Butch Cassidy

IF neither of you gave a rats how people 'represent' themselves you would not post half of what you do, you would not 'attack' posters who come across as 'anti-Canada'. You would not 'attack' people who (in your opinion) have a sense of entitlement. You would NOT goad people who (in your opinion) are union sympathisers.

Alan2005

But that's what is represented rather than how. The content is fair game I reckon, whether or not the delivery is akin to a chimp with a crayon (this is not an endorsement of his views, just his right to express them)

Butch Cassidy

I beg to differ, people are representing themselves as being that way.

I can represent myself as anti-british, by saying I dislike everything about britain. I have not represented any tangibles. On the otherhand I can represent britian as a shithole by saying the weather sucks, the govts a bunch of theiving wankers and there's dog crap on every street corner. I maybe exagerating but I have presented tangibles.

Alan2005

Yes, but I assume he meant (given the context of this thread), that it's what you say, rather than the accuracy of your english when saying it. Making a point without evidence deserves to get pulled up.

You could say, "I dislike everything about the UK" or "UKs shit init", but without anything to back these views up, both are equally stupid things to say. This is despite one being supposedly more grammatically correct than the other.

Aviator

If posters wish to appear as illiterate oafs that is their affair, no concern of mine. If posters have a valid point, substantiated by fact or represent it as 'their opinion' that is one thing, and can be construed as helpful to other readers. Blanket statements without any validation, such as 'Canada is no good stay away' is (in my opinion) not at all helpful to anyone.

You're not trying to be one of those cyber bullies are you?

Oakvillian

Nuts! A whole thread about pedantry, and I missed the entire thing. Damn the enforced jocularity of Christmas, and its conventions of conviviality. Disappearing to the office in the basement would have been poor form.

I will have to try and catch up.

Butch Cassidy

Ah now that puts it MUCH better

Trying?

One is moved to misquote Quentin Crisp, who on entering the US was asked:
"Sir are you a practicing cyber bully"
"My Dear man I no longer need to practice, I have perfected the art"

Oakvillian

Oh, I do like being able to out-pedant the pedantic.

Ann M's use of "I" is grammatically perfect. A construction such as "you are braver than I" is a colloquialism in which the final missing verb "am" is understood. You wouldn't say "you are braver than me am," neither should you say "you are braver than me."

I agree with your general point, though. It's a classic case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. In sentences where "you and me" would be the grammatically appropriate object phrase, people remember having "it's you and I" drilled into them at school so insert it without thinking.

acer rose

Yeah, it's a shame when people get put off posting by the superior behaviour of others. Life's too short to worry about spelling errors, typos and minor grammatical errors on a web forum. On the other hand, for me it's also too short to bother deciphering some of the posts that crop up here. There is no need for me to be nasty about it though. They are easy to skip if you can't be bothered or spend time on if I'm at a loose end.

(Father - bricklayer, left school at 15, spent the rest of his working life improving his skills and knowledge to the point of completing an OU degree in his early 50s. Yes, he always felt ashamed of his lack of skill in English but he set out to do something about it and set an example for his kids!)

dboy

My old man, who is fast approaching 65, fell off his ladder and hurt his knee recently. His doctor told him he was too old to be cleaning windows and should consider changing careers. He suggested IT; my dad had no idea what he was talking about!

My old man seems to have been happy enough cleaning windows and actually made a decent enough living. He used to also drive buses and coaches from time to time. But I have to agree with the doctor, he's too old now. But he's stubborn!

Almost Canadian

I didn't mean that Ann's use of "I" was incorrect

I now sound like I am attempting to cover up a gaff, I am not, please believe me

tracys

I'm so glad it isn't just me. On our trips to Canda I was surprised that I had to repeat myself so much when talking to Canadians!

It's not me it's them>

triumphguy

Strangely, when I go back the UK I find it very hard to understand people at first! I find they speak really fast and very strangely! LOL After about 3 days I've got my "ear" back. But it makes me realise how I must have sounded to Candians when they first heard me.

DaveLovesDee

I'd suggest that if one gets into the perfectly good habit of using good spelling and grammar for everything they put into written form, then they'd be likely to have less trouble with these when writing a resumê.

Everyone makes mistakes, but there are honest ones, and lazy ones. The edit button works for the former, and the spell check button works for the latter. What we also need to remember is that the standard of English taught may be different in somewhere like Australia than it is in the UK, and even more so in countries where it is not the primary language in use.

Alberta_Rose

.....I don't think things can be "different ...... than"