Cato's Grammar Grumble

[Cato]

Tragic grammar describing a tragic accident: the following sentence comes to you from a 20-something T.V. reporter!

"The skier was killed when he ran into a steel pole going 25 miles an hour."

Those steel poles need to slow down! 0:)

[zamyrabyrd]

Tragic grammar describing a tragic accident: the following sentence comes to you from a 20-something T.V. reporter!
"The skier was killed when he ran into a steel pole going 25 miles an hour."
Those steel poles need to slow down! 0:)

The problem is a language that depends on word placement, a source of fun nevertheless.

ZB

[Karl Henning]

With gleeful frequency.

[Karl Henning]

Tragic grammar describing a tragic accident: the following sentence comes to you from a 20-something T.V. reporter!

"The skier was killed when he ran into a steel pole going 25 miles an hour."

Those steel poles need to slow down! 0:)

When the poles go professional, they're eager to push the speed envelope:  Polar Pro

https://www.youtube.com/v/5ZpX99EMaKM

[Cato]

Things like this conjure up fear for the future of civilization...

Local ABC television news reporter says the following statement about some poor teenager and his sister, both recently orphaned:

"For Johnny Smith, his mother meant the world to he ...(dramatic pause, which only emphasized the reporter's thermonuclear mistake)...and his sister."

"To he" was not caught by anyone editing the story or hearing the story before it aired!

And so Nominative forms are just fine as objects??  Reporters were supposed to be the guardians of good grammar, but now they are the barbarians at the gates!

[zamyrabyrd]

Local ABC television news reporter says the following statement about some poor teenager and his sister, both recently orphaned: "For Johnny Smith, his mother meant the world to he ...(dramatic pause, which only emphasized the reporter's thermonuclear mistake)...and his sister."
"To he" was not caught by anyone editing the story or hearing the story before it aired!
And so Nominative forms are just fine as objects??  Reporters were supposed to be the guardians of good grammar, but now they are the barbarians at the gates!

Maybe he was unsure of the pronoun the person preferred. Not knowing or slipping up in New York can get ze into a lot of trouble and heavy fines, besides:

[North Star]

Maybe he was unsure of the pronoun the person preferred. Not knowing or slipping up in New York can get ze into a lot of trouble and heavy fines, besides:

You mean it can get hir into a lot of trouble. Cato did write about erroneous use of the nominative form, after all...

[Karl Henning]

(* chxyrstle *)

[zamyrabyrd]

You mean it can get hir into a lot of trouble. Cato did write about erroneous use of the nominative form, after all...

Thanks for the correction. I am still illiterate as to the use of the brave new world pronouns.

[Karl Henning]

Well, but you posted the chart  0:)

[zamyrabyrd]

Well, but you posted the chart  0:)

I don't use them, nor intend to incorporate them in my everyday speech.
"Themself" sounds repugnant to my ears, like scratching on a blackboard.

[North Star]

Yes, themselves would be better.

[Karl Henning]

I don't use them, nor intend to incorporate them in my everyday speech.

Understood, but (not to flog a prone Lipizzaner) I know you can read the chart, and the chart, you furnished 

[zamyrabyrd]

Understood, but (not to flog a prone Lipizzaner) I know you can read the chart, and the chart, you furnished 

I don't acknowledge any of the new forms as being valid. So there! 

[Karl Henning]

Nor do we require you to, dear.

[Ken B]

Nor do we require you to, dear.

Don't call him dear! His prefered pronoun is "supreme galactic overlord."

[zamyrabyrd]

Don't call him dear! His prefered pronoun is "supreme galactic overlord."

I am not a militant feminist. Therefore, I don't find "dear" condescending.
(You're not the first to mistake my pronoun...)

[Ken B]

Don't call him dear! His prefered pronoun is "supreme galactic overlord."

OOPS

Don't call supreme galactic overlord dear! supreme galactic overlord's prefered pronoun is "supreme galactic overlord."

[Karl Henning]

I am not a militant feminist. Therefore, I don't find "dear" condescending.
(You're not the first to mistake my pronoun...)

May I address you as Supreme Galactic Overmistress?

[Ken B]

May I address you as Supreme Galactic Overmistress?

Find yourself a  Supreme Galactic Undermistress and you could have a Supreme Galactic Sandwich.