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once again
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Posts: 815
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 Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 6:31 am Post subject: A question for Ludwig |
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| Ludwig, I need some grammar help. I am having an argument with a friend about this...I think one should right "a MP" as in a member of parliament. My friend insists it should be "an MP". Any advice? |
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migo
Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 201
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| Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 7:38 am Post subject: |
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| I know I'm not Ludwig, but I'd agree with "an MP". When you say it you're actually saying "an em-pee" and "a em-pee" would sound awkward. I don't know what the grammatical rule for a/an with acronyms is though. |
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Ailian
Joined: 15 Apr 2004
Posts: 192
Location: PRC!
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| Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 9:01 am Post subject: |
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Others seem to agree with migo.
From the Ask Oxford website:
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I am still confused about when to use 'an' instead of 'a'. Is it an hour or a hour, and if someone is doing a master's degree in arts, is it an MA or a MA?
With single letters and groups of letters pronounced as letters, be guided by the pronunciation: a B road, a KLM flight; but an A road, an FA cup final, an SAS flight.' (R.W. Burchfield, The New Fowler's Modern English Usage).
So it is an hour, an MA. |
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once again
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Posts: 815
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| Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:40 am Post subject: |
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How can this be true!!??? Tell me it ain't so; for Ludwig has written,
"I have coming up for a decade of experience now, have 10 'O' levels, 5 'A' levels, 2 'AS' levels', a BA (Hons) in language studies and linguistics, a MA in language acquisition, a CELTA, a CELTA YL-extension, a PGDE and, as stated, am currently completing my doctorate."
He has "A" MA. How can someone so well qualified with so much experience and so ready to correct others BE SO FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG ON SO MANY OCCASIONS?
I just don't believe it. |
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Freddie_Unbelievable
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 288
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| Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 4:38 am Post subject: |
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| ...and either does Freddie_Unbelievable. |
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once again
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Posts: 815
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| Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 4:55 am Post subject: |
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| Is it a pain to type the underscore between your names freddie? I really find those buttons at the top hard to reach with accuracy. Just a pondering and a wondering while we wait for Ludwig to come an put me right about my *beep*. Although in the past he has shown himself very quick to correct others, but never answers for any of his own mistakes. Anyway, as we have a typhoon today maybe you could spare the time for an explanation. Now, where is my Luddybuddy......we seek him here...we seek him there..and if he never came back..we would jump in the air.. |
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once again
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Posts: 815
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| Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 4:59 am Post subject: |
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| Can you believe the robospellercop took out q_u_e_e_r_y on a website for discussion and questions? And it took me a long time to put those underscores in Freddy!! I hope you appreciate the effort! |
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jenny-pnet
Joined: 16 Apr 2003
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:07 am Post subject: |
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My gosh you're in fine form today Once Again. Perhaps it is that typhoons do for you what the full moon does for the wolf. 
But have your fun. The atmosphere was getting a bit tense there for a while.
By the way, one 'e' instead of two might have avoided the 'beep'.
(Wonder how many are booked on flights out tonight. The typhoon was badly timed.) |
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once again
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Posts: 815
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| Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:37 am Post subject: |
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| absolutely outstanding jenny pnet..I had no idea that the Q word was without the other "e": now, no idea if you are making fun of me or not: but the spelling correction tip has genuinely helped |
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once again
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Posts: 815
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| Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:13 am Post subject: |
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| Just as an aside...while we wait in the typhoon for the obnoxious wind that passeth through to enlighten us by the name of fludtwit...why would the word Q-u-e-e-r be changed in spelling (with exactly the same phonetic sound).....to the word q-u-e-r-y...just because of the 'Y" ?; I put the gaps and the underscore there as a tribute to freddy..we love you freddy..keep it up!!! |
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Mark-O
Joined: 25 Jun 2003
Posts: 464
Location: 6000 miles from where I should be
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| Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 11:51 am Post subject: |
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| I'll second that - Freddie we love you! Don't go ANYWHERE! |
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RVN
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 62
Location: China
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| Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 4:49 am Post subject: |
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Say it ain't so Luddy! Faith...in...Ludwig...fading...
Just visiting from the China forum. Cue comments on being hugely unqualified and if I was really a good person I 'd be doing the job in Hong Kong. Anyway I'll be visiting Hong Kong in person soon on my holidays. Where does Luddy live? Maybe I'll be lucky enough to bump into him, and he can restore my faith. Whathever happens I won't be posting on the internet while I'm there, or here for you guys, or is it there, or here, Ludwig help me................ |
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Mark-O
Joined: 25 Jun 2003
Posts: 464
Location: 6000 miles from where I should be
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| Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:03 am Post subject: |
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RVN,
You might find meeting Ludwit difficult - something to do with "nipples" and "South African beaches". Long story, will tell you some other time... |
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migo
Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 201
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| Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:36 am Post subject: |
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| once again wrote: |
How can this be true!!??? Tell me it ain't so; for Ludwig has written,
"I have coming up for a decade of experience now, have 10 'O' levels, 5 'A' levels, 2 'AS' levels', a BA (Hons) in language studies and linguistics, a MA in language acquisition, a CELTA, a CELTA YL-extension, a PGDE and, as stated, am currently completing my doctorate."
He has "A" MA. How can someone so well qualified with so much experience and so ready to correct others BE SO FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG ON SO MANY OCCASIONS?
I just don't believe it. |
Maybe he says A as "ay" instead of "ah". "Ay em ay" doesn't sound as stillted as "ah em ay". I'm not really convincing myself though......  |
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