Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jajdude]

I read a while back on this board that some said they disliked, or that it was improper, to start a sentence with "And" or "But" (maybe "Yet" and a few other similar words are disagreeable to some).

Then I noticed the newpaper. The newspaper starts sentences and paragraphs with these words all the time.

Now, this is just a simple discussion forum.

But if it's good enough for the NY Times why not accept it here?

[Privateer]

I agree you can't make a hard and fast rule that one shouldn't start sentences with conjunctions like 'And' or 'But'. The problem is students start sentences using 'And' and 'But' thinking that it works just like '�׸���' and '�׷���' when it doesn't. Native speaker children with immature style often use sequence markers like 'Then' or 'Next', which seem to me would better convey their intended meaning. Native speaker adults are able to use 'And' or 'But' to begin sentences but know it is bad style to use them repeatedly and are also aware that there is a choice between starting a new sentence with a conjunction or writing a compound sentence. Students often opt for the former by default and, most importantly, don't realise that a pause, as indicated by the full stop, has an effect in English. In other words, in order to be able to begin sentences with conjunctions without sounding awkward they need to know a lot more than they do about intonation and stress and how they affect meaning. That's bloody difficult to teach so it's easier just to ban the whole thing.

[Satori]

[khyber]

better than "So"
IMO

[manlyboy]

In spoken Aussie slang, it's becoming inceasingly popular to actually end sentences with the word but. A few days ago, someone said to me: "Teaching here sucks. The money's pretty good but."

[mindmetoo]

It's a matter of style. It's informal. However, "however" is much better to use than "but".

[ratslash]

'but' and 'and' are conjunctions - they should be used to join.

but, informally i don't see what harm it can do. but, there will be some that say 'but these bulletin boards represent the english teaching communities and therefore everybody should write grammatically correct english'.

[Ryst Helmut]

It drives me nuts, but it is permitted. I was taught that it was improper, however as English has (naturally) morphed...it's become acceptable.

Hogwash I say! Down with the infidels!!!

But it has some merit....


!shoosh

Ryst

[Privateer]

[Hater Depot]

[n3ptne]

Informally? But has been used, revolutionarily I might add, to start sentences for the last hundred years by just about ever literary great. English is not a language that adheres to strict rules, the essence of English is to break rules.

[mindmetoo]

[Moldy Rutabaga]

I suppose the reasoning is that beginning a sentence with and tempts you to either write a fragment sentence: "And then we went to the disco." or to use the conjunction solely as a pause: "And, E Hyo Lee is really hot besides." The proper use is to use it with a multiple clause sentence: "And as we don't have time to eat supper, let's go pick up a pizza."

I would avoid the use in writing, but if people understand you in conversation, it's fair game. Any of us who read the drivel Korean English newspapers print shouldn't model ourselves on what journalists write.

Ken:>

[Privateer]

[n3ptne]

Just a cop out on how the language really works? Inform James Joyce.