OT: It's easy to get it right when you write.

[Kibitzer]

Hi Carnac. We're not talking about gender here, we're talking about singular vs plural. Person is singular, people is plural. He/she is singular and they is plural. You join plural with plural and singular with singular, hence person with his/her and people with they. And no, I'm not an English major fanatic. It's just the way it's supposed to be and many of us learned it from our (not college-educated) parents. But you're definitely not alone with failing to make this distinction. I wouldn't intrude on this discussion at all except that the Boneyard grammarian, Kibitzer, overlooked this fairly obvious misuse in his "like" and I'm enough of a smartass to call him on it.

Your points were so well made that I feel obliged to offer a late night smartass response. I'll focus on what Carnac was writing about -- this use of man for both exes. I think you covered the singular/plural issue quite well.

I am reliably informed that etymologists trace the word man back to the Sanskrit manus, which meant "human being" and was $exless. Along came English to differentiate between man and woman, linguistically.

There was little fuss for a few centuries about use of man to conveniently encompass both sexes. But in recent years (about past 50-60) there has been a powerful surge of demand that women no longer be called, well, men.

Compliance has been steady and painless. Chairmen became "the Chair" (but not the electrifying one); firemen became firefighters; mailmen became letter carriers; and so on.

As a practical matter, there are realistic limitations to this form of accommodation. Our Huskies still play man-to-man defense, we still have manhole covers, and Humankind will forgive the occasional use of man in the spirit of the Sanskrit manus.

Tomorrow is Sunday so I'll pray for "Peace on earth, good will to, um, everybody."
.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Geno calls the kids, our girls... guys!

 

[hjoerring]

Before the real season begins, a few pointers on words that seem to be troublesome.

Let's start with nettlesome singular/plural issues:

• One freshman, two or more freshmen (and freshman class).
• One Husky, two or more Huskies.

Next, some often misspelled words: supersede (no "c"), minuscule, judgment, commitment (but committed), separate., and precede (but proceed).

Get out your dictionary: accept/except, lose/loose, there/their/they're, resign/re-sign,recreation/re-creation, and eager (hot to trot)/anxious (antsy).

Last, the most troublesome word(s) of all: its/it's. Some cling to the mistaken belief that you gotta have an apostrophe (') in there to denote possession. WRONG! Possession is indicated by its (NO apostrophe), whereas the apostrophe -- it's -- serves to shorten it is by using the apostrophe to pinch hit for the "i" in "is."

It's called a contraction and its purpose is to make for more peppy prose.

Enough already! Good luck!

What do you think about Boneyard A and Boneyard B. B for the commoners, unwashed and downright lazy. The B-Yarders- by birth- can never move up to A. Those in A are allowed no more than one grammatical/syntax and 2 spelling errors before they are chased under. Now that policing. Will JS buy in? Our WBB players deserve no less- given the standard their uphold. Good luck with the task at hand- a FT job imho.

 

[Kibitzer]

What do you think about Boneyard A and Boneyard B. B for the commoners, unwashed and downright lazy. The B-Yarders- by birth- can never move up to A. Those in A are allowed no more than one grammatical/syntax and 2 spelling errors before they are chased under. Now that policing. Will JS buy in? Our WBB players deserve no less- given the standard their uphold. Good luck with the task at hand- a FT job imho.

I want to be helpful to my fellow Boneyarders. What you suggest would undermine my lofty goal. And I doubt that Nan or JS would permit it.

 

[hjoerring]

Nor would I. I would hate being locked in with the other commoners, where I would certainly be placed; or, assigned to the 'read only' category.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Before the real season begins, a few pointers on words that seem to be troublesome.

Let's start with nettlesome singular/plural issues:

• One freshman, two or more freshmen (and freshman class).
• One Husky, two or more Huskies.

Next, some often misspelled words: supersede (no "c"), minuscule, judgment, commitment (but committed), separate., and precede (but proceed).

Get out your dictionary: accept/except, lose/loose, there/their/they're, resign/re-sign,recreation/re-creation, and eager (hot to trot)/anxious (antsy).

Last, the most troublesome word(s) of all: its/it's. Some cling to the mistaken belief that you gotta have an apostrophe (') in there to denote possession. WRONG! Possession is indicated by its (NO apostrophe), whereas the apostrophe -- it's -- serves to shorten it is by using the apostrophe to pinch hit for the "i" in "is."

It's called a contraction and its purpose is to make for more peppy prose.

