A Call To Better Spelling

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by CGB GAREY

... I personally cut a great deal of slack in the matter of correct usage to someone who speaks English as a foreign language. Perhaps this is only to acknowledge my own linguistic ineptitude, as invariably their English is far superior to my ability in their native language. I am less tolerant to those I know speak English as their first tongue. Sometimes bad usage is simply ignorance or negligence ...

I cannot think of any reason, other than ignorance or negligence, for an English speaker to make mistakes in his first (only) language.

I hope that every case of mistaken spelling, punctuation, and/or usage, found in my writing, will be attributed to ignorance. I take nearly as much care with how I write, as with what I write.

Originally Posted by TeamPoach

... I thought spell check would cure misspelling. I think it's so easy even if you have a disability you can do it...

... The occasional grammar errors are understandable. But with spell check the spelling errors seem to be due to laziness...

INDEED!

I wonder if lazy writers, might also be lazy thinkers, and lazy sailors.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by bvimatelot

Jolly good post except the bit I "boldened" (is that a word?) and underlined. One should not change from singular to plural... Tony

Ah! Hoist on me own petard! You win one free Internet for that catch, sir.

I have trouble with the fact that English doesn't have a neuter gender, and find the use of "himself or herself" to be awkward. Consequently, I've fallen into the habit of using "their/themselves" as a sort of stand-in for what would be a very useful term, now that the generic assumption of "his/himself" is frowned upon as a stand-in for "everyone".

And before it gets pointed out, I understand that "one/oneself" is ostensibly neuter singular, but it can sound stilted if you say "when one examines oneself for faults that one ought better to have avoided", I can only read it in the voice of a Jane Austen character attempting to analyze why, after 10 years of wooing, it is just about possible to foresee holding hands.

[Wand]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I cannot think of any reason, other than ignorance or negligence, for an English speaker to make mistakes in his first (only) language.

I hope that every case of mistaken spelling, punctuation, and/or usage, found in my writing, will be attributed to ignorance. I take nearly as much care with how I write, as with what I write.

I wonder if lazy writers, might also be lazy thinkers, and lazy sailors.

Gord, I don't want it to seem like I'm pickin' on you but this post makes it impossible not to point to the elephant in the room - your constant misuse of the apostrophe. I did mention it in a post many moons ago and got away with it, so I don't want to push my luck by elaborating here or linking to examples.

But so that you can make posts like your one above with impunity, could I (in the nicest possile way) suggest a quiet revision on the relevant grammar?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by At sea

Gord, I don't want it to seem like I'm pickin' on you but this post makes it impossible not to point to the elephant in the room - your constant misuse of the apostrophe. I did mention it in a post many moons ago and got away with it, so I don't want to push my luck by elaborating here or linking to examples.

But so that you can make posts like your one above with impunity, could I (in the nicest "possile" way) suggest a quiet revision on the relevant grammar?

Please elaboarate, with examples if possible; and please specify a revision on the relevant grammar.
I assure you that my errors are those of ignorance, not laziness.

[SaucySailoress]

Target 5: Try to use apostrophes correctly...

a) To indicate missing letters, ie: Gord's got it right!
b) To indicate possession, ie: Gord's grammar is pretty hot!
(note possessive pronouns are exempt, ie: mine, his, hers)

[Wand]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Please elaboarate, with examples if possible; and please specify a revision on the relevant grammar.
I assure you that my errors are those of ignorance, not laziness.

To go through 17,000+ postings is a tough ask Gord But I can at least point to the occasion when I mentioned it before, pasted below:

22-11-2010, 15:25 * #59

Originally Posted by GordMay
Politeness may be PC, but it can always stand upon it’s own merits.
Our CF is noted for it’s politeness, amongst other things.

AT SEA: Well, I think that all posts displaying inappropriate application of the apostrophe should be removed from the site forthwith. So sorry gord, but the two strikes above would count you out.

The error is that, in each case, the correct grammar is upon its own merits and noted for its politeness. It's a common error. Another common error is to use it to denote plurals (eg, pizza's)... But I ain't sayin' you're guilty there.

The apostrophe in it's is used only to denote the skipped 'i' in the sense of saying: It is a great day; ie, It's a great day. It's never used in a possessive sense like the tree and it's acorns (correct grammar is the tree and its acorns).

[Hud3]

I think we've beat this one to death at this point.


Can we move on to split infinitives?

[doug86]

They're not all there, those who mix up their it's and its...

[Wand]

Originally Posted by Hud3

I think we've beat this one to death at this point. Can we move on to split infinitives?

I was only tryin' to be helpful Hud, not start WWIII...

[Hud3]

The split infinitive is a scourge that needs to be stamped out. Let's draw the line and take a stand, here and now!



Or, we could just go sailing and chill out, Mon.

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by Hud3

I think we've beat this one to death at this point.
Can we move on to split infinitives?

OK then sigh......

Target 6: It's good to splice up your posts by boldly splitting infinitives with adverbs, ie: to post is good; but to correctly post is better.

[Hud3]

Arrrrrggggghhhhh! I can't believe you did that!!!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by At sea

I was only tryin' to be helpful Hud, not start WWIII...

And, he was helpful!
Thanks for noticing, and for caring, At Sea.

Some More Tips for Proper English
1. Avoid alliteration. Always.
2. Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.
4. Employ the vernacular.
5. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7. Remember to never split an infinitive.
8. Contractions aren't necessary.
9. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10. One should never generalize.
11. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hatequotations. Tell me what you know."
12. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
13. Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it'shighly superfluous.
14. Be more or less specific.
15. Understatement is always best.
16. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
17. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
18. The passive voice is to be avoided.
19. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
20. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
21. Who needs rhetorical questions?
22. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
23. Don't never use a double negation.
24. capitalize every sentence and remember always end it with point
25. Do not put statements in the negative form.
26. Verbs have to agree with their subjects.
27. Proofread carefully to see if you words out.
28. If you reread your work, you can find on rereading a great deal
of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.
29. A writer must not shift your point of view.
30. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.(Remember, too, a preposition is a terrible word to end a sentence with.)
31. Don't overuse exclamation marks!!
32. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences,as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
33. Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
34. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
35. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
36. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
37. Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
38. Always pick on the correct idiom.
39. The adverb always follows the verb.
40. Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague;They're old hat; seek viable alternatives.

[Bill Burgette]

Of course, some of us grew up with split infinitives and they have come to actually be a way of life. The Enterprise on Star Trek used "to boldly go where no man has gone before". Surely if I heard it on the telly it can't be wrong.

Thanks for the topic change Hud. When this post is done everyone will be a better person.

[SaucySailoress]

Gord

Your the king!