Comments (15) Jump to Comments Form

1. 

   dtroutma said, about 1 month ago

   A man who knew the language, and how to use it. It was amazing how even when you didn’t agree with his point, it was easy to listen to him express himself. Maybe such skill would be helpful if more wide-spread?

2. 

   fennec said, about 1 month ago

   Then better get ET onto more of us.

3. 

   EnglishTeacher said, about 1 month ago

   How may I be of service?

4. 

   omQ R said, about 1 month ago

   ^ You appeared as if summoned like a genie (but 4 hours later, carpet traffic hit a snarl in those skies?

   Do I get 3 wishes then?

   1) Wtf is a split infinitive?
   2) Commas, I abuse them.
   3) Erm, world peace?

   (Oh, didn’t really know Mr Safire, just of him, may he r.i.p. )

5. 

   EnglishTeacher said, about 1 month ago

   omQ R: Verbs have infinitive forms; the verb “walk” would have the infinitive form “to walk,” the verb “go,” “to go.” It is against the rules of proper English to “split” the infinitive form by putting another word or words between the “to” and the verb. Thus, “to welcome” should not be split by “cordially.” Or the most famous split infinitive in the TV world, “to BOLDLY go where no man has gone before.” You would think they would have learned by the 23rd century!

6. 

   EnglishTeacher said, about 1 month ago

   Comas, and punctuation, are important. Consider the two sentences below.

   Woman without her man is useless.

   Woman - without her, man is useless.

   Punctuation is power, my child; use it wisely.

7. 

   oldlegodad said, about 1 month ago

   I hate it when teacher is write!!

8. 

   believecommonsense said, about 1 month ago

   ET, I thought the rules were being eased on split infinitives, no? Sometimes a split infinitive is more pleasing to the ear than the correct usage.

   What I don’t like is the accepted usage of “over” in place of “more than” …. “Tom employs more than 100 people in his small business” has become “Tom employs over 100 people in his small business.” The incorrect usage now shows up in news articles as well as ads. I hate it!

9. 

   crunkbot said, about 1 month ago

   Rules should not be bent or broken capriciously, but method of delivery and intent should be considered when necessary.

   “I can’t get no satisfaction” is grammatically egregious. In context, however, it is vastly preferable to the technically correct wording.

10. 

    motivemagus said, about 1 month ago

    wtfallnamestaken - wha…? ET demonstrates a mastery not only of using the English language, but analyzing it, and that’s an indicator of dumbing down? Or is that a self-accusation?
    Split infinitives are still considered unacceptable, but that rule has loosened (languages do evolve, after all), to a surprising degree because of one famous phrase: “To boldly go where no man has gone before…”

11. 

    NoFearPup said, about 1 month ago

    EnglishTeacher: “Comas”? Ah-hah! Mr./Mrs.ET, you get an “F” for self-editing.

    “I can’t get no satisfaction”, I believe, is equivalent to “I can get no satisfaction.” Isn’t that better?

12. 

    omQ R said, about 1 month ago

    Thank you, English Teacher.
    I’m now emboldened and enlightened, to go where split infinitives are not welcomed and where man has gone before.
    The pub, probably.
    I suspect I shall still abuse commas though. sigh

    So, no world peace then?

13. 

    tpenna said, about 1 month ago

    Technically, the “rule” on split infinitives was based on a poor application of Latin grammar (wherein an infinitive, being one word, cannot be split). It is perfectly fine to split infinitives in English. If I want to boldly go, no proper understanding of the rules of English grammar would stop me.

14. 

    crunkbot said, about 1 month ago

    ShakeyPup: While admittedly “correct” and succinct, that wording wrecks the tone and intent of the lyric. The paradox in the double-negative adds emotional complexity missing from the grammar-centric approach.

15. 

    NoFearPup said, about 1 month ago

    Mick wasn’t raised that way…