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High Plains Drifter
Joined: 27 Jul 2004
Posts: 127
Location: Way Out There
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 Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Stephen Jones wrote: |
| The most common reason I have made a comment on grammar is because self-important blowhards such as yourself have gone around criticizing others for making non-existent grammar mistakes. |
This is a syntactical mess and is only comprehensible after a very careful reading.
"self-important blowhard" Pot calling the kettle black, don't you think?
"yourself" Why the unnecessary reflexive pronoun?
"criticizing" American spelling? This is truly shocking. Have you no standards? |
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Zero Hero
Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 944
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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| High Plains Drifter wrote: |
| "yourself" Why the unnecessary reflexive pronoun? |
"Hamlet". Why the 'unnecessary' play? |
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High Plains Drifter
Joined: 27 Jul 2004
Posts: 127
Location: Way Out There
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Zero Hero wrote: |
| High Plains Drifter wrote: |
| "yourself" Why the unnecessary reflexive pronoun? |
"Hamlet". Why the 'unnecessary' play? |
Woe is myself. |
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moonraven
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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Stephen Jones:
Actually, Self-appointed Blowhard Number 1, I rarely comment on people's grammatical and syntactical errors on this site, as I do not expect many to have the same level of education as I have, or to have spent the number of years that I have as a professional writer and teacher of writing.
I commented on your ridiculously incomprehensible sentence structure because you shot off your keyboard about the mote in the OP's eye without removing the viga from your own.
Then you were foolish enough to retaliate with this syntactical horror:
"The most common reason I have made a comment on grammar is because self-important blowhards such as yourself have gone around criticizing others for making non-existent grammar mistakes."
The sentence should read: "The reason for my having commented about grammar is because self-important blowhards like you criticize others for making non-existent grammatical errors".
Time to get rid of that viga, big boy. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| "yourself" Why the unnecessary reflexive pronoun? |
Emphasis. To quote the "Cambridge English Grammar", Chapter 17, "Deixix and Anaphora", 3. Reflexive pronoun, p 1483,
"Reflexive pronouns have two uses: in one they function as a complement, in the other they have an emphatic effect."
The use of the reflexive here is optional, and correct.
The problem with both you and moonraven is that you neither know English grammar, nor are prepared to check up your mental farts in grammar books or in the corpus to see if they bear any relation with reality. |
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moonraven
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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SJ: What a crock!
When you learn as much about grammar as I know, maybe you'll realize it's time to stop making a fool of yourself. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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The software is playing up as usual, so I can't get to edit the post.
Errata: deixis not deixix |
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moonraven
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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| That viga in your eye is getting bigger by the moment. It's time to use it as a roofbeam for that bunker you are building for yourself. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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When you learn as much about grammar as I know, maybe you'll realize it's time to stop making a fool of yourself.
, I rarely comment on people's grammatical and syntactical errors on this site, as I do not expect many to have the same level of education as I have, or to have spent the number of years that I have as a professional writer and teacher of writing. |
Modest as ever! If blowing your own trumpet was an art form, you'd get a Grammy. |
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High Plains Drifter
Joined: 27 Jul 2004
Posts: 127
Location: Way Out There
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Stephen Jones wrote: |
| The problem with both you and moonraven is that you neither know English grammar, nor are prepared to check up your mental farts in grammar books or in the corpus to see if they bear any relation with reality. |
Why the unnecessary comma after "grammar"? |
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moonraven
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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SJ:
I do not consider false modesty to be a virtue. I write well. I have been paid to write well, as well as to teach others how to write well, for 40 years.
Writing is about communication, not about making snide comments to posters whose skills are more refined than yours.
Take a GOOD writing course. You may learn how to communicate with other people. You may even change your attitude in the process. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Why the unnecessary comma after "grammar"? |
To indicate a pause. The comma, more than other punctiation marks, has the dual purpose of grammatical clarification and acting as a guide to how the sentence should be read aloud.
If you go to www.amazon.com you could order some books on English grammar and punctuation and read them to find out the answers yourself. |
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moonraven
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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Why not try YOUR hand at writing a grammar book, SJ?
That ought to teach you one of the virtues: humility. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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| That ought to teach you one of the virtues: humility. |
Which virtue you positively exude.
I wll come and sit at your feet and imbibe it. |
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moonraven
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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| No, you won't. I do not have the virtue of charity where you are concerned. |
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