Bloody greengrocer's
#1
Hit 16's
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
#2
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
I saw that and was going to post it to all the grammar police on here.
And I have no idea what a split infinitive is either!
(to boldly go where no man has gone before).
And I have no idea what a split infinitive is either!
(to boldly go where no man has gone before).
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
The infinitive is "to" plus the base form, eg "to go".
An adverb is used to modify or change a verb. It often ends in "-ly" (eg Kix thinks slowly.)
If you stick an adverb in between the "to" and the "go" you have split the infinitive. Some grammar freaks think this is naighty, innit ?
An adverb is used to modify or change a verb. It often ends in "-ly" (eg Kix thinks slowly.)
If you stick an adverb in between the "to" and the "go" you have split the infinitive. Some grammar freaks think this is naighty, innit ?
#4
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
Comment about the Oxford Comma is annoying
"Guardian style guide gives this example to highlight its use: "I'd like to thank my parents, JK Rowling, and Martin Amis" (without Oxford comma, statement implies writer is offspring of Rowling and Amis)"
No it doesn't.
The reason the Oxford Comma is an unneccesary addition is because the comma is effectively a punctuation conjunction so why have two?
"Guardian style guide gives this example to highlight its use: "I'd like to thank my parents, JK Rowling, and Martin Amis" (without Oxford comma, statement implies writer is offspring of Rowling and Amis)"
No it doesn't.
The reason the Oxford Comma is an unneccesary addition is because the comma is effectively a punctuation conjunction so why have two?
#5
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
Comment about the Oxford Comma is annoying
"Guardian style guide gives this example to highlight its use: "I'd like to thank my parents, JK Rowling, and Martin Amis" (without Oxford comma, statement implies writer is offspring of Rowling and Amis)"
No it doesn't.
The reason the Oxford Comma is an unneccesary addition is because the comma is effectively a punctuation conjunction so why have two?
"Guardian style guide gives this example to highlight its use: "I'd like to thank my parents, JK Rowling, and Martin Amis" (without Oxford comma, statement implies writer is offspring of Rowling and Amis)"
No it doesn't.
The reason the Oxford Comma is an unneccesary addition is because the comma is effectively a punctuation conjunction so why have two?
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
Comment about the Oxford Comma is annoying
"Guardian style guide gives this example to highlight its use: "I'd like to thank my parents, JK Rowling, and Martin Amis" (without Oxford comma, statement implies writer is offspring of Rowling and Amis)"
No it doesn't.
The reason the Oxford Comma is an unneccesary addition is because the comma is effectively a punctuation conjunction so why have two?
"Guardian style guide gives this example to highlight its use: "I'd like to thank my parents, JK Rowling, and Martin Amis" (without Oxford comma, statement implies writer is offspring of Rowling and Amis)"
No it doesn't.
The reason the Oxford Comma is an unneccesary addition is because the comma is effectively a punctuation conjunction so why have two?
The split infinitive often sounds better..........
I suppose I should read that article now.
#7
Hit 16's
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
Most grammatical difficulties can be resolved by re-casting the sentence. I learnt that a long time ago.
#8
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
From the OP's Beeb link ; the "Bargain Shop" sign should read either:
Lady's wear or Ladies' wear , right?
Lady's wear or Ladies' wear , right?
#9
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
'Course the proper course of action would be to remedy the original sentence composition with proper grammer but I've been outa college for awhile so am quite rusty.
Last edited by Boomhauer; May 14th 2013 at 6:51 am.
#10
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
Comma not needed before 'and' but that's the only unnecessary one in that sentence. I'm always conscious of altering the meaning though - so I would move 'my parents' to the end.
The split infinitive often sounds better..........
I suppose I should read that article now.
The split infinitive often sounds better..........
I suppose I should read that article now.
Using a split infinitive sometime sounds better so that is an issue of style.
The misuse of the apostrophe drives me nuts, but my current bugbear is the incorrect use of the reflexive pronoun. For some reason many people seem to think it sounds posher. It doesn't. It just makes you look as if you can't write correctly.
Last edited by Meow; May 14th 2013 at 7:15 am.
#11
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
That's exactly the argument about the 'Oxford comma'. There are times when it is useful to avoid any ambiguity.
Using a split infinitive sometime sounds better so that is an issue of style.
The misuse of the apostrophe drives me nuts, but my current bugbear is the incorrect use of the relfexive pronoun. For some reason many people seem to think it sounds posher. It doesn't. It just makes you look as if you can't write correctly.
Using a split infinitive sometime sounds better so that is an issue of style.
The misuse of the apostrophe drives me nuts, but my current bugbear is the incorrect use of the relfexive pronoun. For some reason many people seem to think it sounds posher. It doesn't. It just makes you look as if you can't write correctly.
#13
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
Ooh, good one...I have a mate who sticks 'self' on the end regularly to try and sound ultra formal.
Grammar doesn't bother me too much, I get most things right without thinking but definitely get some things wrong. That's life.
What does annoy me is the really basic shit;
Your
You're
There
Their
They're
Those, mainly on facebook, end up in a shitty comment and someone being removed.
Grammar doesn't bother me too much, I get most things right without thinking but definitely get some things wrong. That's life.
What does annoy me is the really basic shit;
Your
You're
There
Their
They're
Those, mainly on facebook, end up in a shitty comment and someone being removed.
#14
Hit 16's
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
The train companies (and the airlines?) go one better, with the announcement towards the end of the journey: "On behalf of myself and the crew, Shit Trains wish to thank..."
And when I'm travelling by train, I'm not a customer I'm a ****ing passenger.
And regarding re-casting the sentence being the lazy way out: bollocks. If you have to fiddle with punctuation and end up with an unnatural or unidiomatic form, or worse--something that is ambiguous--then re-cast.
And when I'm travelling by train, I'm not a customer I'm a ****ing passenger.
And regarding re-casting the sentence being the lazy way out: bollocks. If you have to fiddle with punctuation and end up with an unnatural or unidiomatic form, or worse--something that is ambiguous--then re-cast.
#15
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: Bloody greengrocer's
And of course, as someone on here has pointed out before, capital letters are very important............ especially if you are texting your best mate to tell him you have just helped your Uncle Jack off a horse...........