Mind Rotting Grammar Pedantry

[Matthew Le God]

1 minute ago, verlaine1979 said:

Bednarek and Stephens both very much in the Che Adams mould of players I just want to never have to watch again. 

If we don't lose either this summer, I will be very cross indeed.

He signed a new 3 year contract this month. He isn't leaving this summer. So you can start being very cross now.

[verlaine1979]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

He signed a new 3 year contract this month. He isn't leaving this summer. So you can start being very cross now.

either as opposed to both

[Holmes_and_Watson]

14 minutes ago, verlaine1979 said:

either as opposed to both

Heavens! It's like MLG just jumped in there, without reading the post. Why, it must be...moments since that last happened. 🙂

[Matthew Le God]

24 minutes ago, verlaine1979 said:

either as opposed to both

In negative sentences, "either" distributes over both items, so "don't lose either" means "lose neither" — i.e., both players stay. This follows from De Morgan's Laws and how negative polarity items work in the English language.

 

[benjii]

It's times like these, I think of Arthur Schopenhauer, the German philosopher.

More specifically, I recall the letter his mother wrote in 1807.

 

‘You are not an evil human; you are not without intellect and education; you have everything that could make you a credit to human society. Moreover, I am acquainted with your heart and know that few are better, but you are nevertheless irritating and unbearable, and I consider it most difficult to live with you.

All of your good qualities become obscured by your super-cleverness and are made useless to the world merely because of your rage at wanting to know everything better than others; of wanting to improve and master what you cannot command. With this you embitter the people around you, since no one wants to be improved or enlightened in such a forceful way, least of all by such an insignificant individual as you still are; no one can tolerate being reproved by you, who also still show so many weaknesses yourself, least of all in your adverse manner, which in oracular tones, proclaims this is so and so, without ever supposing an objection.

If you were less like you, you would only be ridiculous, but thus as you are, you are highly annoying’.

[ChrisPY]

13 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

In negative sentences, "either" distributes over both items, so "don't lose either" means "lose neither" — i.e., both players stay. This follows from De Morgan's Laws and how negative polarity items work in the English language.

 

You’re either really annoying or trying to use intellect to compensate for internal insecurities.

To be clear, that was a negative sentence.

[CB Fry]

19 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

In negative sentences, "either" distributes over both items, so "don't lose either" means "lose neither" — i.e., both players stay. This follows from De Morgan's Laws and how negative polarity items work in the English language.

 

Either way you are a fucking bellend

[benjii]

Someone has edited this thread!

 

Shenanigans!!!

[Holmes_and_Watson]

23 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Either way you are a fucking bellend

Looks like the matrix stepped in, to remove whatever the source of that was. But we are left with this entirely factual characterisation of MLG.

[benjii]

2 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Looks like the matrix stepped in, to remove whatever the source of that was. But we are left with this entirely factual characterisation of MLG.

It was hilariously good.

And in response I posted Schopenhauer's mother's withering critique of her son, which was apposite indeed.

Edited Friday at 19:38 by benjii

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 minutes ago, benjii said:

It was hilariously good.

And in response I posted Schopenhauer's mother's withering critique of her son, which was apposite indeed.

Your posts will have, once again, proved to have been too refined for the jealous overlords of SaintsWeb, prompting their removal.

Incidentally, Mrs Schopenhauer disowned her other son, MLG, for being "an utter bellend," and thought Arthur was an, admittedly flawed, improvement.

[Matthew Le God]

Easy to see who skipped English at school on this forum. 

[ChrisPY]

Easy to see who skipped PSHE at school on this forum.

[The Kraken]

9 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Easy to see who skipped English at school on this forum. 

Grammar Notes:

• Fragment: This is a sentence fragment—it lacks a subject and a verb. Grammatically complete sentences usually need both.

• Tone: It’s informal and could come off as sarcastic or mocking, which may or may not be your intention.

Suggested Revision (Grammatically Correct):

It's easy to see who skipped English class in school on this forum.

Optional Softer Alternative (if you want less bite):

It seems like some people on this forum might have missed a few English classes.

[benjii]

29 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Easy to see who skipped English at school on this forum. 

There is no school on this forum.

[Matthew Le God]

29 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

 

• Fragment: This is a sentence fragment—it lacks a subject and a verb. Grammatically complete sentences usually need both.

• Tone: It’s informal and could come off as sarcastic or mocking, which may or may not be your intention.

"Usually", not always!

It was my intention to be informal and to use that tone. 

[Danbert]

32 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

 

Grammar Notes:

• Fragment: This is a sentence fragment—it lacks a subject and a verb. Grammatically complete sentences usually need both.

• Tone: It’s informal and could come off as sarcastic or mocking, which may or may not be your intention.

Suggested Revision (Grammatically Correct):

It's easy to see who skipped English class in school on this forum.

Optional Softer Alternative (if you want less bite):

It seems like some people on this forum might have missed a few English classes.

"See" is a verb.

I think it was intended to be mocking.

[CB Fry]

Can we have fewer of this on here please.

[The Kraken]

1 hour ago, Matthew Le God said:

"Usually", not always!

It was my intention to be informal and to use that tone. 

Sense of humour bypass confirmed.

[verlaine1979]

Didn't realize this had been moved. Bearing in mind knowledge of Stephens' new contract was already widespread, I intended my statement to be read as an ellipsis of the phrase "either of them". But I feel all this pedantry is missing the larger point that, new contract or not, they should both fuck off elsewhere.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, verlaine1979 said:

Didn't realize this had been moved. Bearing in mind knowledge of Stephens' new contract was already widespread, I intended my statement to be read as an ellipsis of the phrase "either of them". But I feel all this pedantry is missing the larger point that, new contract or not, they should both fuck off elsewhere.

Just a small point but it ought to be Stephens's and not Stephens'.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

10 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Just a small point but it ought to be Stephens's and not Stephens'.

I think this is one of the rare cases in English grammar where the writer can choose between two correct punctuations that mean the same thing. If writing professionally, I would expect it to be part of the style guide for the organisation. Is anyone from the SWF moderation team able to confirm what approach we should be using?

[CB Fry]

49 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

I think this is one of the rare cases in English grammar where the writer can choose between two correct punctuations that mean the same thing. If writing professionally, I would expect it to be part of the style guide for the organisation. Is anyone from the SWF moderation team able to confirm what approach we should be using?

My recommendation as someone what has got an A level in English and has read as many as fourteen or fifteen entire books is to use neither.

Stephens new contract, Fernandes new contract - the meaning is perfectly clear with no need for clumsy apostrophes or a superfluous letter "s".

Or rebuild the sentence: Jack's new contract, Matty's new contract probably better.

Suggested usage: "Jack's new contract is an effing joke because he is stealing a living at SFC"

Edited yesterday at 08:09 by CB Fry