|
RobertB
|
|
|
|
'Did'nt' is meaningless. The apostrophe has a purpose, and there's no missing letter at that point. Or are you trolling?
|
|
Xean
|
|
|
|
Quote: louheneghan, Monday, 27 Jun 2011 20:38This is you in post 121717: 'Just being informal and casual, louheneghan. Any of you guys been reading my back posts?? I've been in agreement with you. Seems now you're arguing against yourselves! Oh, I get it; just ribbing again. Seems the only time I hear something from you is for pulling my legs. I'm so tall now, I can almost reach the sky!' Sorry to be like the dog with the proverbial bone but this doesn't explain your reasons for deliberately misusing the apostrophe when you know how to use it. Not arguing - honest! Genuinely want to know why you're doing it! Please tell me! I'm intrigued!  i have a feeling this is going to wax verbose. Aw hevins lou, haven't you ever sat back, took a deep breath and just thought about talking instead of how to talk? Many people don't know how, but they think of talking anyway. If people like us already know how to talk, don't you think we ought to spend time enjoying it? Let's add life back into language for heaven's sake! (Hey, there's an idea. Maybe our stories will sound better as a result, mine included. Oh, here's me giving secrets away.) If you want it in black and white lou, I spelled that way because I was not thinking about spelling. To me casual conversation is just talking; forget the way it's written, The Phrases are What Count. Of course, if for example I were to remove the o in the last word of the last sentence, then I'd say it would be like slapping my own face. But minor punctuative variations, doesn't really matter in conversation; so long as the person is understandable. (You want a bone to pick? I can show you some really bad spellers right here on this site.) I am avid for polished speech, but I also know when to lay perfectionism aside and just enjoy the conversation for what it is, spelling be screw'd. Think of it this way: If you had to wear a suit and tie everywhere I'll bet you'd end up feeling a little tight under the collar sooner or later. There are times and places requiring perfection, like when building a house, or proofing the final draft of a book, but here in this forum is not one of those cases. Or are you implying that I have to spell 100% percent perfect 100% of the time, when others, whether deliberate or otherwise, make their own spelling (and other) missteps? I can do it easy, - I'm already more grammatically perfect than many I've encountered here - but I do like to see everyone else adhere to the same perfect rule if that's the case. All for one and one for all. Else, catch your pants before they fall.  That pretty much answers your prurient question lou?
Quest to illume true bliss, part of and beyond the self.
|
|
RayM
|
|
|
|
I wish I could understand what you meant, Xean.
I mean, in some ways I do as there are certain words that I have difficulty spelling or I'm unsure about and when typing in general places such as forums or in chat I'll often just put a '(sp?)' next to the word I'm uncertain about rather than prat about with spell check or a dictionary.
But when it comes to stuff I do know, such as certain grammatical rules, then it just comes naturally to me to use the correct form. To use anything other than the correct form of something I know would feel wrong and alien to me.
And I think this is the point that louheneghan was attempting to get across. Surely, if you knew the rule and which was wrong and which was right (rather than which was formal and which was informal - which doesn't quite fit as contractions are perceived as informal anyway and as such are condemned in academic writing), the question is more - shouldn't it just be natural to use the correct form and is it not a conscious choice to decide against using the correct form? Or is it a case of, you were aware of the rule in the back of your mind but it hadn't become a natural way of typing as of yet?
And now I'm rambling... sorry, it's late and I have a terrible habit of rambling when it gets late.
|
|
RoseRed
|
|
|
|
I must admit to being intrigued too. The 'casual' argument I could understand if it were the case that you were writing 'didnt' instead of 'didn't,' leaving out the apostrophe altogether the way people do when texting on mobiles. But you were putting it in the wrong place, which was just as much work.  However, even if you were writing 'didnt,' I don't think it would be ideal, as there could be bad spellers reading the board and thinking that this was right, and the same goes for your 'did'nt.'
|
|
Xean
|
|
|
|
Quote: RayM, Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 01:45I wish I could understand what you meant, Xean. I mean, in some ways I do as there are certain words that I have difficulty spelling or I'm unsure about and when typing in general places such as forums or in chat I'll often just put a '(sp?)' next to the word I'm uncertain about rather than prat about with spell check or a dictionary. But when it comes to stuff I do know, such as certain grammatical rules, then it just comes naturally to me to use the correct form. To use anything other than the correct form of something I know would feel wrong and alien to me. And I think this is the point that louheneghan was attempting to get across. Surely, if you knew the rule and which was wrong and which was right (rather than which was formal and which was informal - which doesn't quite fit as contractions are perceived as informal anyway and as such are condemned in academic writing), the question is more - shouldn't it just be natural to use the correct form and is it not a conscious choice to decide against using the correct form? Or is it a case of, you were aware of the rule in the back of your mind but it hadn't become a natural way of typing as of yet? And now I'm rambling... sorry, it's late and I have a terrible habit of rambling when it gets late. I understand what you and lou say, but i don't feel using incorrect form in the right places is wrong or alien. I saw many people misspelling on the message boards and just thought it didn't matter how i wrote. Obviously, it is not acceptable to some here but didn't notice that until brought to my attention. I still like to introduce a hint of imperfection in my writing sometimes, so as to represent casualness (check my i's). I am not talking here with a suit and tie, trying to be superior as I've been accused by some.
