, fences' and fascia's'. Does nobody learn how to use punctuation any more? That isn't even an excuse - does nobody READ??!!

Using the wrong 'there' or 'their' is another one that makes me spit, as is complete disregard for the correct use of 'too' 'to' or even 'two'.

'Could of' instead of 'could have' is another one, though slightly more forgiveable than the above examples.

It isn't just 'uneducated' people who make these stupid errors either. Doctors, nurses, graduates, accountants - I have seen those mistakes made by people who really should know better.

It's embarassing that people who do not speak English as their first language know the rules of English grammar better than we do. It just serves to reinforce the (broadly true) view that English speakers are lazy and arrogant about languages - we cannot be bothered to learn any other languages, and we really can't be arsed to learn our own language either.

Bollocks.