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I_think_you_mean - new group for pedants (82)

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25 Jun 10, 12:45 PM
Lady_Anna_Bradford
UK(BD), 5 yrs

SquireRaglan wrote:

fellatrix wrote:
Please may I join, as I would like to post a criticism on your discrete/discreet weblog. As for credentials, I was called a pedant on the Gentlemen's tea thread.

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

It would better if you added some commas, in my opinion.

Thus...

The aim of this group is to allow people with a fetish for, what they see as, poor English usage here on IC, to debate this, and to make an impact on the boards without hi-jacking threads, or boring others senseless.

or, in fact...

The aim of this group is to allow people with a fetish for what they see as poor English usage, here on IC, to debate this and to make an impact on the boards, without hi-jacking threads or boring others senseless.

In other words, that sentence is too long.

Can I join?

No! Commas cannot be placed in this haphazard manner. They should be placed to clarify meaning, not to provide breathing spaces. I do not wish to be a member of a group which admits members who cannot place a comma correctly ..

[my emboldening]

A comma should never appear before the word "and".

It can do. Isn't it called the Oxford comma or something? Or American comma? As long as it isn't a list and as long as it clarifies the meaning it can be used, Lynn Truss says so.

"If no sexual offence is being committed it seems very odd indeed that there should be an offence for having an image of something which was not an offence," Lord Wallace of Tankerness
http://www.clips4sale.com/studio/26308 http://ladyannadominatrix.c4slive.com/ http://www.professionaldomination.co.uk

25 Jun 10, 12:46 PM
Lady_Anna_Bradford
UK(BD), 5 yrs

xDLPMx wrote:

My biggest one has to be apostrophes. I saw quite a long post on here today that put an apostrophe in EVERY SINGLE plural (at least she was consistent, I suppose). It made my eyes bleed.

What really rapes my eyeballs is when commas are used instead of apostrophes.

25 Jun 10, 12:48 PM
misfit
UK, 3 yrs

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

fellatrix wrote:

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

fellatrix wrote:

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

It would better if you added some commas, in my opinion.

Thus...

The aim of this group is to allow people with a fetish for, what they see as, poor English usage here on IC, to debate this, and to make an impact on the boards without hi-jacking threads, or boring others senseless.

or, in fact...

In other words, that sentence is too long.

Can I join?

Now I'm confused.

That was precisely my point.

But where would you place the commas? You have given two examples; they can't both be correct. In fact I would agree with neither of them

I wouldn't. I would rewrite the entire sentence.

Could one not use a semi-colon to provide a break in the sentence but show the content is continuous?

Please note this is a question rather than a correction

Best

PS Rapes my eyeballs - comment of the day

Space travels in my blood. And there ain't nothing I can do about it.
I know I'm being used, that's okay cause I like the abuse.
I can resist everything except temptation.
It's always funny until someone gets hurt and then it's just hilarious.
Cake or Death?
Life can be beautiful - Joe Gillis

Edited 25 Jun 10, 12:49 PM by misfit

25 Jun 10, 12:48 PM
SquireRaglan
UK(SW), 6 yrs

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

SquireRaglan wrote:

fellatrix wrote:
Please may I join, as I would like to post a criticism on your discrete/discreet weblog. As for credentials, I was called a pedant on the Gentlemen's tea thread.

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

It would better if you added some commas, in my opinion.

Thus...

or, in fact...

In other words, that sentence is too long.

Can I join?

[my emboldening]

A comma should never appear before the word "and".

It can do. Isn't it called the Oxford comma or something? Or American comma? As long as it isn't a list and as long as it clarifies the meaning it can be used, Lynn Truss says so.

H'mphh! "Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis". Or not, as the case may be.

...

25 Jun 10, 12:48 PM
fellatrix
UK, 2 yrs

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

But where would you place the commas? You have given two examples; they can't both be correct. In fact I would agree with neither of them

I wouldn't. I would rewrite the entire sentence.

[/quote]

But you didn't. You rewrote it (twice) with incorrectly placed commas.

The original sentence, while being rather cumbersome, was grammatically better than your two alternatives.

Please take everything I say with a pinch of salt (but remember not to exceed the RDA of 6g)

25 Jun 10, 12:53 PM
Lady_Anna_Bradford
UK(BD), 5 yrs

fellatrix wrote:

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

But where would you place the commas? You have given two examples; they can't both be correct. In fact I would agree with neither of them

I wouldn't. I would rewrite the entire sentence.

But you didn't. You rewrote it (twice) with incorrectly placed commas.

The original sentence, while being rather cumbersome, was grammatically better than your two alternatives. [/quote]

If you don't get it, you never will. I give up.

25 Jun 10, 12:57 PM
fellatrix
UK, 2 yrs

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

It can do. Isn't it called the Oxford comma or something? Or American comma? As long as it isn't a list and as long as it clarifies the meaning it can be used, Lynn Truss says so.

Lynne Truss went to my school so she must be right.

Please take everything I say with a pinch of salt (but remember not to exceed the RDA of 6g)

25 Jun 10, 12:58 PM
SquireRaglan
UK(SW), 6 yrs

fellatrix wrote:

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

But where would you place the commas? You have given two examples; they can't both be correct. In fact I would agree with neither of them

I wouldn't. I would rewrite the entire sentence.

But you didn't. You rewrote it (twice) with incorrectly placed commas.

The original sentence, while being rather cumbersome, was grammatically better than your two alternatives.

I have a bee in my bonnet for using "whilst", except when the reference is to the lapse of time ("While I was waiting for the bus..."). Do I have any support?

...

25 Jun 10, 1:00 PM
fellatrix
UK, 2 yrs

misfit wrote:

Could one not use a semi-colon to provide a break in the sentence but show the content is continuous?

Please note this is a question rather than a correction

Best

PS Rapes my eyeballs - comment of the day

Indeed, that would be an acceptable alternative.

Please take everything I say with a pinch of salt (but remember not to exceed the RDA of 6g)

25 Jun 10, 1:00 PM
Lady_Anna_Bradford
UK(BD), 5 yrs

SquireRaglan wrote:

fellatrix wrote:

Lady_Anna_Bradford wrote:

But where would you place the commas? You have given two examples; they can't both be correct. In fact I would agree with neither of them

I wouldn't. I would rewrite the entire sentence.

But you didn't. You rewrote it (twice) with incorrectly placed commas.

The original sentence, while being rather cumbersome, was grammatically better than your two alternatives.

I have a bee in my bonnet for using "whilst", except when the reference is to the lapse of time ("While I was waiting for the bus..."). Do I have any support?

I've never known the rules for whilst. I just know when it sounds better than while.

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