Grammar, Spelling, and Fonts

[NixAyum]

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18383824

 

HELL YEAH IT WAS A MISTAKE, OXFORD COMMA LIVES!

 

I am excite. c:

[digipup]

Bad grammar is a pet peeve of mine... But the only people I will interrupt to correct are my mom and my friends.

Fonts are amazing. We need more of them.

[RheaZen]

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18383824

 

HELL YEAH IT WAS A MISTAKE, OXFORD COMMA LIVES!

 

I am excite. c:

Yyyyyyyeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhh. Awesome.

[Princess Artemis]

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18383824

 

HELL YEAH IT WAS A MISTAKE, OXFORD COMMA LIVES!

 

I am excite. c:

Now they just need to rescind the decision to include the heart symbol as a 'word'!

[CYDA LUVA83]

Interrobang key for my keyboard. NOW.

._____.

Edited July 1, 2011 by CYDA LUVA83

[NixAyum]

Interrobang key for my keyboard. NOW.

._____.

Nooooo I hate that thing.

 

Now they just need to rescind the decision to include the heart symbol as a 'word'!

 

Not sure if want.

[Chicogal]

I think my grammar is okay. It certainly isn't very good, but not horrific either. I've actually learned quite a bit from role-playing on these forums. What I am horrified by, is the fact that some of the people in my class have horrendous spelling and grammar skills. It normally takes me one to two minutes to read one A4 page with proper spelling and grammar. When I read one of theirs, it may take me five minutes - or more - to read through it. My opinion is that the teachers in lower grades did not take their English seriously enough. One day, they're going to have serious problems at work.

 

Just my two cents for the day.

[Axarr]

[sarcasm]I can has agreeing with some a person above me right.[/sarcasm]

(())

I agree with the person above me. When someone speaks like English isn't their first language, (Or like they don't even know it,) really bugs me.

Edited July 4, 2011 by Axarr

[CYDA LUVA83]

Nooooo I hate that thing.

Hate is such a strong word... X3

Well, in my opinion the interrobang is better than going '?!?!?!?!?!?'.

 

Edit: 10:00PM, tired, excuse mistakes please.

Edited July 4, 2011 by CYDA LUVA83

[Classycal]

Well, okay, if we are going to nitpick...

 

I started a couple of pages back. You all may want to come through the computer screen and choke me.

 

While I am American, I tend to use British rules because they usually make more sense to me.

 

 

I am somewhat unsure on punctuation sometimes. This is slightly embarrassing, because my hobby is writing. I do my best but I get irritable when my sibs point things out. I'm simply not used to it. I'm less irritated when strangers call me out on bad grammar. It's easier to accept for me that way; I've no idea why. 

There is no comma after embarrassing. Just because there is a “pause” does not mean a comma is used. There should be a comma after best, but commas in this kind of case (The clause can stand as a full sentence on its own.) is falling into disuse. Great use of the semi-colon--most people don’t “get it”.

 

 

 

And my idiot cousin said "look kerstin if yer a contry gurl an yoo dun tecktz den yoo dun no wen to mis pell stuf" 

Good grief. I’m a country girl and I have no idea what most of that means.

 

 

 

I'm a grammar Nazi and have been one since I turned 11. I absolutely cannot stand spelling and grammar mistakes! I am very picky when it comes to things such as commas, parentheses (the punctuation goes AFTER the closing mark, and it applies to whatever you wrote before you started the parentheses), and quotation marks.

You are right. People are not always taught correctly. And this is only going to get worse. I have a friend who is an English teacher and she is not allowed to correct her students when their grammar is poor. (I'm not kidding.) I hate it when commas are used incorrectly. Just because you might pause while talking does not mean a comma goes there folks!

 

If you use parentheses around a complete sentence (as opposed to a fragment) then you also need to have punctuation within the parentheses also.

 

 

 

The only thing that I'm unsure with entirely is quotation marks. I was always taught that the punctuation goes outside of the quote. Does this apply to quoting a song name, book title, etc. as well?

 

Ex. My favourite song is "Love Like Woe." vs. My favourite song is "Love Like Woe". 

 

Both are correct. The first example is what is used for American English. The second is what is used in British English. Since it appears you are using British English (from the spelling of favourite vs. the American spelling--favorite), then, for you, the second example would be correct.

