It was only a suggestion. I'm enjoying the thread, so far.
It is nice to see the senior citizens of the board go at it like newbies. Reccomendation: Get more fiber in your diet's you old farts. Your b-hole and the rest of the board will thank you for it.
The people who obese over grammar and spelling; I?ll never understand. Language is a dynamics thing it changes over time. I?m sure they were the ones who bitched about the word tonight. ?It is like to night not tonight, fool.?
Using Private Messaging would be excessively anal, and could also be more easily misconstrued as a personal attack.
You're wrong, it's like seeing someone with their fly down in a crowded room or party. You have two options, first would be to shout out for all to hear "JOE YOUR FLY IS OPEN" causing much embarrassment to poor Joe (public message). Second pull Joe to the side and explain to him that his fly is down (PM). Both methods accomplish the same task but one is much more polite than the other.
Quote:
Originally posted by Mr. H
You only potentially educate one person, and they might just have made a mistake. You correct grammar on a publicly accessible forum and anyone can learn something.
Go back and re-read what I just said.... If you have no self control and feel the need to correct everyone the least you could do is do it in a polite way.
This forum is NOT an English Language 101 discussion forum and I'm willing to bet that most people here couldn't care less if I had written your instead of you're, there instead of their, here instead of hear, etc, etc, etc. We're Mac folks (usually) discussing technologies, rumors and other issues we collectively find interesting. To the best of my knowledge English has never been a huge draw.
Quote:
Originally posted by Mr. H
I find it a shame that people react in the way that you do. If people could just post a message like "their ≠ they're; they're = they are", without all of this extraneous argument and over-reaction, perhaps it would foster the use of better grammar and spelling.
Why on earth would you think I or the anyone else here would want to "foster the use of better grammar and spelling" (give me a break). The only reason I might be interested in doing such a thing would be for the fact that it clearly tends to bring anal retentive folks out of the wood work in droves.
Quote:
Originally posted by Mr. H
BTW, your image is not accessible.
Sure it is but I'll sum it up for ya:
2 Panel Comic Strip:
---------------------
Panel #1:
Normal Guy: "Where are you from?"
Grammar Cop: "I come from a place where we don't end sentences with prepositions"
You're wrong, it's like seeing someone with their fly down in a crowded room or party. You have two options, first would be to shout out for all to hear "JOE YOUR FLY IS OPEN" causing much embarrassment to poor Joe (public message). Second pull Joe to the side and explain to him that his fly is down (PM). Both methods accomplish the same task but one is much more polite than the other.
You and I are obviously seeing this is very different ways. These two scenarios are in no way similar. How does it help everyone else in the room to shout out that some guy's fly is open? It doesn't. Also, you know that telling someone in a crowded room is going to be embarrassing and is therefore somewhat of a personal attack.
Quote:
Originally posted by DaveGee
This forum is NOT an English Language 101 discussion forum
Indeed, but it is a forum where we communicate with each other using the English language.
Quote:
Originally posted by DaveGee
why on earth would you think I or the anyone else here would want to "foster the use of better grammar and spelling"
Because language is how we communicate with each other. Language has rules so that we can decipher each other's messages. Several books have been written about the importance of these rules, and I don't really have the time to recreate them here. I'd say that two very important things are maintaining high standards so that we can understand each other properly, and to protect the richness of our language so that we can express our feelings more fully and accurately.
Quote:
Originally posted by DaveGee
Sure it is but I'll sum it up for ya:
No, really, it is not. I get a "403 forbidden" message.
Quote:
Originally posted by DaveGee
Normal Guy: "Where are you from?"
Grammar Cop: "I come from a place where we don't end sentences with prepositions"
Panel #2:
Normal Guy: "Okay. Where are you from, jackass?"
I don't care much for grammar rules that do not affect meaning, such as the example above or split infinitives.
Wow. Another gammar problem thread. Every one of us here has made a grammar error or a spelling mistake; we do our best but we are human and therefore make mistakes.
Once upon a time we discussed the fact that some of those joined here on these boards are not native English speakers, and therefore some courtesy is due Some of them do better than the natives!
Yes, there are mistakes made when we is typin fasst an' all, but those can usually be noticed easily and overlooked (and are often edited and changed). Some of the more blatant transgressions, though, (for example, "their" for "they're" and another one: "its" for "it's"- my first year EFL students know the differences), can indeed make for difficult reading and happen with all too much frequency, and we should take care to get them right. Language does indeed change, but not so drastically as to have the above two pairs have similar meaning.
A slightly less direct apporach that would have shed light on the issue and perhaps avoided any offenses might have been better, but there was need to derail.
The most famous split infinitive: "...its five-year mission... to boldly go where no man has gone before" could also have been "to go boldly where..." but that would have changed history and simply would not have sounded right.
The people who obese over grammar and spelling; I?ll never understand.
"Obese" means "fat," so it would seem that you're using the word incorrectly (unless "obese" now means "nuts" in the whippersnapper vernacular and I'm just not aware of it).
