Generally, a person who corrects others' speech or writing for the purpose of feeling superior. However, rare exceptions exist, wherein the term is applied to those who have become tired of the constant abuse of language, are not aware that their behavior warrants application of the term and are genuinely trying to help their peers, or have been editing their friends' essays for eight hours and cannot bear another misplaced preposition.
Friend 1: "Hey, that's the TV remote! Where was it at?"
GN ( malicious type) : "'At''s a preposition, don't end a sentence that way."
Former Friend 1: "Your intolerable, you malicious grammar nazi!"
Foreign Friend 2: "I will see you next next week!"
GN (genuine or unaware type): "I will see you the week after next too!"
GN ( malicious type) : "'At''s a preposition, don't end a sentence that way."
Former Friend 1: "Your intolerable, you malicious grammar nazi!"
Foreign Friend 2: "I will see you next next week!"
GN (genuine or unaware type): "I will see you the week after next too!"
by Webster'sSecondCousin March 24, 2015