Cato's Grammar Grumble

[Cato]

Perhaps it is just the enthusiasm with which you perform your service that forms an impression.'

Cato tends toward great enthusiasm!

There are exceptions, however, to my enthusiasm: bowling, Detroit, and bowling in Detroit.   

[Egebedieff]

And we are never so enthusiastic than when someone lives down to our expectations.'

[DavidRoss]

"Teared" instead of "tore" is so extraordinarily deviant from common usage that if not uttered intentionally as some sort of pun on "terrified" (a possibility Cato graciously suggested), then it can only suggest sub-par intelligence on the part of the speaker--assuming, of course, that English is her native language, that she has reached the age of puberty, and that she has experienced normal lifelong exposure to correct usage through interaction with ordinary English speakers, as well as through the schools, literature, television, radio, and movies, rather than having been confined to a box in some tiny enclave of inbred deviance isolated from society at large.

Attacking Cato by implying that some grave moral deficiency underlies his advocacy of "correct" (or at least informed) usage is itself evidence of exactly the sort of mean-spirited small-mindedness the attacker attributes to Cato.

Without compassion--evident in our good faith efforts to understand others, even (and perhaps especially) when their points of view differ from our own--we are condemned to manufacturing conflict and misunderstanding where it need not exist.

edited for clarity and typo correction

[karlhenning]

One hopes that Mr Apostrophe would not prefer a "whatever" approach to teaching language.

[Egebedieff]

One hopes that Mr Apostrophe would not prefer a "whatever" approach to teaching language.

Not at all, (editing is something I do on the side, primarily for about a half a dozen cognitive psychology journals). I just don't see much sport in shooting fish in barrels.

That said, I am more interested in descriptive linguistics, and to the present point, strong verbs continue to evolve into weak ones, especially as old verbs take on new meanings ("tear" may be a candidate in that regard).
'

[karlhenning]

I just don't see much sport in shooting fish in barrels.

Sure. And since you edit about a half a dozen cognitive psychology journals (e.g.), I am guessing you ought to twig that shooting fish in barrels is not what Cato is about here.

You seem to be enraged over allegations that Cato is being unfair to someone, yet you do not hesitate to be unfair to Cato.

[matti]

Sure:

tear - tore - has torn - Irregular (Strong) Verb

The reporter did not know her basic verb forms!  It would be similar to saying "He goed" for "He went."   0:)

Ahh, of course! I should have knowed.

[greg]

Ahh, of course! I should have knowed.

I can't believe I haved to read that twice to see that... 

[Franco]

Cato, you'd probably hate to be in my position- remember that girl you asked me if I had married yet? Yesterday,  she asked me, "Where are you at?" over my walkie talkie at work.

Normally, it doesn't bother me, but I felt like either correcting her- "You mean, 'Where are you'," or saying, "In your mom's bed, b****." Well, I would say that, except the managers also have walkie talkies. 

Maybe Cato's influence is rubbing off on me...

Is she from New Orleans?  "Wher're Y'at?" is a common greeting, as in, "how're you doin'"?

[greg]

Is she from New Orleans?  "Wher're Y'at?" is a common greeting, as in, "how're you doin'"?

Lol, no- we're all Floridians.
That would be the dumbest greeting ever.

Regular greeting-
"Hi, how are you."
"Fine."

New Orleans greeting-
"Where're y'at?"
"Here."

[Opus106]

Is she from New Orleans?  "Wher're Y'at?" is a common greeting, as in, "how're you doin'"?

Lol, no- we're all Floridians.
That would be the dumbest greeting ever.

Regular greeting-
"Hi, how are you."
"Fine."

New Orleans greeting-
"Where're y'at?"
"Here."

HA! Yesterday, I was asked the same thing online (it was the first thing he asked me, even though my profile clearly states where I'm located), and I told the person that I was at home. His profile says that he is from Portland, Oregon.

[greg]

You should've just said you were in Portland at the moment. After his surprise, tell him that it just happened you were there for a business trip. You could have fun in a few ways-

1) Find out his address- "I'll tell you where I am if you tell me where you are." Next, give him directions to where you are. Write very long and tedious instructions to make him drive for hours, until the directions eventually lead him back to his house. Hide somewhere in his house. When he goes on the computer again to ask you what in the world just happened, use a laptop or some portable computer to respond, "but I am here... this is where I'm staying," then go offline. Quickly sneak into the bathroom, and when he opens the door to go potty, jump out naked, with your arms outstretched and face twisted with ecstasy, and proclaim to the heavens, "HERE I AAAAAMMMMMMMMM!" 

2) Write directions that lead to somewhere about 30 minutes away, in a really rough part of town. After realizing you aren't there, he goes home very frustrated. Send him a message the next time he goes online- "lol pwnd."

[Opus106]

You should've just said you were in Portland at the moment. After his surprise, tell him that it just happened you were there for a business trip. You could have fun in a few ways-

1) Find out his address- "I'll tell you where I am if you tell me where you are." Next, give him directions to where you are. Write very long and tedious instructions to make him drive for hours, until the directions eventually lead him back to his house. Hide somewhere in his house. When he goes on the computer again to ask you what in the world just happened, use a laptop or some portable computer to respond, "but I am here... this is where I'm staying," then go offline. Quickly sneak into the bathroom, and when he opens the door to go potty, jump out naked, with your arms outstretched and face twisted with ecstasy, and proclaim to the heavens, "HERE I AAAAAMMMMMMMMM!" 

2) Write directions that lead to somewhere about 30 minutes away, in a really rough part of town. After realizing you aren't there, he goes home very frustrated. Send him a message the next time he goes online- "lol pwnd."

Tried those before, have you?

[greg]

No...

[Wendell_E]

From the webiste of Peter Gounares, who's running for Congress (District One, Alabama).

We are at war with Islamic fundamentalist. We are at war with terrorist.

I notice that "Education" isn't mentioned anywhere in the "Principles" or "Issues" sections of his website.   

[secondwind]

Actually, the use of the singular should be reassuring.  I thought the problem was much worse than a single fundamentalist and a single terrorist.

[Lethevich]

A humdinger from Channel 4 news just now:

"Prime Minister John Major was literaly disembowled on many occasions"

Referring to him losing a lot of political arguments during his premiership.

[Opus106]

Time to post it again. It should be appropriate for this thread.


http://xkcd.com/725/

[karlhenning]

A humdinger from Channel 4 news just now:

"Prime Minister John Major was literaly disembowled on many occasions"

Referring to him losing a lot of political arguments during his premiership.

Literally doesn't mean literally any more, I suppose, Sara.

[Scarpia]

Literally doesn't mean literally any more, I suppose, Sara.

From what I know of the British Parliament, I wouldn't rule out the literal meaning, although I admit it is unlikely that it could happen more than once.