Why Grammar Matters: A Place To Discuss Matters Of Grammar

[Quof]

47 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Yes, that one definitely works, and I guess I do use that all the time too without really thinking about it. 

That's because we lawyers (not "us lawyers") understand the value in using as few words as necessary to convey our meaning.   

[SoMuchTV]

25 minutes ago, supposebly said:

John works two hours more than I/me/I do.

 

11 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Since you're asking (thank you)…

• John works two hours more than me do.

…is not something I can recall hearing, unless maybe in some Pidgin English.
Is that what you were referencing?

If so, are there acknowledged rules of grammar for Pidgin English, as with, say, Ebonics?

I ask because if so, maybe I could get over my twitching when I encounter phrasing like “her brother, who is two years younger than her.”

I'm pretty sure the options were intended to be:

John works two hours more than (I) / (me) / (I do).

 

Edited August 31 by SoMuchTV
Double posted

[EtheltoTillie]

20 minutes ago, Quof said:

That's because we lawyers (not "us lawyers") understand the value in using as few words as necessary to convey our meaning.   

I actually learned that skill as a magazine editor.  I am constantly editing a lawyer colleague who started as a lawyer without a previous career.  He adds too many words, and I always have to delete them.  He was trained to put in too many words under the theory that you might be misunderstood or some contract would be breached or whatever. 

In journalism you can rely on understood words, particularly when you keep discussing the same topic.  Lawyers are taught they aren't permitted do that.  Here's one that you'd never do in journalism:  John Smith (hereinafter Mr. Smith)  . . . rest of sentence.  Or  John Smith ("Smith" or "Mr. Smith") rest of sentence.  They actually taught us this in legal writing class, but I have never used it after my law school days.  I vowed never to use the words hereinafter or therein in any document, but I have not always succeeded because of having to work with other lawyers at times. 

[supposebly]

50 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

I'm pretty sure the options were intended to be:

John works two hours more than (I) / (me) / (I do).

Yes, sorry about the typo!

But it's entirely possible that this is an option in the grammar of some of the many Englishes in the World.

https://www.oed.com/discover/world-englishes/

 

Edited August 31 by supposebly

[Ancaster]

On 8/31/2024 at 6:23 AM, Anduin said:

Makes perfect sense as it is. Doesn't need to go on, doesn't need to elaborate, doesn't need to explain any further. Short and to the point, unlike this response, which will drag on as long as I feel like typing, and perhaps even longer, and in worse shape as it gos along,

"Gos"?  Ironic in this particular thread.

[Milburn Stone]

57 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

"Gos"?  Ironic in this particular thread.

I choose to believe the irony was intended. 

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Ancaster said:

"Gos"?  Ironic in this particular thread.

More like inevitable. 
Who among us has not?

[Ancaster]

"just don’t gift them anymore"

Another think coming.

[Anduin]

6 hours ago, Milburn Stone said:

I choose to believe the irony was intended. 

Never. I am dead serious at all time.

[JustHereForFood]

On 8/16/2024 at 3:07 AM, fairffaxx said:

A homicide victim was "funeralized" today, according to a local TV reporter.  By the way, we're in the San Francisco Bay Area, where people are generally well-educated (whatever you may think of our politics).  🙀

At least I hope they said that the victim was killed and not "unalived". Self-censorship is driving me mental.

[meep.meep]

On 8/31/2024 at 7:27 AM, shapeshifter said:

 

So just:

• …her brother, who is two years younger, will succeed their father as king.
  https://apnews.com/article/norway-princess-martha-louise-royal-wedding-shaman-durek-verret-569029b62d419529ed5bb881a47a5216

 

Why not: 

... her brother, two years younger, will succeed

or even:

...her younger brother will succeed

 

I spend a lot of time editing the scientific papers of my employees.  Many words need to be slashed.

succeed is a weird word

[Browncoat]

In my local newspaper today:  "It is better to air on the side of caution"  🙄

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

In my local newspaper today:  "It is better to air on the side of caution"  🙄

I do love my air purifier!🤣

[EtheltoTillie]

I saw a web version of a magazine that had a story about a heard of elephants. They do get pretty loud, I guess. 

Edited Saturday at 05:19 PM by EtheltoTillie

[annzeepark914]

Maybe these are the result of autocorrect (and poor proofreading)? 

[EtheltoTillie]

21 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Maybe these are the result of autocorrect (and poor proofreading)? 

Can't be sure about autocorrect, but definitely poor proofreading.

[Zella]

I feel like autocorrect usually yields much more bizarre, garbled results than just an incorrect homophone, though I suppose if they're using talk to text that could explain it. 

[shapeshifter]

17 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I saw a web version of a magazine that had a story about a heard of elephants. They do get pretty loud, I guess. 

And there's the prodigious ears — 
“The better to hear you with, my dear.”

 

13 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Maybe these are the result of autocorrect (and poor proofreading)? 

AI is bungling my Google searches and my Amazon review searches in a suspiciously similar manner. 
So I'm guessing Chat GPT is involved (or whatever the cool advertising content producers are using these days).

Edited Sunday at 10:26 AM by shapeshifter
“.” not “,”