PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a press secretary for an Oregon Congressman in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

It’s been several weeks since the Department of Peeves was open for business, so, as the department’s director, I say it’s time to throw wide the doors and outline a few additional pet peeves.

1. Using nouns used as verbs

Here are a few examples:

• Partner is a noun, not a verb. So, it is wrong to say that “I intend to partner with someone.” It is right to say, “I intend to be a partner with someone.”

• Catalyst also is a noun. But I have a former partner who coined a word, which I have seen a few times since and which always hurts the ear. It is “catalyze.” Frankly, it’s not a word.

• Or, how about a word that sticks closer to home for me – golf. It is a noun describing a game to which I have become addicted over about 30 years. It is not a verb. Thus, what some golf commentators say – “It’s time for the player to golf his ball.” – sounds crazy.

• My wife has another example, frankly one she likes. In a poem by Dylan Thomas, A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Thomas writes this – “The postman mittened on the door.” Sure, it communicates – a muffled knock, but using the noun “mitten” as a verb? I say no.

2. Splitting infinitives

I know many readers don’t share my concern. But, consider this example. “The athlete was inspired to quickly run to the tape.” It would be stronger to write this, “The athlete was spired to run quickly to the tape.”

3. Requiring singular verbs with singular subjects

There is a change I think should be made in correct sentence construction. It deals with the awkward construction that, under current rules, requires a singular verb when the subject is singular. Being correct sounds awful.

Here is an example. In a paid advertisement from Chipotle founder Steve Ells (after many customers got sick after visiting the restaurants), a sentence read like this: “We have also confirmed that none of our employees in these restaurants have E. coli.” The sentence should have read – none of our employees has E. coli.

In a story about the New York attorney general’s initiative to shut down two daily fantasy sport gaming sites, the Wall Street Journal wrote this: “A handful of other states have previously said fantasy sports amounts to gambling and isn’t allowed.”

The word in bold should have been has, modifying the singular subject, “a handful.” As I wrote above, being accurate sounds awful, so I would recommend changing the construction to allow the plural verb in such cases.

Or, consider the use of the word “none,” as in, “None of the participants are enjoying the meeting.” The word should be is, but, again, it hurts the ear.

4. Using centered around

The correct phrase would be centered on. Literally, it is not possible to center around something.

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, this was the sentence – “An insider trading investigation centered around a possible leak of government got a boost…” It should have been centered on.

That’s enough for now. But, as the above shows, there were a few reasons why I opened the Department of Pet Peeves again today.