Enough already! Good luck!

I look forward to your postings on this matter (or any other postings on any other matter). May I respectfully request* a topic? Please include the to/too/two business. Many posters are unaware of the word "too" and how it should be used.

*As opposed to "respectively request."

 

[Gus Mahler]

Did you consult with Nurse to find this Little Canada, Minnesota? But remember these Canadians study the British English which varies in spelling and sometimes meaning from American English. Mentioning Nurse keeps this from being and O. T.

Nurse was not consulted. I guess I've heard of the place but didn't realize they speak/write British English.* Are you saying that the British would use "c"?

Truly OT: I wonder if scientists call of kernel of hybrid corn a superseed? I should ask my brother-in-law.

*Shouldn't it be English English?

 

[Kibitzer]

May I respectfully request* a topic? Please include the to/too/two business.

Sure. I received several requests like yours and I'll address them all later -- during a "break in the action" (i.e., a lull in the wcbb schedule).

I must also take care to not post too much of this stuff.

 

[Zorro]

Did you consult with Nurse to find this Little Canada, Minnesota? But remember these Canadians study the British English which varies in spelling and sometimes meaning from American English. Mentioning Nurse keeps this from being and O. T.

"England and the United States are two nations divided by a common language." G.B.Shaw (or mebbe Oscar Wilde)

 

[Zorro]

With regard to the use of "they" as a non-gendered singular pronoun, language always adapts to suit the times. With growing sensitivity about the privileged status of males, a generic pronoun became desirable. Neither Kibs' "s/he" nor "heshe" has caught on, or seems likely to. By popular usage, "they" has come to be more or less accepted as that needed pronoun. It seems that we will simply have to live with it.

 

[MilfordHusky]

You did this on purpose just to see if we're awake, right. It's "too" not "to", do I win a prize?

Porpoise, where's the porpoise?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

You did this on purpose just to see if we're awake, right. It's "too" not "to", do I win a prize?

Or, as I was trying to say - "I don't get too twisted with message board posts".

Which is the reason I don't. Quick writing and not proofread. I saw the error later, but didn't see a reason to correct it.

If it was an e-mail, for example, I would proofread it.

Not to pick, but did you put a period instead of a question mark after the first question to test me?

 

[Zorro]

'If I'd been the whiting,' said Alice, whose thoughts were still running on the song, 'I'd have said to the porpoise, "Keep back, please: we don't want you with us!"'

'They were obliged to have him with them,' the Mock Turtle said: 'no wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.'

'Wouldn't it really?' said Alice in a tone of great surprise.

'Of course not,' said the Mock Turtle: 'why, if a fish came to me, and told me he was going a journey, I should say "With what porpoise?"'

'Don't you mean "purpose"?' said Alice.

'I mean what I say,' the Mock Turtle replied in an offended tone. And the Gryphon added 'Come, let's hear some of your adventures.'

 

[Kibitzer]

'If I'd been the whiting,' said Alice, whose thoughts were still running on the song, 'I'd have said to the porpoise, "Keep back, please: we don't want you with us!"'

'They were obliged to have him with them,' the Mock Turtle said: 'no wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.'

'Wouldn't it really?' said Alice in a tone of great surprise.

'Of course not,' said the Mock Turtle: 'why, if a fish came to me, and told me he was going a journey, I should say "With what porpoise?"'

'Don't you mean "purpose"?' said Alice.

'I mean what I say,' the Mock Turtle replied in an offended tone. And the Gryphon added 'Come, let's hear some of your adventures.'

The porpoise/purpose play on (misheard) words does, *for all intensive purposes, *pass mustard as either a "mondegreen" or an "eggcorn," or both.

I have provided examples (designated by asterisks (*). Someone once described the immediate aftermath of someone's death, stating that "they laid him on the green," and it was misheard as "mondegreen," and the term has stuck.

"Eggcorn" (for "acorn") is more recent. An eggcorn is a word or phrase that seems plausible despite not being heard as spoken.

Here are a few examples (I'll let you figure out what was intended): doggy-dog, tow the line, biting my time, hare's breath.

Care to add any? Go!

 

[Zorro]

Actually, ol' chum, "mondegreen" comes from the old Scots poem stanza;
"Ah ye highlands and ye lowlands, where ha' ye been?
They ha' slain the Earl of Moray, and laid him on the green." (Lady Mondegreen)

 

[Kibitzer]

Actually, ol' chum, "mondegreen" comes from the old Scots poem stanza;
"Ah ye highlands and ye lowlands, where ha' ye been?
They ha' slain the Earl of Moray, and laid him on the green." (Lady Mondegreen)

Thanks. I relied on my memory, which let me down. But I was comforted by a Divine reminder, that "Surely good Mrs. Murphy shall follow me all the days of my life. . . ."

