Language & Grammar discussion

Hey, all. I am creating a new welcome wagon because the original, like all of our old and large threads, stopped showing the "NEW" posts for some reason. That one will be archived.

Meantime, if you're new, and whether you plan to be a regular poster or a mostly-lurker, stop in and say "hi."

Hello from Cali.

Hello from Maryland.

As this is supposed to be an intro thread where folks learn a bit about new members might I suggest that we play the two truths and a lie game as well?

In addition to whatever else you'd like to say about yourself I propose that you make three statements, two truths and a lie so that other can get to know a bit about you.

That should help keep this thread interesting, and speed our getting to know each other. Any guesses as to which is the lie can either be made via personal message or in some other thread such as the kitchen sink.

As to my Intro... I'm Stephen and have lived in Michigan, Florida, NYC and now Maryland. I'm semi-retired and am well on my way to meeting my goal of reading 120 new books this year.

My two truths and a lie
I once had a pet crow when I was growing up
I've survived two terrorist attacks
I once met someone who confessed (in person) that they'd never liked chocolate.

I hope #2 is your lie. Really I do.

Given that I worked in the World Trade Center from 1990 through 2001 that would be a no.

The 1993 bomb actually killed seven people. One of whom was named Stephen Knapp (Who knew I had a nomendoppler?)

I was at my desk that day and other than a very scary walk down a very smoke filled, very crowded staircase I wasn't really harmed. Of course everybody in my department worked pretty much round the clock for a week or so getting the business back up and running.

On 9/11/2001 I hadn't gotten to work yet when the first plane hit.

Count yourself one lucky hombre. Luckily, if we're cool cats, we have nine lives...

OMG, Stephen.

Well, I'm back! But I couldn't use my old name! Wah! I got completely annoyed some of the other sites here, I was looking at. I admit it. I had a hissy fit! Sorry!


You can still call me Gabi.

Gabi, Gabi, Gabi, glad to see back. We missed you.

I missed you too! How come I have a username but it's not on my message. I am confuse, how embarrassment!

Debbie emailed me this morning. She is in Sydney and wants to meet for coffee or whatever, tomorrow. I cancelled a Doctor's appointment! I can't wait to meet the little blossom!

I sent her my Phone No and said when I could be there! I catch train from Fassifern (also the name of the nearby Colliery) at about 10 to 9am, and that gets me to Sydney Central at about 10 past 11 am. change to city underground and get out at St.James Station and go to the Elizabeth St exit to emerge directly opposite David Jones Department Store (DJ's), an Icon of Sydney Shopping.

If you had been on facebook, you could have seen her wonderful photos of her holidays. I will leave the telling to her. I didn't know you lived so far from Sydney. I know you both will have a lot to talk about. Enjoy your day.

Damn! I will probably have to get on Facebook, then.

I got on Tumblr because they have the best photos of paintings and a huge array of pre-Raphaelites. You might want to have a look.

Gabi wrote: "Damn! I will probably have to get on Facebook, then.

I got on Tumblr because they have the best photos of paintings and a huge array of pre-Raphaelites. You might want to have a look."

Okay I will take a look. If you do facebook let me know, because I will have to add you, otherwise you won't find me.

You can post your photos with Debs HERE. No problem. And I didn't know you left. What was the hissy fit over, I wonder? I've been too busy for hissies...

Hello,everyone! I'm Catherine and I am new to this group. I live on an island in Greece. I am a teacher of English.
I like making new friends and I also adore cats, so most people online call me Cat as a short of my name. :))))))
Feel welcome to stop by my profile page and say HI!

Hi, Cat and welcome to our cat-friendly (or, in my case, cat-neutral-like-Switzerland) group. In fact, we love words even better than felines, but that's because they're (words, I mean) even more supple.

Lucky you, on an isle of Greece. Seen Polyphemus lately?

Newengland wrote: "Hi, Cat and welcome to our cat-friendly (or, in my case, cat-neutral-like-Switzerland) group. In fact, we love words even better than felines, but that's because they're (words, I mean) even more s..."

No, he was on an island far away from mine. :)))) Interesting that you should be aware of Homer. Not so common in foreigners. Are you famliar with the Greek language as well then?

Catherine wrote: "Newengland wrote: "Hi, Cat and welcome to our cat-friendly (or, in my case, cat-neutral-like-Switzerland) group. In fact, we love words even better than felines, but that's because they're (words, ..."

Hahaha, more like English. He is an English teacher. Ruth and NE keep me aware of Greek literature.

By the way, welcome aboard.

Took three semesters of Attic at my local community college. Don't have the proper font tho'

Carol wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Newengland wrote: "Hi, Cat and welcome to our cat-friendly (or, in my case, cat-neutral-like-Switzerland) group. In fact, we love words even better than felines, but that's becaus..."

Thanks Carol. I am an English teacher too.

Reading The Oddessey (the Fitzgerald translation from the 1960s) again for a mythology class. Got a cat named Persephone. Yes, we Americans have heard of Homer. And Aeschylus, and Euripides, and Aristophanes.

Portia wrote: "Reading The Oddessey (the Fitzgerald translation from the 1960s) again for a mythology class. Got a cat named Persephone. Yes, we Americans have heard of Homer. And Aeschylus, and Euripides, and A..."

