grammar cop
- noun
- /ˈɡræmər kɑp/
- Informal
:
policía del lenguaje
- As the group’s resident grammar cop, Mark never misses an error.
Examples
-
Don't be such a grammar cop when people make small mistakes in emails.
-
Sometimes being a grammar cop makes conversations less enjoyable for everyone.
-
Don't be such a grammar cop!
-
My friend is a real grammar cop during our discussions.
-
As the group’s resident grammar cop, Mark never misses an error in our conversations.
-
Sometimes being a grammar cop can turn a simple chat into a lecture on language rules.
-
My friend is a real grammar cop who corrects every grammatical mistake I make.
Synonyms
28
6.8
A person who wants rules and standards followed exactly
1
8.7
A person who supports strict rules about language and grammar
1
8.1
People who are very strict about how others speak or write
A person who often corrects how others use words and their meanings
How Pedantic
- Offensive
1
6.9
- Offensive
2
8.6
- Informal
1
4.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a person who enforces or corrects grammar' is directly inferable from combining 'grammar' (language rules) with 'cop' (police/enforcer). This is a simple, productive metaphorical extension following the common pattern X + cop/police = X enforcer, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand it.
Etymology
The term grammar cop may come from the image of a police officer who watches rules: grammar are the rules of language and a cop stops people who break them. That's why it means 'someone who often corrects other people's grammar'.