Let's go back to the good old days where we grunt and when we draw a mammoth on the cave wall it means mammoth

LOUD, hearty chuckles. I wish they could do instruction sheets (for using modern technology) like that.

Haha, I don't insist on it myself. It's just a (British) grammatical rule, I didn't make it

Yes, it is a British rule and very British it is too. I was brought up to use British grammar. Since becoming an Aussie, I've tried to use only Aussie forms. I checked your Jess example in "Macquarie Writer's Friend". There was no reference to it.

I'm glad this forum is finally welcoming ewes!

Here's a fun one. Weird is weird because it doesn't follow the rules: I before E, except after C.

I agree. There are a few of those e.g. neighbour.

My favourite, uh, grammatical thing is group plurals. Where group is a way of making plurals singular eg "A group" When you add an s to hair and make it smaller, are you not splitting hairs?" Or was that the atom?

*nods* I too was brought up to use British English. I thought that we Aussies were supposed to be using British English?

 

Sorry for multiple edits, my brain is failing after a big week of uni.

Edited May 22, 200915 yr by Chrysocome

Catherine, you're obvioulsy a leaned person can you answer this for me. Has the meaning of "then" and "than" changed and no one told me? I've read so many times on different forums people using then when I'd use than, for example:

 

I like footy more then I like Rugby. I would have said "I like footy more than I like rugby"

 

and save then for sentences like:

 

I went to the footy then I went home.

 

And not only but also too... Is it no longer correct to use "a" in front of a word starting with "h" like "a historic event" Even the media says "an historic event" these days.

Edited May 22, 200915 yr by Hills

Hills, you're quite right. "Than" is for comparing, "then" is for time.

I'm not sure whether schools these days are not teaching/enforcing some basic grammar, or if it's just less important to people now because of internet and phone shortcuts.

Edited May 22, 200915 yr by Chrysocome

Hills, you're quite right. "Than" is for comparing, "then" is for time.

I'm not sure whether schools these days are not teaching/enforcing some basic grammar, or if it's just that kids are less literate now because of internet and phone shortcuts.

 

Thanks goodness for that, I thought someone changed our language and left me off the email!

 

 

But I know what you're all thinking...

 

"There their they're Hills, don't worry"

Edited May 22, 200915 yr by Hills

As for "a" and "an" - I think that the general rule is words that start with a vowel sound should have "an". Yes I know h is not a vowel but if you pronounce it a certain way it sounds like a vowel. "A historical event" would work if you pronounced the h sound. A horse. An heirloom. A hair. An hour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_and_an

So depending on where you're from you might say "a herb" or "an herb".

Edited May 22, 200915 yr by Chrysocome

Catherine, you're obvioulsy a leaned person can you answer this for me. Has the meaning of "then" and "than" changed and no one told me? I've read so many times on different forums people using then when I'd use than, for example:

 

I like footy more then I like Rugby. I would have said "I like footy more than I like rugby"

 

and save then for sentences like:

 

I went to the footy then I went home.

 

And not only but also too... Is it no longer correct to use "a" in front of a word starting with "h" like "a historic event" Even the media says "an historic event" these days.

 

Flattery will get you everywhere. I agree with you about then and than. Maybe they do not proof read before posting. I've never heard anyone say "I like budgies better then tiels", for example.

At the risk of blowing things out of the water and never getting to bed tonight ... what about saying "apples are different than pears"? Macquarie says its becoming so common, that it's probably acceptable. It still makes me shudder.

 

"An historic event" is correct, if you do not pronounce the h. The use of a or an is determined by pronunciation, not spelling. Hour and honour take an because the initial h is not pronounced. Historical/historical can have a or an. If you pronounce the h, you must say, " a historic event".

 

I've had fun tonight. We have come so far from my simple comment that plurals don't have apostrophes.

At the risk of blowing things out of the water and never getting to bed tonight ... what about saying "apples are different than pears"? Macquarie says its becoming so common, that it's probably acceptable. It still makes me shudder.

 

Shudder indeed!

My pet hate is "could of" rather than "could have" (could've).

Shudder indeed!

My pet hate is "could of" rather than "could have" (could've).

 

Yes, it's bad. I think that has come from the mis-hearing of could've and a disinclination to read. Readers would discover their error. Rapid change in written English is happening as a result of texting (a brand new verb derived from a noun) etc.. Fewer people will be comfortable with formal written English but, at least, they will write. In my opinion, that is not a bad thing. Some innovations are very clever and useful. There is confusion while new standardisations evolve. Of course, once we get the new ways standardised, language will evolve again to accommodate changing needs.

What I find funny, is handwritten signs in hardware stores like Bunnings..........mis-spelt but the item is right next to the sign and they could have copied the correct spelling straight off the box.

 

 

I go to the main counter and ask who their signwriter is and tell them they need one that can spell.

It should not be aloud.

This was a fun read! I missed it back in May, because that's when I had a sabbatical from the forum to do my gardening!

Hey guys, there is still no apostrophe in a plural! Plurals are easy: just add an s, (usually) e.g. one bird, two birds (not two bird's).

It seems that even fewer of us know that now - including teachers, sadly.

Let's go back to the good old days where we grunt and when we draw a mammoth on the cave wall it means mammoth

 

 

grunt . , snort ugh ugh .

okay so now i know why people do not understand me at my best ...lol they have evolved

best i start to partake in the right format, hee hee ,dam guess ill need to stop drawing on the walls

Hahaha Loved this thread, I just went thru (or is that through) it and read the whole thing. I'm terrible with grammar. I found myself reading this thread going, I do that, and that... AND that!

 

I blame the education department. Bt as I tell my sister in law who got her PHD in English, and has pet hates like you guys, Language is a living organism always changing...

 

I'm just not sure if this is James's thread or James' ... And even though I've seen some people do it, I know it's not Jame's

 

I'm just not sure if this is James's thread or James' ... And even though I've seen some people do it, I know it's not Jame's

 

Definitely not! You are right there. Your particular issue was discussed. The pedant would go for James'. However, we say James's, so why not write it like that?

I just had a chuckle at the thought that the singular and plural of James is James. I am so glad you are unique and we don't have to worry about it, James.

Wow some peoples have way two much time on their hands'

Wow some peoples have way two much time on their hands'

grunt grunt snort

ugh ugh

what ever did happen to captain cave man ???

he rocked

Haha!! Actually I thought about this thread today while going through some stuff... My sons birth certificate was there and it was rolled up in a cardboard box that said, "Taumeis' birth certificate" I had to open it up to make sure the certificate was actually right, his name is Taumei (no s on the end) it is right on the certificate so who knows why they put the apostrophe after the s...

Haha!! Actually I thought about this thread today while going through some stuff... My sons birth certificate was there and it was rolled up in a cardboard box that said, "Taumeis' birth certificate" I had to open it up to make sure the certificate was actually right, his name is Taumei (no s on the end) it is right on the certificate so who knows why they put the apostrophe after the s...

its their as their talking of him jimmy

 

ugh ugh

Edited November 2, 201014 yr by GenericBlue

Really? I thought it should've been Taumei's not Taumeis' ??even my iPhone auto corrects to Taumei's...

Wow some peoples have way two much time on their hands'

 

 

 

Really? I thought it should've been Taumei's not Taumeis' ??even my iPhone auto corrects to Taumei's...

 

That is great news about your iPhone. I wonder why it cannot get its own upper and lower cases sorted out. [Yes, there is no apostrophe in its. The apostrophe would be required if I'd written, It's a great iphone.]