Lauren Cox to Visit on First Night

[vtcwbuff]

'What the heck were we talking about before someone dropped a comma???"

I think this board has always been that way. Actually, it may have been worse a few years back.
My problem, as one of the semi illiterate, is trying to figure out why people feel the need to publicly correct, and probably embarrass other posters over something so insignificant. My conclusion - for some it's a need to feel superior.

It ain't English 101 folks! It's just basketball.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Mark Twain:

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."​

Just my opinion but Twain's quote is not an especially good example since lightning bug is not a word - it's two words. A better example would be right - the direction and right - correct. "Turn at the next corner." "Left?" "Right!"

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Mark Twain:

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."​

The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.
- Letter to George Bainton, 10/15/1888

While we are working on being correct, Kib. Not the shocking "&" !

Oops, I misspelled Note!

 

[meyers7]

Back to the original topic of this thread, Adamec story on Cox visit:

http://snyuconn.com/uconn/top-recruit-cox-in-storrs-for-official-visit/

Nice try.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Mark Twain:

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."​

Seems to fit with another one of his:

Eloquence is the essential thing in a speech, not information.

Say it well and you can say anything. Nothing to fear from them thar Tennessee folk.

 

[UcMiami]

There are a few things in common usage that drive me crazy - the use of 'real' instead of 'really' and the common claim of giving 110% which always reminds me of Spinal Tap's great amplifier that went up to 11 instead of just ten (because 11 is one more than 10!)
The point about Uconn women presenting themselves so well in interviews is a spot on. I believe it is actually a good selling point in the recruiting process for parents if not for the recruits themselves.

I know I often do not re-read what I post here until after I post, and don't take the care I did over work communications, and I think that is probably true for everyone posting on-line. I don't mind the occasional corrections - its not like every post is being 'edited'. And I appreciate the care many take in expressing themselves clearly.

 

[PalPa]

If I can't not right any gooder than this will I be corrected? If I am I don't much care, keep it to yourself.

 

[PhillyCoach]

Some posters get a charge out of grammar and its proper application. To each his own. There can be a humorous quip in a post once in a while, but it's not my bag to dig deep into that scene. I believe in the economic term "the Point of Diminishing Return." How much is too much? Of course, proper/appropriate speaking, writing, and communication skills are invaluable. However, if you subscribe to multiple intelligences --- on numerous occasions (sometimes daily) one has to communicate with different cultures and about unusual customs, and traditions---in site specific styles. Different strokes for different folks.

Slang, ebonics, colloquialisms, or any informal system of communication has its own place. Is someone saying that email or text style messaging is not acceptable on the BY? Because of grammar issues?

 

[DaddyChoc]

'What the heck were we talking about before someone dropped a comma???"

I think this board has always been that way. Actually, it may have been worse a few years back.
My problem, as one of the semi illiterate, is trying to figure out why people feel the need to publicly correct, and probably embarrass other posters over something so insignificant. My conclusion - for some it's a need to feel superior.

It ain't English 101 folks! It's just basketball.

 

[johnnyc]

My son has been in our school system for 11 years and I am still waiting to receive an email, flyer or newsletter without obvious errors.

I especially appreciate Kib's corrections with the obligatory 'ahem'. It's not done with malice. I recently received by email an advertisement from a major bank that said this.....

"Know you have a new way to pay with your....." I immediately thought of the Kibitzer and said a silent 'ahem'.

 

[hjoerring]

As an avid reader of this Board- and someone who may have had their post corrected for grammatical (but not necessarily factual) mistakes, let me say that grammar is important. Yet, it is not necessarily the most important thing when it comes to conveying information. Our brain is such that 98% of the time it can decipher what is being conveyed without freezing. There is of course, individually, people/brains that come to a full stop and cannot proceed. One of the fantastic things about this new media of ours is that it gives almost everyone the opportunity to write themselves into the public sphere. So, that vast group of human beings who never wrote or, who were embarrass to put pen to paper, they can now participate in the democratic process without being schooled. But another thing. Some of these individuals may have issues that may account for their writing style: being a non-native speaker, etc. Should they also be intimated by the few? And lastly, I'll take a stab of the Americanism and elitism here. In Europe and elsewhere language teaching sees as old fashion and a mistake of the past the privileging of grammar over communication. This may account for why Americans and Brits are so behind Europeans and others in learning a 2nd and 3rd language- even English (I'm well aware that there are other factors- power, f.ex). But this might be the last barrier of a particular (maybe New England) middleclassness that is experiencing the reeling of its threads. So good luck to those who may want to speak Democracy to the few- the 2% I alluded to earlier. For me, I'll let my brain do the work, it's mental exercise and a preventive measure against all the illnesses of older age. P.S. This was not proof read- correcting would be without end. (What I really want to say is that writing can be like sex, it can be dirty in the eyes of some. Some people are afraid because of that, some people can't wait to get into the showers right after ....)

 

[vtcwbuff]

A question for those that are so quick to point out grammatical errors - does the same urge apply to casual conversations?

 

[MaineFan]

Did Lauren Cox visit on First Night?

 

[FairView]

Hey, Fairview I do too. But, let's pretend you and I are among 5-6 having a chat at a cocktail party, when one of our number interrupts to say: "You used the wrong tense in that remark." That's just being a rude bag. No different here.

I admit, I never looked at it that way.
So I won't question whether is one word.

 

[FairView]

Did Lauren Cox visit on First Night?

Yes.
In fact, I was standing close to her on the court after the festivities. It was very interesting hearing her share her thoughts on the decision-making process. All else being equal, what did she say would be her ultimate deciding factor? Message-board grammar.

