dagblog - Comments for "National Grammar Day: Well, La Di Da (or is it “Dah”?)"

The thing about being wrong

Anonymous trope — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:49:07 +0000

In reply to National Grammar Day: Well, La Di Da (or is it “Dah”?)

The thing about being wrong about grammar is whether if one was taught a certain way, and one never came across a dissenting opinion, is one capable of being wrong. The individual is communicating with the sincerity of doing the right thing. This is different from knowing the rules and choosing to ignore them. I was taught that if one skipping a portion of a sentence then one used three..., but if the next word was used would have occurred after one or more periods then one used four.... That makes sense to me, and unless someone can offer a legitimate reason why I shouldn't operate with this particular rule, I will with the full belief that I am being grammatically correct

Thanks. I try not to over

trkingmomoe — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:23:30 +0000

In reply to Ha, Momoe. "Spelling PTSD"!

Thanks. I try not to over think or analyse the political moves that are being made. I let all the "pearl clutching" to be done by our resident concern trolls. I keep my ear on the ground here at the grass root. I attended a rally yesterday at the local court house steps because Tallahassee state house started the 2013 session. The rallies took place all over the state for voter rights. It has now been made the first order of business here in Florida. Many voters are still angry. I can't predict how politics will play out in the state.

I found this link within the

Ramona — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:12:10 +0000

In reply to Ramona, the answer to all the

I found this link within the Smithsonian link above. It's from the Grammarphobia Blog:

http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2013/03/elliptical-reasoning.html

(I'm bookmarking that blog. Maybe some of it will finally sink in.)

Ha, Momoe. "Spelling PTSD"!

Ramona — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:07:31 +0000

In reply to I just read your link. That

Ha, Momoe. "Spelling PTSD"! Don't feel too bad; there are plenty of PhD's who can't spell, either. I know. I used to have to transcribe and correct their messes when I worked at a university hospital. There was no question that they were smart and knew their jobs--they just couldn't spell.

I just figure if we're writing for fun, it should be fun. If we want to be understood, it should be clear. If we want to be published, we need to follow rules.

I love to read whatever you've written, Momoe. It's comfort writing. Like comfort food. When I see your name here I look forward to reading it, and that's really the bottom line. We wouldn't be putting it out there if we didn't want people to read what we wrote.

Ha ha, Donal, you're right

Ramona — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:36:00 +0000

In reply to Unlefs I mifs my guefs,

Ha ha, Donal, you're right that English is always evolving, but that evolution is never free-wheeling. There are always those headmasters who decide to make the rules, and if we don't follow them, we're stoopid.

I admit I'm torn between trying to follow them and flinging the damn things to the winds. If I pay too much attention to them I choke, and if I pay too little attention, I know my mistakes are all the people who know about these things will see. It's a dilemma only if I think about it too much.

And obviously I don't.

I just read your link. That

trkingmomoe — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 06:10:18 +0000

In reply to National Grammar Day: Well, La Di Da (or is it “Dah”?)

I just read your link. That is the first time I understood what a split infinity was. Me, I just let the words fall as I think while writing. I am a poor speller so that is where I focus. I still remember Sr. Richard embarrassing me in front of the 6th grade class for miss spelling "tomorrow," so every time I write that word I break out in a sweat. She left me with spelling PTSD and I have many trigger words from that year in her class room.

There is no way I can control not hitting the space bar twice after the period. All those years banging a way on a Underwood has left me a hopeless case.

When I am reading comments on other blogs I have a hard time figuring out the acronyms that are being used now. I really need a decoder ring sometimes.

I get frustrated when the writer uses their thesaurus function on their computer and pull out a obscure word for effect and I have no clue what it is. So I have to pull out my 6 inch thick dictionary from the 1970's and look it up. (I kept it to prop up tots at the dinner table.) That is why I like reading Krugman because he keeps his writings about economics at a conversational level and saves his broad economic language for his research papers.

Thank you for the fun blog.

Unlefs I mifs my guefs,

Donal — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 02:36:46 +0000

In reply to National Grammar Day: Well, La Di Da (or is it “Dah”?)

Unlefs I mifs my guefs, English is always evolving, and using word processing software and html certainly has had a recent effect. A long time ago I had a GF that used two spaces between sentences, and I tried it but it screws up word wrap.

Wouldn't the ellipsis have first been three dots applied with pounce or a quill pen? Then typesetters would have used blocks of periods. None of my typewriters had ellipsis keys, but ASCII does have special characters, if you can remember them.

I just do what looks good to me. Hate partial sentences. Mostly.

Oh, I meant it all right.

Ramona — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:49:40 +0000

In reply to Okay, I have got to render

Oh, I meant it all right. But thanks for the honor. I'm honored!

Okay, I have got to render

Richard Day — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:26:08 +0000

In reply to Richard, I actually do take

Okay, I have got to render unto Ramona the Dayly Line of the Day for this here Dagblog Site given to all of her from all of me for this gem:

I get what you are saying, but I love it and I learn so much from those Twits.

hahahahahahahahahhaha

I am sure that this was not your intention, but I fail to learn much from those twits. hahahahaha

THE END

Oh, thank you, Mr. Smith. We

Ramona — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:24:48 +0000

In reply to Ramona, the answer to all the

Oh, thank you, Mr. Smith. We will love our ellipses forever. . .and ever.