"Grammar" and "Punctuation" nit's unite! You're "head" will literally explode! - Page 162 - Other Topics Forum - Discuss Pop Culture, Arts and Entertainment

I think most people make this mistake because they've been hammered so much for incorrect usage of "me" as a youth. For example, they say something like "Me and Jim are going to the store" and they get their wrists slapped by an authority figure. So they start just reflexively using "I" in all cases, even where "me" is actually appropriate. This then bleeds over into using the nominative case for all pronouns and now it's "he" instead of "him."

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10-28-2012 , 12:13 AM

#4027

Rei Ayanami

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Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 11,685

Or it's just misapplication of a collocation they've picked up through reading and listening to people talk and stuff, and they aren't thinking much about it. It could also be a result of on-the-spot improvisation—"it has to be one of them, and I'm not exactly sure which, so I'll go with the one that sounds right." Most language misuses probably don't have much of a cause beyond innocent carelessness or obliviousness.

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10-28-2012 , 09:05 AM

#4028

DiegoArmando

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"Winston tastes good like a cigarette should."

or

"Winston tastes good as a cigarette should."

Learned nits, what say you?

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10-28-2012 , 10:45 AM

#4029

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,841

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiegoArmando

"Winston tastes good like a cigarette should."

or

"Winston tastes good as a cigarette should."

Learned nits, what say you?

This was a famous one from the old days. The first instance was Winston's advertising slogan for years and years. Then someone decided that it was bad grammar, so they came out with an ad campaign showing the old slogan with the word "like" slashed out and replaced with "as." Then they added the tagline, "What do you want, good grammar or good taste?"

I'll assume, since they built an entire ad campaign around it, that the second one is proper grammar. But the first one sounds preferable to me and is certainly more colloquial.

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10-29-2012 , 02:15 AM

#4030

Rei Ayanami

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English As She Is Spoke is a pamphlet of English phrases, written in the 19th century by someone who didn't know any English. They translated a Portuguese-French phrase book using a French-English dictionary. You can skip to "Dialogue 16."

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10-29-2012 , 02:53 AM

#4031

DiegoArmando

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Wow! That translator had more of a grip on English than Spanish learners who've been studying it for most of their lives.

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10-29-2012 , 03:18 AM

#4032

47aces

journeyman

Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 241

Quote:

Originally Posted by W0X0F

+1

I do this all the time, not near the extent of "he/him", but using "I" when I should be using "me"

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10-29-2012 , 03:42 PM

#4033

RussellinToronto

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Quote:

Originally Posted by W0X0F

Formal grammar (or "elegant English" as one of the handbooks I own calls it) certainly prefers "as" to "like" in that construction. However, in the last decade I have read so many novels by highly literate writers that use the more colloquial "as" where "like" is grammatically correct that I think the distinction is pretty much over. But old guys like me will carry on.

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10-30-2012 , 10:20 PM

#4034

New Kid

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Going to start collecting stuff like this some day. It'd be fun to see which guests, if any, pick up on the theme.

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10-31-2012 , 01:57 AM

#4035

||.||.||

Gifmeister

Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 14,058

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10-31-2012 , 02:00 AM

#4036

||.||.||

Gifmeister

Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 14,058

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10-31-2012 , 05:03 AM

#4037

Kvitlekh

adept

Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 882

"The dozen Atlantic City casinos, shuddered since 4 p.m. Sunday..."

http://articles.philly.com/2012-10-3...nos-tony-rodio

Does it get any worse than this? How does such an atrocity bypass the editors?

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10-31-2012 , 05:27 AM

#4038

DiegoArmando

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Joderrrr those are hilarious

Last edited by DiegoArmando; 10-31-2012 at 05:28 AM. Reason: @ gifmeister obv

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10-31-2012 , 03:30 PM

#4039

GMan42

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Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 5,268

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||.||.||

lol.

I actually have a Halloween decoration that says this as a pun (although it's "broom parking only"...the witch will turn you into a toad, get it? haha...ugh).

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10-31-2012 , 04:34 PM

#4040

DiegoArmando

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I just saw my cousin's wife, who is a cockney, use 'more then'.

At least the world is going to end soon.

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10-31-2012 , 07:33 PM

#4041

RussellinToronto

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Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,224

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kvitlekh

"The dozen Atlantic City casinos, shuddered since 4 p.m. Sunday..."

Perhaps this is also Halloween apt?

(Or, for the real nits among us, "Hallowe'en".)

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10-31-2012 , 08:37 PM

#4042

private joker

Most Definitely

Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 25,244

I'd love a disco****.

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11-02-2012 , 12:36 AM

#4043

||.||.||

Gifmeister

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11-02-2012 , 04:39 AM

#4044

Dominic

Tripod

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hahahahaha....that's awesome

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11-02-2012 , 09:24 AM

#4045

GMan42

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 5,268

lol awesome. Also the random Q in "problem" when none of the other words have extra letters.

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11-02-2012 , 09:50 AM

#4046

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,841

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMan42

lol awesome. Also the random Q in "problem" when none of the other words have extra letters.

But they did mess up the letters in "because" (only one "e", two "a"s). Still, somehow my super evolved brain was able to read it.

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11-03-2012 , 02:48 PM

#4047

Kvitlekh

adept

Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 882

The Poker Room opened at 6:00 PM today

after closing for 5 days due to huricane Sandy

http://www.playtajpoker.com/gamereport-en.html

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11-03-2012 , 03:10 PM

#4048

A-Rod's Cousin

banned

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 37,130

Quote:

Originally Posted by New Kid

Introducing the title of an essay I'm referencing for the first time.

Do I have to include the "The" in the title?

sounds better to me. It's not an English class, so we're not following any strict format, but I have a feeling that could be a big enough faux pas that it might matter in any subject.

It's a proper title so yeah include all words even if it doesn't flow as well.

I just had to give a presentation with a group on some films and one girl's slide about The Hunger Games merely said Hunger Game. I corrected her and she said I shouldn't be in a group with foreigners if I am going to be so nitty about grammar. Sigh.

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11-03-2012 , 08:33 PM

#4049

RussellinToronto

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Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,224

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-Rod's Cousin

There is more than one way to treat this question, depending on house style--if you're writing for publication--or preferential style--if you're writing for a class (which means you should ask the instructor what her preference is on small questions like this.) But, yes, usually you're safer using the opening article.

However, consider the following:
"Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games ..." versus "Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games ..." Both phrases are acceptable but the second one flows better.
On the other hand, in the constructions "Her The Hunger Games ..." versus "Her Hunger Games ...", the second phrase is not only acceptable by most standards but clearly more euphonious.

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11-03-2012 , 09:14 PM

#4050

A-Rod's Cousin

banned

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 37,130

I did not know that, I thought you always had to write the proper title.

In any case, her error was not within the context of a sentence. It was her title slide, which is absolutely wrong in all circumstances. lol.

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