Carol
Line Up and Wait
From the EAA newsletter in my email box:
The "Ask Tom" column
http://www.airventure.org/2005/sunjuly31/ask_tom.html
The "Ask Tom" column
http://www.airventure.org/2005/sunjuly31/ask_tom.html
I thought this was *our* Tom Richards
- Thread starter Carol
- Start date
Diana
Final Approach
Carol, that's funny. We saw that too.Carol said:
Actually Tom has written math books that are being used in schools across the country. He also used to be an editor for Doubleday out of Chicago. It's nice to have my own private editor here at home. He taught me years ago not to take things personally when he edits my writing. And, he takes out most of my commas, too.
Tom and I are still planning to write a book together about aviation, but we seem too busy living life to stop to write about it.
Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
has everyone googled their own name?
I am chagrined to learn I am not the only DT out there, sniff.
I am chagrined to learn I am not the only DT out there, sniff.
Ken Ibold
Final Approach
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Ken Ibold
My pet peeve is apostrophes used to make something plural. (eg: No Pet's Allowed) Well, that and the fact that some people think semicolons must feel neglected and put them anywhere; without thinking of how they're properly used.Carol said:I had an English professor one time tell me that if my commas were in different colors my papers would look like Christmas trees.
Gosh, sorry, I could go on and on. One occupational hazard, I suppose, is that typos in restaurant menus jump out at me -- unless the restaurant is so dark I have to set fire to my menu in order to read it.
Skip Miller
Final Approach
The best (worst?) one I have seen was "canarda lorange". -SkipKen Ibold said:
Diana
Final Approach
Well, Dave, I'm sure that none of the other DTs are half as nice as you.Let'sgoflying! said:
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Diana
Final Approach
Uh oh. Now I need to go back and read all that stuff I sent you that Tom didn't edit; he takes most of them out, too.Ken Ibold said:
Back to commas...I use them the same way that I talk. Doesn't that make it OK, somehow?
Len Lanetti
Cleared for Takeoff
Ken Ibold said:
...the use of flammable when it should be inflammable.
Not that I'm perfect. I thank God and Bill Gates for spell check and grammar check every day.
Len
gkainz
Final Approach
I agree completely with possessive vs plural apostrophe...drives me nuts! But, so does misuse of affect vs effect! However, I'm a major abuser of ellipses, especially on-line... maybe it's because I always have another thought hanging of the end of my sentence? Hmmm, when hitting the dictionary to see if ellipses has one or two ells, I see that my usage is completely incorrect! I use them to sort of just let the idea trail off into the sunset, but dictionary.com says
" 1.
a. The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction but not necessary for understanding.
b. An example of such omission.
2. A mark or series of marks (... or * * *, for example) used in writing or printing to indicate an omission, especially of letters or words."
" 1.
a. The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction but not necessary for understanding.
b. An example of such omission.
2. A mark or series of marks (... or * * *, for example) used in writing or printing to indicate an omission, especially of letters or words."
Diana
Final Approach
Greg, I do that too. I think we should write our own dictionary. And the first thing I would change would be to make "irregardless" more acceptable. I like how it rolls off the tongue, but I seem to be the only one who likes it.gkainz said:
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Len Lanetti
Cleared for Takeoff
Diana said:
More acceptable....is that like more pregnant?
;<)
Someone I work with is in love with the phrase "attain more critical mass". Obviously he doesn't work with fission now and hopefully he won't in the future.
Len
Diana
Final Approach
Sounds to me like he's gaining weight.Len Lanetti said:
gkainz
Final Approach
Bzzzzz! I cringe at "irregardless" - sorry! But I understand your "more acceptable" in spite of the quips below your post. More commonly accepted, right?Diana said:Greg, I do that too. I think we should write our own dictionary. And the first thing I would change would be to make "irregardless" more acceptable. I like how it rolls off the tongue, but I seem to be the only one who likes it.
Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
OK, I am willing to learn - how do you refer to ownership of an object by a group of people, whose last name ends in 's' or 'se'.
As in; "That is the _______se's book." Is the *'s* correct, or is it *s'*, or maybe no extra *s* at all?
(I usually avoid the topic entirely by rewording it such as "The _____se family owns that book")
As in; "That is the _______se's book." Is the *'s* correct, or is it *s'*, or maybe no extra *s* at all?
(I usually avoid the topic entirely by rewording it such as "The _____se family owns that book")
Carol
Line Up and Wait
Ken Ibold said:
This is my #1. Drives me nuts.
I pointed out to the hospital administration that the signs by the parking spaces for "High Risk Mom's" was wrong. Sometimes I just can't help myself.
Carol
Not a high-risk mom nor any other kind of mom for that matter.
Diana
Final Approach
Main Entry: ir·re·gard·lessgkainz said:
Pronunciation: "ir-i-'gärd-l&s
Function: adverb
Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless
nonstandard : REGARDLESS
usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.
OK, OK, I'll quit using it. Except around the farm when nobody's listening.
Len Lanetti
Cleared for Takeoff
Let'sgoflying! said:
Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding "'s"...as in Charles's book.
Let'sgoflying! said:
Ditto.
Note that I had double check the rule above in my well marked and worn copy of "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White. Probably the best gift that can be given to a high school or college student.
Len
gibbons
En-Route
I believe it would be, "That is the Gibbons' book" and "That is the House's book."Let'sgoflying! said:
That's what I, think, irregardles's.
gibbons
En-Route
Len Lanetti said:
It wouldn't be the first time I failed to listen in class, but I thought otherwise. This is the way I learned it back in the day before the earth's crust had cooled.
Most singular possessives are formed by adding an apostrophe + s.
Common Possessive
singular bird bird's
plural birds birds'
Most plural possessives are formed by adding an apostrophe following the s-ending of the plural.
the bird's territory = the territory of the bird
the birds' territory = the territory of the birds
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wsuffa
Touchdown! Greaser!
Pet peeve:
Folks who write "loose" when they mean "lose".
Looser means not as tight. Loser means someone who has lost.
Folks who write "loose" when they mean "lose".
Looser means not as tight. Loser means someone who has lost.