Cato's Grammar Grumble

[zamyrabyrd]

May I address you as Supreme Galactic Overmistress?

"Zamyra-byrd" is just fine, which can be translated to singing or nightingale bird.

[Cato]

"Zamyra-byrd" is just fine, which can be translated to singing or nightingale bird.

One of my little 7th-Grade girls is named "Philomena."  (Ancient Greek for "nightingale.")  An old-fashioned name!  A tombstone near those of my great-grandparents bears the name Philomena: she was born in the 1860's.

Speaking of my grade-school students, the previous grumble about "to he" outraged or amazed all of them: they easily spotted the error, after I had written the offensive sentence on the board.

How many adult ears at the T.V. station heard the report during editing and preparation?

[Karl Henning]

"Zamyra-byrd" is just fine, which can be translated to singing or nightingale bird.

And, familiarly, zb 

[zamyrabyrd]

And, familiarly, zb 

Z flat

[Karl Henning]

Z^b!

[zamyrabyrd]

Z^b!

That looks like Z to the b power.

[North Star]

That looks like Z to the b power.

You mean Z to the power of b.  0:)

[Ken B]

e^{b ln z}

[Karl Henning]

e^{b ln z}

Muß Es sein?

[Ken B]

Muß Es sein?

Es muß sein.

[zamyrabyrd]

You mean Z to the power of b.  0:)

All power to "B"!!!

[Ken B]

All power to "B"!!!

Bs rule.

[Karl Henning]

Bs wax!

[Ken B]

Bs wax!

May they never wain.

[Cato]

Not a grammar grumble per se, just a rather astonishing use of an adjective with a certain occupation:

Courtesy of a reporter on CBS:  "...legendary shoe designer..." 

Well, I am sure the shoe designer is a millionaire... 0:)

[Karl Henning]

Bleaching out all the color of the language . . . .

[Ten thumbs]

Courtesy of a reporter on CBS:  "...legendary shoe designer..." 

Well, I am sure the shoe designer is a millionaire... 0:)

Maybe the shoe designer doesn't exist in real life - maybe he or she is a piece of fake news.

[Cato]

Maybe the shoe designer doesn't exist in real life - maybe he or she is a piece of fake news.

The glories of PhotoShop!

Our English teacher reported to me that she witnessed a television interview with a college student who happens to play basketball...or maybe a basketball player who happens to attend a college class now and then, like Basketball 101.  She was horrified to hear the stoont speak because "not one sentence had a verb!!!  I am not exaggerating!!!  Not one verb the whole time!!!"

This reminded me of an old Steve Martin routine: "I wrote a novel a few years ago, and it didn't sell too well.  So in my second novel, I started using verbs!  Sales really picked up after that!"

[Ken B]

The glories of PhotoShop!

Our English teacher reported to me that she witnessed a television interview with a college student who happens to play basketball...or maybe a basketball player who happens to attend a college class now and then, like Basketball 101.  She was horrified to hear the stoont speak because "not one sentence had a verb!!!  I am not exaggerating!!!  Not one verb the whole time!!!"

This reminded me of an old Steve Martin routine: "I wrote a novel a few years ago, and it didn't sell too well.  So in my second novel, I started using verbs!  Sales really picked up after that!"

Read a recent James Ellroy novel. Or, try to.

[Cato]

Read a recent James Ellroy novel. Or, try to.

Thanks for the reco... the warning!    I know nothing of the author, so I will skim through a book at a store or the library!