Merc!
Gotta love the soup Nazi!
He rules!
That was one of my favorite Seinfeld episodes!
;)
Dr. Shades's Grammar Lesson of the Day
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_Dr. Shades
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 14117
- Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:07 pm
GRAMMAR LESSON #10:
Actually, this is more of a word-usage lesson than a grammar lesson. Observe:
"Tow the party line"--INCORRECT.
You can only "tow" a car, a boat, or some similar large derelict object. It is impossible to tow a mere concept such as a line or a party line.
"Toe the party line"--CORRECT.
Members of a military formation place their toes to the line of whatever rank they're in. If their toes aren't up to the line, the formation looks ragged and undisciplined. Hence the reason military customs demand that each member must "toe the line," with "toe" used (idiosyncratically) as a verb. This military concept can be applied to any other organization which demands certain standards of behavior, like the LDS church, hence the reason you see it so often in contexts such as what we discuss on this message board.
To this day, I've never seen the phrase used correctly on this board. Now, however, there are no more excuses. Type "toe the line," not "tow the line."
Actually, this is more of a word-usage lesson than a grammar lesson. Observe:
"Tow the party line"--INCORRECT.
You can only "tow" a car, a boat, or some similar large derelict object. It is impossible to tow a mere concept such as a line or a party line.
"Toe the party line"--CORRECT.
Members of a military formation place their toes to the line of whatever rank they're in. If their toes aren't up to the line, the formation looks ragged and undisciplined. Hence the reason military customs demand that each member must "toe the line," with "toe" used (idiosyncratically) as a verb. This military concept can be applied to any other organization which demands certain standards of behavior, like the LDS church, hence the reason you see it so often in contexts such as what we discuss on this message board.
To this day, I've never seen the phrase used correctly on this board. Now, however, there are no more excuses. Type "toe the line," not "tow the line."
"Finally, for your rather strange idea that miracles are somehow linked to the amount of gay sexual gratification that is taking place would require that primitive Christianity was launched by gay sex, would it not?"
--Louis Midgley
--Louis Midgley
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_Dr. Shades
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 14117
- Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:07 pm
Moniker wrote:Toe the line just looks weird...
Only because you're so used to it being used incorrectly.
"Finally, for your rather strange idea that miracles are somehow linked to the amount of gay sexual gratification that is taking place would require that primitive Christianity was launched by gay sex, would it not?"
--Louis Midgley
--Louis Midgley
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_Imwashingmypirate
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 2290
- Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:45 pm
Turnatot... You say etc. I used to write that and I was told it is etc. As in ETCetera. Maybe it's a UK thing.
I feel happier to know my English isn't as bad as I thought. Well these days anyway. Used to be rediculous, but most things have basic laws. Like i before e except after c is cool, although there are a few words that don't apply to this rule, such as, "weird".
One thing I have trouble with is what all the words mean. I know adjective, noun and verb, but the rest to me are phleh...
Thanks.
Pirate.
I feel happier to know my English isn't as bad as I thought. Well these days anyway. Used to be rediculous, but most things have basic laws. Like i before e except after c is cool, although there are a few words that don't apply to this rule, such as, "weird".
One thing I have trouble with is what all the words mean. I know adjective, noun and verb, but the rest to me are phleh...
Thanks.
Pirate.
Just punched myself on the face...
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_msnobody
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 912
- Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:28 am
Grammar gripe of the day
My big grammar gripe is the use of I versus me, especially when poor grammar is used in songs. You'd think if you were going to write and sing a song, you'd get the grammar correct. My gripe has more to do with when me should be used, but people use I instead.
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_ludwigm
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 10158
- Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:07 am
Re: Grammar gripe of the day
msnobody wrote:My big grammar gripe is the use of I versus me, especially when poor grammar is used in songs. You'd think if you were going to write and sing a song, you'd get the grammar correct. My gripe has more to do with when me should be used, but people use I instead.
Yes, especially non native english speakers, as "I" (hehe).
(When the caller in the phone says my name, the answer is "it is me".
In hungarian, we say "I am" or "I am that", this means "I am that person You addressed". The "it's me" sounds weird for us ...
Foreign languages can be soooooo weird.)
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco
- To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
- To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
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_msnobody
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 912
- Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:28 am
Re: Grammar gripe of the day
ludwigm wrote:msnobody wrote:My big grammar gripe is the use of I versus me, especially when poor grammar is used in songs. You'd think if you were going to write and sing a song, you'd get the grammar correct. My gripe has more to do with when me should be used, but people use I instead.
Yes, especially non native english speakers, as "I" (hehe).
(When the caller in the phone says my name, the answer is "it is me".
In hungarian, we say "I am" or "I am that", this means "I am that person You addressed". The "it's me" sounds weird for us ...
Foreign languages can be soooooo weird.)
It really should be this or I am he/she.
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_Dr. Shades
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 14117
- Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:07 pm
Re: Dr. Shades's Grammar Lesson of the Day
GRAMMAR LESSON #11
Take a look at the following sentence posted last Saturday:
That: Singular.
Those: Plural.
With the irregular verb "to be," i.e. am/is/are/was/were, "is" is used with singular words, whereas "are" is used with plural words. So if the subject of the sentence is "those," then "are" is the appropriate predicate.
Therefore, since the word "ramblings" is plural (there is more than one rambling), then the above sentence should've been written:
Take a look at the following sentence posted last Saturday:
Well that is just some ramblings.
That: Singular.
Those: Plural.
With the irregular verb "to be," i.e. am/is/are/was/were, "is" is used with singular words, whereas "are" is used with plural words. So if the subject of the sentence is "those," then "are" is the appropriate predicate.
Therefore, since the word "ramblings" is plural (there is more than one rambling), then the above sentence should've been written:
Well those are just some ramblings.
"Finally, for your rather strange idea that miracles are somehow linked to the amount of gay sexual gratification that is taking place would require that primitive Christianity was launched by gay sex, would it not?"
--Louis Midgley
--Louis Midgley