English 109

Books · 12-04-2006, 19:41

[QUOTE=x_sf_med]
The first- there are 2 spaces after a period, always.
QUOTE]

x_sf_med,

I regret that I must inform you that a grammar rule that I too have long held as sacrosanct is no longer. It apparently went the way of the typewriter; never mind that I can't seem to keep myself from doing it anyway. I learned to type on a manual carriage return typewriter and old fingers have a hard time learning new tricks.

FMI, see http://www.webword.com/reports/period.html

v/r

Books

**The Reaper** · 12-04-2006, 21:08

[QUOTE=Books]

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

The first- there are 2 spaces after a period, always.
QUOTE]

x_sf_med,

I regret that I must inform you that a grammar rule that I too have long held as sacrosanct is no longer. It apparently went the way of the typewriter; never mind that I can't seem to keep myself from doing it anyway. I learned to type on a manual carriage return typewriter and old fingers have a hard time learning new tricks.

FMI, see http://www.webword.com/reports/period.html

v/r

Books

Not according to Strunk and White, "The Elements of Style", Fourth Edition, which is the most common and accepted style guide.

Your cite is referring to the internet and users of proportional type fonts.

Your professional papers should reflect spacing as per Strunk and White.

TR

x SF med · 12-05-2006, 07:30

[QUOTE=Books]

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

The first- there are 2 spaces after a period, always.
QUOTE]

x_sf_med,

I regret that I must inform you that a grammar rule that I too have long held as sacrosanct is no longer. It apparently went the way of the typewriter; never mind that I can't seem to keep myself from doing it anyway. I learned to type on a manual carriage return typewriter and old fingers have a hard time learning new tricks.

FMI, see http://www.webword.com/reports/period.html

v/r

Books

Books-
You really need to get the Harbrace College Handbook, The Elements of Style, Politics and the English Language, A Brief History of the English Language, Grammar and Style, and the MLA Handbook - these are the rulebooks by which all professional and scholarly are judged. It doesn't matter if the editions you get are a little old; the basic elements of grammar, style and punctuation do not change very quickly - and using a slightly outdated style is better than being a language maverick in the military. If you might wonder why I go postal about language - well, I do have a degree in English Literature, Language and Rhetoric, a supposedly useless degree by business standards, but, colleagues and co-workers seem to flock to me when proof reading or rewording is required... I would be happy to debate written English in another forum, should you or any of the other candidates so desire - ok?

Oh yeah - those 'web-style' guides are for lazy people who aren't motivated enough to really learn their native language - have you seen the barbaric things people do to language on the web?

English 101 rant suspended for now - but I'm fairly certain it will be returning soon to a thread on this board.

Books · 12-05-2006, 11:29

Gentlemen,

While I personnally agree with Strunk and White's wee book in all things, I was clued into this change by a coworker whose expertise in such matters is pretty close to complete.

I continue to follow the old rules (and have had editors change them on my grant proposals in the past), but not everyone does. The Economist magazine, for instance, has taken to the new rule.

As for the web reference, point taken. It could have been better.

v/r

Books.

x SF med · 12-05-2006, 15:40

Books-
The MLA Handbook is the standard. The Economist, while a fine periodical, is not the authority on grammar, style and usage. The guy changing your grant proposals may have control issues.

**The Reaper** · 12-05-2006, 16:01

1. This is the Introductions thread. The grammar thread properly belongs elsewhere.

2. A point has been made about the use of correct grammar.

3. Not everyone here has the benefit of advanced education.

4. I am a two space guy as well, but we are belaboring a very small point in the big scheme of things. For example, the board code reduces double spaces to single, so it is impossible to tell who is complying, or even cares.

5. Try to remain focused, and keep the larger purpose of the board and this thread in mind.

6. X, you can bring your "Harbrace Handbook" and "Elements of Style" over to my place for grammar and style arguments anytime.

7. On with the introductions, and try to keep them readable.

TR

BamBam · 12-05-2006, 17:02

Thanks TR I was starting wonder when you guys were going to send him to the principals office. If you check this it might not have the right syntax, grammar or whatever, I don't care, just as long as you understand what I am trying to say. I was in SF for 24 years and can't remember any time a team was diqualified for a mission because improper use of the English language.

Books · 12-05-2006, 17:07

I guess I'll post again when I get out of detention. . .

cheers,
Books

**Team Sergeant** · 12-05-2006, 18:27

IIRC We have a resident English Teacher on here........

I'm also going to move this to its own thread......

Come out come out english teacher......

TS

Huey14 · 12-05-2006, 20:20

That was me, but I'm sure you mean someone else

CPTAUSRET · 12-05-2006, 20:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

IIRC We have a resident English Teacher on here........

I'm also going to move this to its own thread......

Come out come out english teacher......

TS

Would this be someone I know well?

x SF med · 12-05-2006, 20:37

Help!! We're in need of grammar instruction.

x SF med · 12-05-2006, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamBam

Thanks TR I was starting wonder when you guys were going to send him to the principals office. If you check this it might not have the right syntax, grammar or whatever, I don't care, just as long as you understand what I am trying to say. I was in SF for 24 years and can't remember any time a team was diqualified for a mission because improper use of the English language.

BamBam-
10th was always tight on missions when I was there, and the BC was a bit of a stickler for little things, The written mechanics of your Mission Plan could get the team scrubbed.

**Bill Harsey** · 12-05-2006, 20:42

I had a pretty advanced education, we had to forge our own iron chisels to carve symbols in the big rocks.

Then they came out with alphabets that used letters, school got a lot harder.

**Jack Moroney (RIP)** · 12-05-2006, 20:45

Well unless we are going to submit this site for publication, as long as the message is clear I think we might want to deal with the substance rather than the form. Sort of reminds me of an old first shirt that held formation one day and was busy chewing out a young troop for making a dumb mistake. Seems the lad had picked up only one bayonet from the arms room when the first shirt had asked him to pick up two. If I remember the quote exactly it was, " I said 2 you dumb bastard that is T U E, 2! No English teacher was really needed, the message was received and understood. So while I can appreciate everyone's zeal for the care, use, preservation, and proper execution of the English language worrying about the space between a period and the next word in a sentence is a little like pole vaulting over mouse turds. Misplaced periods more properly belong in the medical forum. Just my opinion.
BTW my wife was an English teacher, so you can see how much has rubbed off on me