 

[BISweet]

I have learned to write "how s/he speaks" but I am uncertain if this has become OK'd by recognized language authorities.

Do AS I say not like I say!!! Kib---you know that "aggravated usage" has historically made much of bad grammar and undesirable words acceptable. That is why there are generations; so, in grammar, we may have generation gaps.

 

[Zorro]

Do AS I say not like I say!!! Kib---you know that "aggravated usage" has historically made much of bad grammar and undesirable words acceptable. That is why there are generations; so, in grammar, we may have generation gaps.

I read this and I'm, like, yeah!

 

[BISweet]

Geno calls the kids, our girls... guys!

but you call all our GUY S, girls. I call them Women.. In todays world; what once was a girl is now a woman. Generic guy is used for both genders. Some are insulted by being called a kid. My cousins called me kid till I was 40. Actually, I find it refreshing that Geno refers to his team as guys. Psychologically, without getting Geno on my couch, it probably reflect his hidden desire to coach guys. No charge for the consult. I'm not a psychiatrist but I saw one on TV.

 

[BISweet]

I want to be helpful to my fellow Boneyarders. What you suggest would undermine my lofty goal. And I doubt that Nan or JS would permit it.

Do as you have been doing. It has worked well. Some say any criticism is negative. Some find gracious criticism as helpful. It may be a fine line to walk but if not done to insult you make it work.
Much of my bad grammar was learned at my (wonderful best ever) mothers knee. I revert like I was learned when in a hurry.

 

[BISweet]

I look forward to your postings on this matter (or any other postings on any other matter). May I respectfully request* a topic? Please include the to/too/two business. Many posters are unaware of the word "too" and how it should be used.

*As opposed to "respectively request."

Too is typically used to replace also. Two is 2. To I'll let Kid discuss this. The use of too has been falling along the wayside and many think I just added an extra o, but it is a wonderful word in writing. In speaking you rarely know the difference unless you listen carefully. If I said : That too is wonderful. You'd hear the words and understand but not realize I didn't used to.

 

[BISweet]

Before the real season begins, a few pointers on words that seem to be troublesome.

Let's start with nettlesome singular/plural issues:

• One freshman, two or more freshmen (and freshman class).
• One Husky, two or more Huskies.

Next, some often misspelled words: supersede (no "c"), minuscule, judgment, commitment (but committed), separate., and precede (but proceed).

Get out your dictionary: accept/except, lose/loose, there/their/they're, resign/re-sign,recreation/re-creation, and eager (hot to trot)/anxious (antsy).

Last, the most troublesome word(s) of all: its/it's. Some cling to the mistaken belief that you gotta have an apostrophe (') in there to denote possession. WRONG! Possession is indicated by its (NO apostrophe), whereas the apostrophe -- it's -- serves to shorten it is by using the apostrophe to pinch hit for the "i" in "is."

It's called a contraction and its purpose is to make for more peppy prose.


Enough already! Good luck!

Peppy prose is peppy prose indeed!! I suppose that means to speed up conversation. As in saying; It is not right. You say; It isn't right
Speak (write) a bit about : Than/Then , As/like, Me/myself/I
Personally, I feel an abrasion on my skin when anyone says me myself. In my brain I hear: Me, myself and I and the Nun asking; Do you have 3 people in there?? Me myself is redundant and either may be correct.
Once, I asked what difference does word usage have in the world as we know it? It's has the ability to make even those under educated to appear intelligent.
;;

 

[Wbbfan1]

How about a quick lesson using basketball examples on when to use Then vs Than?

http://grammarist.com/usage/than-then/

 

[Kibitzer]

How about a quick lesson using basketball examples on when to use Then vs Than?

http://grammarist.com/usage/than-then/

First, your link provided masterful guidance about the then/than matter. It was thorough rather than brief. Then you challenged me to present a "quick lesson" using basketball examples.

I accept your challenge and promise to include then/than with two/too/to and a couple other suggested topics in a future post. Thanks for the worthwhile idea.

 

[JRRRJ]

Sure. Go all pluralbus unum on me.

JS doesn't need to make it manifold: our singular Kibitzer had already joined the fray...