The Oxford comma: Yea, nay, or indifferent?

[vargas111]

Perdita,

I don't think you mean literally

Latin was a discrete language, English would not exist without it.

Would not exist in its present form but the Languge of Beowulf(sp?) woud have developed in some direction.

Some of the foolishness about not ending sentences in prepositins stemmed fhr misunderstnding that in English we have many "two word" verbs.

"That is the man I spoke to" does not "end in a preposition." Rather, "spoke to" is a two word verb meaning "addresed."

This was aptly illuntrated by Churchill's remark, "Madam, there are some things up with which I will not put!" ("put up with" a three work verb meaning "tolerate.")

Cheers

 

[Guest]

Vargas, right, I meant "our" English as we know it. Thanks, P.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Diverging even more from the original thread:

In this particular grammatical neck-of-the-woods, my chief peeve is with sentences that end with, "IT." Sometime doing that can make for stronger prose, especially in dialogue where it can give a feeling of informal reality. But while there are exceptions (English is a language of exceptions), most of the time, ending a sentence with an "IT" is a sign of laziness or lack of imagination on the part of writers who either consciously or un, would rather tell with imprecision than show with some specificity.

All that is, of course, in my humble opinion. What do you think about it?

Rumple Foreskin

ps: Perdita, loved your Latin list.

 

[MagicFingers]

It's

Having driven out "ain't" is another such "schoolmarm" rule, leaving us to say things like, "are'nt I?"

But it all comes down to

1) knowing the conventions of grammar, punctuation, etc. and

2) careing enough about your readers to apply or not apply those conventions to achive the best communication you are capabale of

3) for the degree of formality and tone you wish to employ.

aren't I, not are'nt, unless you meant to say "are aint I".
Aint nobody imune to mistakes.
Just keep them minor so they don't distract from being able to read the story.

 

[vargas111]

Yes, I should have added a fourth rule: proofread and then proofread again.

 

[R. Richard]

Diverging even more from the original thread:

In this particular grammatical neck-of-the-woods, my chief peeve is with sentences that end with, "IT." Sometime doing that can make for stronger prose, especially in dialogue where it can give a feeling of informal reality. But while there are exceptions (English is a language of exceptions), most of the time, ending a sentence with an "IT" is a sign of laziness or lack of imagination on the part of writers who either consciously or un, would rather tell with imprecision than show with some specificity.

All that is, of course, in my humble opinion. What do you think about it?

Rumple Foreskin

ps: Perdita, loved your Latin list.

Does the sentence "You don't know shit!" fall within the purview of your peeve?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Does the sentence "You don't know shit!" fall within the purview of your peeve?

Only if it's given the southern pronunciation of, "she-it."

Rumple Foreskin

 

[cloudy]

Here is some useful Latin (not taught by nuns). P.

Te futueo et equum tuum. - Screw you and the horse you rode in on.
Flocci non faccio. - I don't give a damn
Mihi irruma et te pedicabo. - Give me head and I'll ass fuck you
Tu es stultior quam asinum. - You are dumber than an ass.
Dorme mecum. - Sleep with me.
Es scortum obscenus vilis. - You are a vile, perverted whore.
Es mundus excrementi, - You are a pile of shit.
Bibe semen meum. - Swallow (drink) my cum.
Pallas meas lambe! - Lick my balls.
Stercorem pro cerebro habes. - You have shit for brains.
Matris futuor. - Mother fucker.
Te odeo, interfice te cum cochleare. - I hate you. Kill yourself with a spoon.
Stercus accidit. - Shit happens.
Quando podeces te regi eorum fecerunt? - When did the assholes make you their king?
Quo usque tandem abutere patentia nostra? - How long are you going to abuse our patience?
Ut si! - As if!
Utinam barbari spatium proprium tuum invadant. - May barbarians invade your personal space.
Immanissimum ac foedissimum monstrum! - Gross and putrid monster!
Faciem durum cacantis habes. - You have the face of a man with severe constipation.
Hic erit in lecto fortissimos. - He is Hercules in the sack.

I love these! Thanks, Perdita!

 

[MagicFingers]

Good rule

Yes, I should have added a fourth rule: proofread and then proofread again.

My last story:
I read, re-read, proofread, read again, let it rest, read it in HTML,
and still had repeated verbs and other problems I should have seen.

Nothing personal, Vargas!
Cheers!

 

[snooper]

... What do you think about it?

Oh, I agree, especially in repect of the sentence quoted.