I am so glad to hear that. That will give us something extra to talk about. :)))))))))

When in doubt, say, "It's Greek to me!" (That's the Bard, I think.)

Newengland wrote: "When in doubt, say, "It's Greek to me!" (That's the Bard, I think.)"

It is all Greek to me though :)))

Doubt I'll ever get there. The B-movie Summer Lovers is as close as I'll get. That and Homer...

Newengland wrote: "Doubt I'll ever get there. The B-movie Summer Lovers is as close as I'll get. That and Homer..."

You should at some point. Greece is a beautiful country.

Howdy from Colorado.

My two truths and a lie:
I'm a neurosurgeon.
My eyes are green.
I was born on an island.

Newengland wrote: "Doubt I'll ever get there. The B-movie Summer Lovers is as close as I'll get. That and Homer..."

Homer Simpson, anyone?

Sharon wrote: "Howdy from Colorado.

My two truths and a lie:
I'm a neurosurgeon.
My eyes are green.
I was born on an island."

My eyes are green, too! we will discuss the rest at the Kitchen sink! Hi Shazza! Aussie nickname for Sharon and no, I won't use it again! It's just awful, anyone with an 'r' in the middle of their name has it done to them. My beautiful niece Lauren, gets Lozzy from her father, ugh!

Well, that was a useless piece of information. Have to go kids, can't sit here any longer - sciatica has pounced, after I cleaned the back patio 3 days ago!

Sharon, were you born on Rhode Island, mayhaps? My neighbor state, it is, and a great place for some serious wave action at the beach.

And Catherine, I'll add Greece to my considerable bucket list. When I do the European Grand Tour. After retirement. If I make it.

Gabi, your post is a hoot! I know 3 other Aussies with that irreverent sense of humor that we all love.

Newengland, you will have to first guess which item is a lie, you crafty devil you.

Neurosurgeon is my guess because they are not a nickel a dozen.

Yes, we Americans have heard of Homer. And Aeschylus, and E..."

D'oh!

Newengland, you are right. Rhode Island isn't right, although I visited there once and went to Block Island, too. More north.

Nova as in Scotia?

Nope. Bit more south.

Too many islands. I give up!

Manhatten?

Nope. She said NORTH of Rhode Island. Between Rhody and Nova Scotia, you just get a lot of chump-change islands, like Mount Desert, home of the Rockefellers and Martha.

Newengland, you got it. Mount Desert Island. My relatives go back to the 1600s there. They used to own some of the land that is now Wonderland and Ship Harbor, and Ike's Point at Echo Lake is named after Ike Stanley, one of my great grandfathers. More of the same all over the island. My great great grandfather, Willis Dolliver, was a lighthouse keeper at Bass Harbor Head Light. My mother did extensive genealogy some years ago so we have plenty of documentation and photos now. My grandmother lived at the lighthouse with her brother and father when they were growing up. Long story, but she used to tell me stories about living there. The island seems to have good records and photos of the history and families of the island as well.

Wow. I get random and I nail it. As Grandma used to say: "You're psyche." She used words incorrectly, but she was old country.

Great story there, Sharon. And I can believe the records are great, given that the island is its own "world."

Hello! I'll probably mostly lurk, but may have some questions at times as well. I stumbled across your group almost by accident, and thought it looked like a good place where one could address all those pesky grammar niggles that pop up from time to time.

Nice to meet you all. :)

PS, people call me Trav for short.

(There is a good one to start off with, for instance--is it okay to substitute the full stop/period of an abbreviation with a comma?) Yes, I'm niggly and I tend to use both British and American English, depending on what the context requires.

Not in my world Trav.....always use a full stop at the end of an abbr.

Commas are the 110-pound weaklings at the full stop shop.

Welcome, Trav!

Thanks! Hmm, I remember seeing some controversy about this point. So, Debbie, you're saying I should say: "Abbrs.,when used with a comma, should still be used with a full stop."

I know there was somewhere where one could substitute them, but I'll have to check all of that up again ... perhaps it had to do with ellipses?

But lest I get too off-topic for the welcome thread, I'll look for more appropriate threads in this regard. Thanks for the welcome. :)

Hello! I'm new to the group. Wanted to ask about a couple of grammar & composition texts. I'm looking at Warriner's English Composition and Grammar: Complete Course; and Garner's Modern American Usage. They are both highly rated and recommended. Do you all lean towards one over the other? Should I get both? I'm having a tough time deciding. I already own Sistrunk and White's The Elements of Style.

I like the Garner's. And there are any number of shorter, more accessible grammar books, but the Garner's is definitive and I like a little heft behind my grammar questions.

Also, it differentiates between those pesky British rules and American ones. My students love it when I tell them we fought and won a war over spelling and grammar rules. After all, wars with clear-cut lines between right and wrong are so rare, these days....

The American vs British is an important distinction. It appears that there are many differences, and since the internet straddles both worlds, knowing these seems indispensable these days.

The reckoning happens for every American who majors in English (as opposed to majoring in American) during college....

He he, indeed. The Victorians, etc.

But nothing can beat having to read Chaucer in the original...