Meaning of peeververein | Babel Free

Definitions

People obsessed with upholding and enforcing the usage of "correct" English; militant prescriptivists.

derogatory, neologism, plural, plural-only

Examples

“The Independent reports that at the society's annual meeting, with an attendance of twenty-two, its chairman, Rhea Williams, announced, "Despite the sending out of a request⟳ for nominations for chairman, vice-chairman, administrator, web master, and membership secretary no one came forward⟳ to fill⟳ any role." […] This does not, of course, mean⟳ that the Peeververein will also melt⟳ away or lack outlets.”

“Unfortunately, these self-styled grammar lovers form⟳ no phalanx of gladiators defending our language from modern barbarians. They're simply simple linguitard peeververein - to build⟳ upon the delightful word coined by The Baltimore Sun's John E McIntyre meaning, in bastard German, "band of peevers" - roaming the Twittersphere in vast, dull cud-munching herds.”

“But write⟳ and the peeververein will descend to bewail your use⟳ of the singular "they," though it's not exactly transparently singular here.”

“[Benjamin] Dreyer is not entirely consistent: He simultaneously cautions the reader to avoid⟳ too many parenthetical asides (to avoid⟳ "seem[ing] like⟳ a dandy in a Restoration comedy stepping down to the footlights . . . to confidentially address the audience") while thoroughly peppering his work⟳ with whiplash-inducing discursive footnotes. He simultaneously dismisses appeals to historical practice used in defense of the singular "they" yet wields historical use⟳ against uptight peeververein, as with the verb "enthuse". But neither is English consistent.”

“The word-peevers of the era — the peeververein, to borrow a splendid coinage from John E. McIntyre, retired head of the copy⟳ desk at the Baltimore Sun — descended on Harding's usage like⟳ that ton of bricks you've been warned about.”

CEFR level