Sigh. Grammar nitpicking day...

[darth_stitch]

From dictionary.com

conscious
con·scious
adj.

1. Having an awareness of one's environment and one's own existence, sensations, and thoughts. See Synonyms at aware.
2. Mentally perceptive or alert; awake: The patient remained fully conscious after the local anesthetic was administered.
2. Capable of thought, will, or perception: the development of conscious life on the planet.

conscience
con·science
n.

1. The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one's conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong: Let your conscience be your guide.
2. A source of moral or ethical judgment or pronouncement: a document that serves as the nation's conscience.
3. Conformity to one's own sense of right conduct: a person of unflagging conscience.

In a nutshell, if you want to refer to Harry's sense of right and wrong, conscience is the word you want to use. For example: Harry's conscience was nagging at him to come clean but he remained stubbornly silent.

If you want to talk about Harry's state of awareness, then conscious is the word you want. Example: Harry was finally conscious after spending three days in a magical coma.

This Nitpick Was Brought To You Today By WAAAAAAY Too Many Fics confusing "conscious" and "conscience."

Comments

[snapetoy.livejournal.com]

My pet hate is discrete/discreet.

Source: The Macquarie Everyday Dictionary

discrete
adj.
1. detatched from others; separate; distinct.
2. consisting of or characterised by distinct or individual parts; discontinuous.

discreet
adj.
1. wise or judicious in avoiding mistakes or faults; prudent; circumspect; cautious; not rash.

2. Not given to careless talk; restrained.

This error appears so regularly that it seems to have general acceptance, but it drives me screaming from the computer in frustration.

[darth-stitch.livejournal.com]

Let us scream together. Hee.

[thespianpythia.livejournal.com]

THANK you! That one's been driving me up the wall too... Also, using "quote" as a noun (except in the case of, say, "an insurance quote") instead of "quotation". Oh, there are so many Grammar Nazi possibilities, but misuse like the one you've pointed out is *so* aggravating. Perhaps even more so than incorrect use of apostrophes.

[darth-stitch.livejournal.com]

And there's always EVERYBODY's favorite - you're vs. your

As in: "Your kidding!" / "You're books are here."

Sigh.

[murasaki99.livejournal.com]

Hee-hee! If you're not careful, you'll turn into a full-blown editor! My friend and I used to call our shared townhouse the "William F. Buckley Home for the Dangerously Literate". Want an honorary membership? ^_^

My dad mixes up 'prostate' and 'prostrate'. As in, "he got his prostrate gland checked". I wince every time I hear it, but he's got it fixed in his head the wrong way. What's worse is he gets mom to say it that way too! 0_< Maybe I should make a remedial sentence like: "His bad prostate gland made him prostrate with illness." *grins*

[darth-stitch.livejournal.com]

Dude, I AM an editor! *grins* I do this for a living, you know...

And my dad ADORES putting the words "to date" together. Hee. Good thing he's got me to edit his reports.

[murasaki99.livejournal.com]

Fellow editor! *Squees happily* I kind'a wondered. I write, too, but editing is an inevitable part of my job. Heh-heh. You _do_ have to admire the inventiveness of writers who stretch the language into new shapes. ^_^ What kills me is trying to read a fic liberally sprinkled with textspeak. I usually give up after a page or two.

[darth-stitch.livejournal.com]

Squee!! Hail to thee, fellow editor!

Seriously, I think it's not being a Grammar Nazi as just asking, no, begging to read something that's written coherently. I can forgive the occasional typo - I'm guilty of it too. I can even applaud the efforts of those who are trying to learn English by trying to write in it.

Textspeak, however, is the Antichrist of Bad Writing. *shudders in horror* Textspeak only belongs on one's cell phone. It shouldn't appear ANYWHERE ELSE!!

[murasaki99.livejournal.com]

Coherency is good. Especially in fanfics. Yep,the occasional misspelling is ok, and the grammar-oopsie - especially if one is writing in English as a second language. I wish I wrote as good in Japanese as the folks I've seen writing fanfic in English.

Hee! As for the Textspeak - 8'nt U RITE! LOL ^_^ The bad thing is, I'm learning it and I don't even *have* text enabled on my cell phone!