It seems that you meant to write "obsess."
The semi-colon here is incorrect. This instance would require that the parts on either side of it be independent clauses. As you can see, the first clause is not independent, and so the sentence could be fixed simply by removing the semi-colon (although I'd suggest revising it to "I'll never understand the people who obsess over grammar and spelling."
Quote:
Language is a dynamics thing it changes over time.
You mean "dynamic thing," not "dynamics."
This is a run-on sentence. You might consider fixing it by including a semi-colon after "thing."
Quote:
I?m sure they were the ones who bitched about the word tonight. ?It is like to night not tonight, fool.?
I have no idea what this is about. Although the history of "until" is very interesting.
Wow. Another gammar problem thread. Every one of us here has made a grammar error or a spelling mistake; we do our best but we are human and therefore make mistakes.
You need to learn how, and when, to use capital letters.
(just making my point)
Now can the grammar cops here at AI finally see just how freaking annoying the constant correcting of each other can be? Imagine if this had been a thread people were interested in? Talk about totally derailing a thread.
That'll be my final point.
Please show some restraint and avoid correct fellow posters grammar/spelling/punctuation/etc many find it one or more of the following:
- Anal
- Annoying
- Immature
- Unwanted
and most important
- Derailing of an otherwise good topic
(thanks to the mod for not letting it happen this time around)
The people who obese over grammar and spelling; I?ll never understand.
So should we just skip over this as if it doesn't exist, seeing as it's not "obese" but "obsess"?
People who obese... is quite different from People who obsess and given that they're different, they convey different meanings and because of that, the former is incomprehensible while the latter (the correct version) makes some sense.
Should we let him rant incomprehensibly or should we be adults and let him know that he's not making sense?
So should we just skip over this as if it doesn't exist, seeing as it's not "obese" but "obsess"?
People who obese... is quite different from People who obsess and given that they're different, they convey different meanings and because of that, the former is incomprehensible while the latter (the correct version) makes some sense.
Should we let him rant incomprehensibly or should we be adults and let him know that he's not making sense?
Thanks.
I believe cultivating a moderate amount of intuition, along with fostering a general relaxation of the anal spincter, could help *anyone* understand the intention of that sentence.
Comments
Originally posted by audiopollution
It was only a suggestion. I'm enjoying the thread, so far.
It is nice to see the senior citizens of the board go at it like newbies. Reccomendation: Get more fiber in your diet's you old farts. Your b-hole and the rest of the board will thank you for it.
Originally posted by Mr. H
You have missed a key point.
A key point has been missed but not by me.
Originally posted by Mr. H
Using Private Messaging would be excessively anal, and could also be more easily misconstrued as a personal attack.
You're wrong, it's like seeing someone with their fly down in a crowded room or party. You have two options, first would be to shout out for all to hear "JOE YOUR FLY IS OPEN" causing much embarrassment to poor Joe (public message). Second pull Joe to the side and explain to him that his fly is down (PM). Both methods accomplish the same task but one is much more polite than the other.
Originally posted by Mr. H
You only potentially educate one person, and they might just have made a mistake. You correct grammar on a publicly accessible forum and anyone can learn something.
Go back and re-read what I just said.... If you have no self control and feel the need to correct everyone the least you could do is do it in a polite way.
This forum is NOT an English Language 101 discussion forum and I'm willing to bet that most people here couldn't care less if I had written your instead of you're, there instead of their, here instead of hear, etc, etc, etc. We're Mac folks (usually) discussing technologies, rumors and other issues we collectively find interesting. To the best of my knowledge English has never been a huge draw.
Originally posted by Mr. H
I find it a shame that people react in the way that you do. If people could just post a message like "their ≠ they're; they're = they are", without all of this extraneous argument and over-reaction, perhaps it would foster the use of better grammar and spelling.
Why on earth would you think I or the anyone else here would want to "foster the use of better grammar and spelling" (give me a break). The only reason I might be interested in doing such a thing would be for the fact that it clearly tends to bring anal retentive folks out of the wood work in droves.
Originally posted by Mr. H
BTW, your image is not accessible.
Sure it is but I'll sum it up for ya:
2 Panel Comic Strip:
---------------------
Panel #1:
Normal Guy: "Where are you from?"
Grammar Cop: "I come from a place where we don't end sentences with prepositions"
---------------------
Panel #2:
Normal Guy: "Okay. Where are you from, jackass?"
---------------------
Originally posted by aplnub
in your diet's you old farts
The plural of diet is diets.
Originally posted by 4vector
The people who obese over grammar and spelling
Presumably, you mean "obsess"?
Originally posted by DaveGee
You're wrong, it's like seeing someone with their fly down in a crowded room or party. You have two options, first would be to shout out for all to hear "JOE YOUR FLY IS OPEN" causing much embarrassment to poor Joe (public message). Second pull Joe to the side and explain to him that his fly is down (PM). Both methods accomplish the same task but one is much more polite than the other.
