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Post by Chicago Jake on Jul 14, 2005 0:22:27 GMT -6
This is a burning issue, admit it. You lie awake nights, as do I, wondering if your posts are the objects of derision from your cyber-correspondents the world across. Let's talk, tovarish.
Many believe that ending a sentence with a preposition (that is, a word employed to connect a noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival or adverbial sense, with some other word; a particle used with a noun or pronoun [in English always in the objective case] to make a phrase limiting some other word; -- so called because usually placed before the word with which it is phrased) is WRONG. But many others believe that it is just fine, and that to disparage such usage is merely pedantic arrogance.
For example, consider the following classic joke:
Or, this other illustrative example:
I think you get the idea. The question remains, ending a sentence with a preposition: Acceptable? Or Not?.......Jake
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Post by Ardbeg... innit on Jul 14, 2005 5:03:34 GMT -6
I am more concerned that we rework irregular verbs... I be, you be, he be. Althoooogh... combine the two, as in "Where he be at?" may actually be acceptable.
I find it interesting that English, one of the worlds most dynamic languages, has any rules whatsoever. Do rules such as the ones you have brought up in this series really make sense a couple hundred years after they were standardized, when so much else has changed? Even though I am not an English major, and English is my second language (I have no first language), I try to follow as many of its rules as I can remember. BUT... IF in certain locations, variations of the rules work into speech, is that wrong??
English has changed DRAMATICALLY over time, and our current version, even following ALL of the rules, would sound VERY crude and uneducated to someone from 200 or 300 years ago. Does that mean our current rules are wrong? I dont believe so. Does that mean are rules are the ultimate word on use of the language? I dont think so either.
Should English be static, like Latin, or allowed to remain dynamic?
Gordon
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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on Jul 14, 2005 8:33:32 GMT -6
My vote is to go with whatever William Safire says is correct (at least, when it comes to language).
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Post by greeneyes on Aug 4, 2005 20:53:19 GMT -6
I have no idea what my sentences, or their contents, are called. All I know is that I am generally well spoken, and even better written. My boss (Harvard undergradutate English Major, Yale Law, NYU JD) defers to my judgment on usage, and especially defers to my judgment when writing to youngsters coming into their inheritance at age 18 or 21. I am proud of that, and thank my Mom and my Dad.
It's all about reading. Reading EVERYTHING. You learn the particular context of the entire world -- by reading.
I graduated high school by the skin of my teeth, but have more exposure to the written word (classics, general, and trash) then my "more educated" "superiors".
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Post by greeneyes on Aug 4, 2005 20:53:56 GMT -6
What is a preposition? I forget.
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Post by hardwork-DJ on Aug 4, 2005 21:13:28 GMT -6
Damn Jake! I'm actually falling to sleep reading this thread!!! I guess I couldn't care less about this grammar lesson. Sorry. ~DJ~ edited to ch-ch-change could to couldn't. See how tired you made me!!!
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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on Aug 5, 2005 11:13:58 GMT -6
I have no idea what my sentences, or their contents, are called. I like to think of them as the ramblings of a mental patient.
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Post by viperess on Aug 6, 2005 11:10:04 GMT -6
I can write gooder than alot of people I no. What's sad is, my sons 7&8 th grade English class. We both failed diagraming sentences.....DeeDee
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Post by Exildo Wonsetler Briggs III on Aug 6, 2005 19:15:42 GMT -6
This is the sort of crap up with which I will FUCK!
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