English Grammar

[getagrip]

tis an area that i'm always bothered about (especially on forums, where i've to type everything). got kicked out of english gcse at school and didn't learn much prior to the expulsion.

The most important function of grammar is to make yourself understood so, if you can achieve that, there's no problem 

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

dont forget one of the great irish novels of the c20th was written without punctuation - ulysses by james joice its unreadable im told

ians

[toxicpixie]

Call me a Luddite -no offence intended,

I'd never be offended to be called someone who wanted a living wage for living work!

Ned got painted (unsurprisingly) in a very bad light.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Ned got painted (unsurprisingly) in a very bad light.

Photo of the figure please.....

IanS

[toxicpixie]

That help?

I think one of the Pendraken civvies packs has a suitable figure for you

[Leman]

The Transvestite Revolutionary Front?

[getagrip]

Splitters

[FierceKitty]

Ah, yes. The age-old right of man to insist that your right to do something badly is sacred, and the hell with everyone else who's footing the bill.

I hate to agree with Ian about anything, but I've never been able to read more than fifty pages into Joyce.

[Subedai]

I've heard of James Joyce...but never never read any of his comics, did he write the storylines for Marvel while Stan Lee drew the pictures?

And I am complete agreement with FK on this one. Two wrongs definitely do not make a right.

[Steve J]

IIRC a Victorian clergyman decided to 'standardise' spelling and grammar at some point in the 19th Century and so have been saddled with his whims ever since. When I was at school in the 70s grammar was not fashionable and so we were only taught the basics. I find many of my Austrian friends have a better grasp of English grammar than I!!!

[Subedai]

IIRC a Victorian clergyman decided to 'standardise' spelling and grammar at some point in the 19th Century and so have been saddled with his whims ever since. When I was at school in the 70s grammar was not fashionable and so we were only taught the basics. I find many of my Austrian friends have a better grasp of English grammar than I!!!

IIRC!!! Ha, I rest my case!

My sister-in-law who was at junior school in the early 70's learnt reading under what was known as the ITA System. In a nutshell the books were written using a phonetic alphabet rather than 'correct' English. Her spelling and grammer have suffered terribly ever since.

Me, I was brought up on a healthier diet of Janet and John with a healthy smattering of Enid Blyton.

[O Dinas Powys]

IIRC a Victorian clergyman decided to 'standardise' spelling and grammar at some point in the 19th Century and so have been saddled with his whims ever since. When I was at school in the 70s grammar was not fashionable and so we were only taught the basics. I find many of my Austrian friends have a better grasp of English grammar than I!!!

Too true!  In my old lab the researchers would get the German post-doc to check their grammar prior to submitting papers... 

[paulr]

IIRC a Victorian clergyman decided to 'standardise' spelling and grammar at some point in the 19th Century and so have been saddled with his whims ever since. When I was at school in the 70s grammar was not fashionable and so we were only taught the basics. I find many of my Austrian friends have a better grasp of English grammar than I!!!

Most of the grammar I know I learnt in German and French classes in High school.

The language teachers hated the English department as they had to explain so much grammar that we hadn't learnt for English 

[Ithoriel]

[Fenton]

My English teacher told us that grammar and punctuation were a waste of time and that understanding the meaning of Shakespeares plays  was far more important

[Leman]

I was at grammar school in the sixties. We learnt to parse sentences in the first year and we also did Latin. This provided a good foundation for understanding basic grammar. I really don't get why people have difficulty with apostrophes when their use is so logical. I suppose it also helps that in primary school we learnt how to do different plurals and things like masculine, feminine and young, e.g. fox, vixen and cub. My son has a graduate friend who did not know that apples grew in an orchard because he had always pronounced it orchid.

[getagrip]

I really don't see the point of getting in a twizzle over grammar and spelling but it's a nice goal 

It's important but not as important as those who are good at it suggest 

[Leman]

To reiterate earlier, "Today I helped my uncle jack off a horse."

Carrot's 60p. Well you'd better give it back to Carrot then.

Dogs home
Dog's home
Dogs' home

They each mean something different. It's not the spoken word that's the problem; it's that when people write the meaning needs to be clear.

[Subedai]

I really don't see the point of getting in a twizzle over grammar and spelling but it's a nice goal 

It's important but not as important as those who are good at it suggest 

It's bl**dy important if you are trying to get a job.

Ever since I left school back in the dark mists of 1972, employers have been bemoaning the fact that it is pointless taking on school leavers as a lot of them have to be educated in Maths and English!

[FierceKitty]