Switch That Which

I’ll readily admit I’m a bit of a grammar snob. When I see i.e. (i.e., ‘that is’ – i.e., everything in the set) used in place of e.g., (i.e., for example – i.e., not everything in the set), I die a little inside. Well, not really, but that’s the level of grammar uppity-uppity I’m at (yes, Virginia, this sentence intentionally ends w/ a preposition – b/c I’m not at that level, though, if you keep reading, you’ll find that I am at that level – yes, kill me now, fear me later).


Worse than id est vs. exempli gratia, and perhaps worse than improper use of conditionals and subjunctives (e.g., ‘I wish I wasn’t a grammar snob’ – even writing that ‘was’ there hurt), is the misuse of that and which (the latter usually for the former). i.e. vs e.g. doesn’t pop up in most non-technical writing and misuse of were vs. was can be attributed to style or character, even if not intended. That vs. Which, however, has no excuse. E.g., in a recent article, the culprit wrote the following:


Stringer violated an NCAA bylaw which states that managers may not participate as practice players with the institution's team if they are not eligible student-athletes. 


Of course, I’m sure said offender thought that 2 ‘that’s separated by a single word was bad news, though the cynic in me believes that had that offender removed that that, they’d still have used that which. That is to say, that perhaps that sentence should have been written as such:


Stringer violated an NCAA bylaw that states [optional that] managers may not participate as practice players with the institution's team if they are not eligible student-athletes


 or


Stringer violated an NCAA bylaw, which states [optional that] managers may not participate as practice players with the institution's team if they are not eligible student-athletes


Yes, I’m sometimes the self-recognized mayor of crazyville, but give me 5 adverb modified dialogue tags and a sparkling vampire before that insidious which.