 

[UcMiami]

hjoerring - interesting post, and I agree with a lot. One 'factual' error, or at least misstatement - the European experience with language and facility for it is mostly based on proximity and intermingling of languages - if for example each New England state had a different native language (I know, some people would say they do!) and had been involved in a millennium of wars of conquest and occupation, New Englanders would probably have a much greater capacity and facility for 'foreign' languages. That would be comparable to the situation of Europe.

Historically, Latin was the language of western religion, and French was the language of international diplomacy so every educated person in Europe could speak/read those two languages as well as their native tongue - as English has taken over as the international language of choice and the native tongue has become the language of religion, it has become less important for English speaking populations to pursue foreign language proficiency. The British educated population however has a higher proficiency then the US population because of proximity and greater interaction. The same is true for the Canadian population because of the English/French mixture. (And the same is true certainly in southeastern Florida and Texas/southwestern US because of the English/Spanish mixture.

 

[UcMiami]

Hey, Fairview I do too. But, let's pretend you and I are among 5-6 having a chat at a cocktail party, when one of our number interrupts to say: "You used the wrong tense in that remark." That's just being a rude bag. No different here.

Nice point, but if you take that into a business environment, I would not correct someone in a meeting, but when that person produced minutes of the meeting for distribution I most certainly would have (and did!)
Just like most teachers would not correct minor language issues during a seminar discussion, but would red-line any written submissions by the same person.
In personal interactions there are all sorts of tonal and visual cues that are involved in spoken communication that are not available in written communication, hence the need to use emoticons, or other signifiers to add those cues so the reader understands irony or humor or whatever. Written communication is also not ephemeral so it does create a more permanent and formal level of communication where rules are more important.
Interesting in a sociological way - the advent and proliferation of personal recording devices has made those ephemeral communications and actions much less 'ephemeral' - add in archiving capabilities and worldwide distribution capabilities and very little of our life is truly ephemeral. I am glad to have lived through my youthful indiscretions at a time before that proliferation!!!

 

[huskyd]

Yes.
In fact, I was standing close to her on the court after the festivities. It was very interesting hearing her share her thoughts on the decision-making process. All else being equal, what did she say would be her ultimate deciding factor? Message-board grammar.

Outstanding riposte.

 

[johnnyc]

A question for those that are so quick to point out grammatical errors - does the same urge apply to casual conversations?

I'm not one who is so quick to point out grammatical errors but I must admit it bugs me no end when I am talking to someone and they leave out an apostrophe.

 

[arty155]

Depends. Whom wants ta know?

 

[gregggrinspan]

As someone who reads this blog every night because I am fascinated by the potential of this UConn Husky team, I'd ask if anyone really knows anything about Lauren Cox or any other possible future recruits who may have been in attendance last night.

And maybe we should have a grammar blog for some of the posters who use this space to tangent off to questions of grammar so that I don't have to waste so much time trying to find something that actually fits under "Lauren Cox to visit on First Night".

One more indulgence: Would it be enough to say that this comes from someone who is not perfect, is capable of all sorts of misdeeds and inappropriate behavior, and loves the UConn Women's Basketball team so much I try to find as much data about the team as I can? So, please no offense at my frustration. We've all been frustrated before... Yes?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

We've all been frustrated before... Yes?

And we are all frustrated now because of the lousy lack of coverage of First Night. To answer your question: No one knows Jack S### about Ms. Cox's intentions, but hope springs eternal.

 

[NewCorn]

Is Lauren Cox's grammar sufficiently good for her to play basket ball at UConn?

 

[Buzzyboy]

Yes.
In fact, I was standing close to her on the court after the festivities. It was very interesting hearing her share her thoughts on the decision-making process. All else being equal, what did she say would be her ultimate deciding factor? Message-board grammar.

CUTE!!!!

 

[Buzzyboy]

I didn't get in on this when it first may have started but it seems like there are a lot of people beating a dead horse here! Since I have come on board well over a few years ago I haven't witnessed a lot of criticism of posters grammar to any great extent. Why has this now seemingly taken on a life of it's own? That may be worse than the original criticism. Why can't we just let it go and focus on the purpose of this site which is to share basketball interests and comments, right???? I came here today focused on hearing some news on what type of visit Ms. Cox had and instead hear this punctuality garbage and criticism of same! I know I'm certainly not alone in solely being interested in the point of view of fellow posters but this has grown into a very unwelcome off topic for me!

 

[TDiNozzo]

Grammar seems more important than info on a top recruit..... I was hoping this tread had some info in it....if there was I missed it.....

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Grammar seems more important than info on a top recruit..... I was hoping this tread had some info in it....if there was I missed it.....

There is no info on Cox other than she attended First Night and will visit Baylor next week before making her decision.

 

[arty155]

...Why has this now seemingly taken on a life of it's own...

Well, when it became obvious one of the guys kept staring at our dangling participles, naturally everyone got a little nervous.

 

[UcMiami]

From all accounts (which means very few) she seems to be having fun - beyond that it is reading tea leaves. The Cox family has been quite private about this decision, beyond the sequence of lists narrowing her choice down to 4 at this time. They haven't said anything, her coaches haven't said anything, beyond general platitudes.
Lots of others have speculated and to date most of those speculations have been proven false - she wasn't leaving TX (three of her four finalists are not in TX), she was going to UTx (not on her final list), etc.
I think we will all find out in three weeks time when she makes the announcement herself.

 

[Buzzyboy]

There is no info on Cox other than she attended First Night and will visit Baylor next week before making her decision.

I was hoping that there might have been some positive reaction to the crowd, the fellow visitors, the media, the facility, the staff. That sort of thing, at least. No one necessarily expected her leaving with a commitment to the Huskies but just a nice little spin! Oh well!