You and I are obviously seeing this is very different ways. These two scenarios are in no way similar. How does it help everyone else in the room to shout out that some guy's fly is open? It doesn't. Also, you know that telling someone in a crowded room is going to be embarrassing and is therefore somewhat of a personal attack.
Originally posted by DaveGee
This forum is NOT an English Language 101 discussion forum
Indeed, but it is a forum where we communicate with each other using the English language.
Originally posted by DaveGee
why on earth would you think I or the anyone else here would want to "foster the use of better grammar and spelling"
Because language is how we communicate with each other. Language has rules so that we can decipher each other's messages. Several books have been written about the importance of these rules, and I don't really have the time to recreate them here. I'd say that two very important things are maintaining high standards so that we can understand each other properly, and to protect the richness of our language so that we can express our feelings more fully and accurately.
Originally posted by DaveGee
Sure it is but I'll sum it up for ya:
No, really, it is not. I get a "403 forbidden" message.
Originally posted by DaveGee
Normal Guy: "Where are you from?"
Grammar Cop: "I come from a place where we don't end sentences with prepositions"
Panel #2:
Normal Guy: "Okay. Where are you from, jackass?"
I don't care much for grammar rules that do not affect meaning, such as the example above or split infinitives.
Once upon a time we discussed the fact that some of those joined here on these boards are not native English speakers, and therefore some courtesy is due Some of them do better than the natives!
Yes, there are mistakes made when we is typin fasst an' all, but those can usually be noticed easily and overlooked (and are often edited and changed). Some of the more blatant transgressions, though, (for example, "their" for "they're" and another one: "its" for "it's"- my first year EFL students know the differences), can indeed make for difficult reading and happen with all too much frequency, and we should take care to get them right. Language does indeed change, but not so drastically as to have the above two pairs have similar meaning.
A slightly less direct apporach that would have shed light on the issue and perhaps avoided any offenses might have been better, but there was need to derail.
The most famous split infinitive: "...its five-year mission... to boldly go where no man has gone before" could also have been "to go boldly where..." but that would have changed history and simply would not have sounded right.
Edited for spelling.
Originally posted by 4vector
The people who obese over grammar and spelling; I?ll never understand.
"Obese" means "fat," so it would seem that you're using the word incorrectly (unless "obese" now means "nuts" in the whippersnapper vernacular and I'm just not aware of it).
It seems that you meant to write "obsess."
The semi-colon here is incorrect. This instance would require that the parts on either side of it be independent clauses. As you can see, the first clause is not independent, and so the sentence could be fixed simply by removing the semi-colon (although I'd suggest revising it to "I'll never understand the people who obsess over grammar and spelling."
Language is a dynamics thing it changes over time.
You mean "dynamic thing," not "dynamics."
This is a run-on sentence. You might consider fixing it by including a semi-colon after "thing."
I?m sure they were the ones who bitched about the word tonight. ?It is like to night not tonight, fool.?
I have no idea what this is about. Although the history of "until" is very interesting.
/Grammar Nerd Mode *Off*
Originally posted by Bergermeister
Wow. Another gammar problem thread. Every one of us here has made a grammar error or a spelling mistake; we do our best but we are human and therefore make mistakes.
YOu need a comma before "but."
Originally posted by midwinter
YOu need a comma before "but."
You need to learn how, and when, to use capital letters.
(just making my point)
Now can the grammar cops here at AI finally see just how freaking annoying the constant correcting of each other can be? Imagine if this had been a thread people were interested in? Talk about totally derailing a thread.
That'll be my final point.
Please show some restraint and avoid correct fellow posters grammar/spelling/punctuation/etc many find it one or more of the following:
- Anal
- Annoying
- Immature
- Unwanted
and most important
- Derailing of an otherwise good topic
(thanks to the mod for not letting it happen this time around)
Originally posted by 4vector
The people who obese over grammar and spelling; I?ll never understand.
So should we just skip over this as if it doesn't exist, seeing as it's not "obese" but "obsess"?
People who obese... is quite different from People who obsess and given that they're different, they convey different meanings and because of that, the former is incomprehensible while the latter (the correct version) makes some sense.
Should we let him rant incomprehensibly or should we be adults and let him know that he's not making sense?
Thanks.
Originally posted by DaveGee
Sorry Charlie, while you may have a handle on language (and even thats debatable) you have no idea how the world works.
Dave
Ah yes, the ultimate defence: I know better than you.
Originally posted by Gene Clean
DaveGee:
So should we just skip over this as if it doesn't exist, seeing as it's not "obese" but "obsess"?
People who obese... is quite different from People who obsess and given that they're different, they convey different meanings and because of that, the former is incomprehensible while the latter (the correct version) makes some sense.
Should we let him rant incomprehensibly or should we be adults and let him know that he's not making sense?
Thanks.
I believe cultivating a moderate amount of intuition, along with fostering a general relaxation of the anal spincter, could help *anyone* understand the intention of that sentence.