Cato's Grammar Grumble

[North Star]

Interesting thread. I can definitely sympathize with you here. At the same time I can't help but wonder if it is all part of the evolution of language that must be constantly taking place.

In any case, poor grammar can definitely be annoying. If anything, it shows a lack of care on the part of the speaker/writer.

Of course everything in the way language is used is a part of its evolution, but language has to be understandable to others and some fundamental rules are not to be disregarded at will.

Language must always change, for better or for worse. There is most certainly a difference between changes in language caused by journalists' incompetence or by authors inventing/popularizing words or their new meanings, though - but then again, penicillin was discovered by accident, too. 

[aquablob]

Of course everything in the way language is used is a part of its evolution, but language has to be understandable to others and some fundamental rules are not to be disregarded at will.

Language must always change, for better or for worse. There is most certainly a difference between changes in language caused by journalists' incompetence or by authors inventing/popularizing words or their new meanings, though - but then again, penicillin was discovered by accident, too. 

Totes. Totes magotes.

In all seriousness, I agree with you. Language and writing certainly have a substantial artistic component, but they're not "just another art form." Communication is at the very heart of our big, interconnected, technologically advanced (and -advancing) society. For cold practical reasons, we need a literate populace and we need agreed-upon standards:

[North Star]

For cold practical reasons, we need a literate populace and we need agreed-upon standards:

Indeed.

And used for any "obsession with swearing": whether an obsession is "involuntary," well...

For absolutely epic cursing, I am not sure this TV series has an equal! 
[Deadwood]

For an absolutely brilliant scene with the highest possible percentage of curse words (and lowest number of different words), I'm pretty sure nobody has bested this:
https://www.youtube.com/v/1lElf7D-An8

[aquablob]

Dude, didn't I post that same clip? Great minds...

[North Star]

Dude, didn't I post that same clip? Great minds...

Hey, so you did. Oh well, it deserves to be posted twice. 

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Absolutely!

You...you, absolutist!

[North Star]

You...you, absolutist!

Absolutely!

[Karl Henning]

Tee-hee!

[Cato]

Absolutely!

When in doubt, blame the vodka!

I think that is a rule... somewhere!   

Many thanks for the comments: for The Wire excerpt, I will need (delicately) to experience that at home, and not in the classroom of my Catholic school!   0:)

[North Star]

When in doubt, blame the vodka!

I think that is a rule... somewhere!   

Many thanks for the comments: for The Wire excerpt, I will need (delicately) to experience that at home, and not in the classroom of my Catholic school!   0:)

It would be wise not to watch it there, especially with sound on.  0:)

You've forggoten where it is a rule? Could this be just a coincidence? 

[Karl Henning]

When in doubt, blame the vodka!

I think that is a rule... somewhere!   

Many thanks for the comments: for The Wire excerpt, I will need (delicately) to experience that at home, and not in the classroom of my Catholic school!   0:)

Tee-hee! II

[aquablob]

When in doubt, blame drink the vodka!

FTFY

[Cato]

It would be wise not to watch it there, especially with sound on.  0:)

You've forgotten where it is a rule? Could this be just a coincidence? 

Hmmm!   0:)

(Actually, even a small glass of wine is a rarity happening only every couple of years.)

And I am intrigued as to how The Wire excerpt could be worse than any episode of Deadwood!     

I will let you know!   

[Karl Henning]

You don't mean it's denser of F-bombs than The Big Lebowski?

[North Star]

You don't mean it's denser of F-bombs than The Big Lebowski?

Deadwood or that scene from The Wire?
(the latter has maybe one word that doesn't begin with the letter f...)

[Cato]

Deadwood or that scene from The Wire?
(the latter has maybe one word that doesn't begin with the letter f...)

Okay: certainly the scene from The Wire is idiosyncratic - and just a little awkward now and then - in its "singular" use of the obscenity.   

Keep in mind, however, that Deadwood had a character named Swearengen!   0:)

e.g.

https://www.youtube.com/v/VtObLJ1yXvU

[Karl Henning]

Cross-post

Just spotted on the bulletin board outside the Music Teacher's Room:

RECORDER KARATE



And then underneath: "Ode to Joy," "Oh Susannah," "Dvorak's Largo," "Three Blind Mice."

To quote W.C. Fields: "It baffles Science!"

[Karl Henning]

And what I just read:

Massachusetts, who squares off against Tennessee [...], is only a shell of its
former self [....]

[Cato]

Massachusetts, who squares off against Tennessee [...], is only a shell of its
former self [....]

So, how is everyone in Massachusetts feeling?  Maybe a little... empty?  0:)

[Karl Henning]

Well, all the clams that have been chowdered are certainly only shells of their former self!