Quest to illume true bliss, part of and beyond the self.
|
|
Xean
|
|
|
|
Quote: RoseRed, Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 02:46I must admit to being intrigued too. The 'casual' argument I could understand if it were the case that you were writing 'didnt' instead of 'didn't,' leaving out the apostrophe altogether the way people do when texting on mobiles. But you were putting it in the wrong place, which was just as much work. However, even if you were writing 'didnt,' I don't think it would be ideal, as there could be bad spellers reading the board and thinking that this was right, and the same goes for your 'did'nt.' RoseRed, we're not talking about didn't or didnt or about any similar words with an apostrophe, just at my obvious use of writing your instead of you're welcome in comments. I know which is right, but it didn't matter to me which I used here, in informal conversation. I was just trying to be informal and didn't give it much thought. As I mention to Ray above, just because I write mostly perfect does not mean I'm in a suit and tie or I feel superior to anyone. This is casual conversation, at least I thought so.
Quest to illume true bliss, part of and beyond the self.
|
|
Malcolm
|
|
|
|
Quote: Xean, Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 02:50I understand what you and lou say, but i don't feel using incorrect form in the right places is wrong or alien. I saw many people misspelling on the message boards and just thought it didn't matter how i wrote. Obviously, it is not acceptable to some here but didn't notice that until brought to my attention. I still like to introduce a hint of imperfection in my writing sometimes, so as to represent casualness (check my i's). I am not talking here with a suit and tie, trying to be superior as I've been accused by some. This is what I'm talking about, Xean. If you're not trying to appear superior, then why don't you just admit that you forgot how to spell the word, or you just didn't realize you were doing it? Instead you try to dodge the question, change the subject, and finally, when cornered, try to convince us that your misspellings are not only deliberate but are among your many creative accomplishments, and a testament to your freespiritedness. Try getting real. You won't feel so persecuted.
This post was last edited by Malcolm, 28 Jun 2011, 04:33
No stars. No charts. Just crits.
|
|
fxs60
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
louheneghan
|
|
|
|
Quote: Xean, Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 01:28Quote: louheneghan, Monday, 27 Jun 2011 20:38This is you in post 121717: 'Just being informal and casual, louheneghan. Any of you guys been reading my back posts?? I've been in agreement with you. Seems now you're arguing against yourselves! Oh, I get it; just ribbing again. Seems the only time I hear something from you is for pulling my legs. I'm so tall now, I can almost reach the sky!' Sorry to be like the dog with the proverbial bone but this doesn't explain your reasons for deliberately misusing the apostrophe when you know how to use it. Not arguing - honest! Genuinely want to know why you're doing it! Please tell me! I'm intrigued! i have a feeling this is going to wax verbose. Aw hevins lou, haven't you ever sat back, took a deep breath and just thought about talking instead of how to talk? Many people don't know how, but they think of talking anyway. If people like us already know how to talk, don't you think we ought to spend time enjoying it? Let's add life back into language for heaven's sake! (Hey, there's an idea. Maybe our stories will sound better as a result, mine included. Oh, here's me giving secrets away.) If you want it in black and white lou, I spelled that way because I was not thinking about spelling. To me casual conversation is just talking; forget the way it's written, The Phrases are What Count. Of course, if for example I were to remove the o in the last word of the last sentence, then I'd say it would be like slapping my own face. 'The Phrases are What C*nt'? 'Slapping your own face'?? I really don't understand what you mean here. I sense you're making some kind of point here but you'll need to be more clear if I'm to understand you.But minor punctuative variations, doesn't really matter in conversation; so long as the person is understandable. You want a bone to pick? Not picking bones, Xean, honest! I can show you some really bad spellers right here on this site.) I am avid for polished speech, but I also know when to lay perfectionism aside and just enjoy the conversation for what it is, spelling be screw'd. Think of it this way: If you had to wear a suit and tie everywhere I'll bet you'd end up feeling a little tight under the collar sooner or later. There are times and places requiring perfection, like when building a house, or proofing the final draft of a book, but here in this forum is not one of those cases. Or are you implying Not implying anything. Genuinely in search of enlightenment that I have to spell 100% percent perfect 100% of the time, when others, whether deliberate or otherwise, make their own spelling (and other) missteps? I can do it easy, - I'm already more grammatically perfect Is there such a position? than many I've encountered here - but I do like to see everyone else adhere to the same perfect rule if that's the case. All for one and one for all. Else, catch your pants before they fall. That pretty much answers your prurient question lou? Prurient? Xean, I'm sorry if you found it so. I was just curious. Not intending to be in anyway lascivious, bawdy, beastly or carnal. My Mother Superior would be scandalised to think I was being interpreted thus.  Thanks for taking the time to answer my question in such detail, Xean. I was really confused by your decision to communicate on the message boards using punctuation you knew to be incorrect. I had assumed that, as an award winning poet, there must be some deeper meaning to this decision. I was musing on it being a stylistic device along the lines of e e cummings or maybe, I thought, you were making a statement about the transience of grammar and punctuation 'fashions' within English usage. I confess, the idea of 'suit and tie' English and alternatively (?) punctuated English for casual conversation ('t-shirt and shorts English', maybe?) hadn't occurred to me. That's a really interesting idea and one I'll have to think about. Thanks again.
|
|
dancingsue
|
|
|
|
My words are wearing a thong today. They were going to go commando, but it's only Tuesday.
the long and the short of it
|
|
a wee moan
27 Jun 2011, 22:56