 

 

 

In the UK the punctuation should be inside the quotation marks if it forms a complete sentance (eg. "I'm here!" she said.), and there should also be punctuation outside of them if the quoted words end a sentance (eg. She said "I'm here.".). As a general rule quotation marks around book and/or movie titles would not require punctuation marks, unless such marks form part of the actual title. 

When using quotation marks for speech, American and British English are the same (except that sometimes single quotes are used in the UK). Sentence is not spelled: sentance. This above example is correct: “I’m here!” she said. This one is not: She said "I'm here.". There is only one period. And there should be a comma after said. Like this: She said, “I’m here!” I corrected it to an exclamation mark to match your first example.

 

 

 

I was always taught that punctuation went inside of the quote. o.o

For example:

 

He stood, saying, "You certainly shall not." 

This is an example of speech--not an example of a song or title.

 

 

 

you said "I am very picky when it comes to things such as commas!"

A comma goes after said!

 

 

 

You just have to think of what it would look like *without* the quotation marks.

From doing a lot of on line editing, I’ve found that a lot of people can’t visualize this.

 

 

 

sentance

It’s sentence!

 

 

 

"But I did catch the train home." she said. <- Notice punctuation inside the quotation, but not outside it.

There needs to be a comma after home rather than a period.

 

 

 

"But" she said "I did catch the train home.". <- Notice the split quotation, no punctuation inside or outside the first bit, and both inside and outside on the last bit.

This is correct --> “But,” she said, “I did catch the train home.” There is only one period at the end! I did find one (only one) instance in my internet search that noted that the comma at the beginning should come after the quotation marks (“But”, she said...).

 

 

 

I looked at various online sources and could find no instances of two periods being used in such a manner with quotation marks. Here is a link to Purdue University’s site: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/577/01/.

 

 

 

like I said before, I do not like that rule. 

Liking or not liking a rule doesn’t mean you can ignore it. But I would have to see the entire sentence you suggested a correction on to be able to tell you whether a comma was appropriate or not.

 

 

 

See that would be the difference between English and American useage, which I believed I mentioned above. My post is grammaticaly correct in English. 

It’s "grammatically". Can you please point me to a British site that says that two periods is correct usage? I do editing for people from around the world, and this is the first time I’ve seen the use of two periods. I’m asking a friend from Scotland to point me to a good internet site. I did find this one from Oxford: http://oxforddictionaries.com/page/punctua...quotation-marks Please note the commas and the lack of two periods.

 

 

 

Oxford comma no more.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/06/29/ox...e=Roisin_Bonner

 

I am EXTREEEEEMELY disappoint, I love the Oxford comma. 

I love it, too. Oxford retracted their statement.

 

 

I think my grammar is okay. It certainly isn't very good, but not horrific either.

Your English is excellent. If I understand correctly, you are from Denmark, so that makes it doubly remarkable that your English is so good. Now if native English speakers could do so well. By the way, that comma before “but” isn’t strictly needed unless you are using it for emphasis. Otherwise, it shouldn’t be used because the sentence after the comma cannot stand as a sentence on its own.

 

 

I hope I didn't make any grammatical errors, but I'm betting I did something...

 

[TPishek]

Grammar pet peeve of the day:

 

If something attracts your attention, it piques your interest. Not peeks or peaks. Pique means excite; peek means look and a peak is the top of a mountain.

[7Deadly$ins]

Grammar pet peeve of the day:

 

If something attracts your attention, it piques your interest. Not peeks or peaks. Pique means excite; peek means look and a peak is the top of a mountain.

While you are right and it's a pet peeve of mine, I try to make myself feel better in that the "peak" of your interest would be the height of it.

[War Pig Killer]

On fonts: I need a new monospace font for my terminal that looks nice but isn't particularly rough on the eyes. Anyone got any suggestions? No Microsoft fonts, can't use those on Linux ^^;

[Chicogal]

Unfortunately, I'm not from Denmark. I really do wish that I was Danish but I actually have English blood on my mother's side and Afrikaans blood on my father's side of the family. I'm very pleased that I only made a small mistake in my post and I thank you for pointing it out for me. If only I'd made small mistakes in my English exam and thought it out properly - I could have done so much better!

I personally love the Oxford comma. My sentences seem to be more complete when I use it. Now that it's been proved that it's incorrect to use, I'll have to ban my grammatical friend when it comes to writing. Although I've found the debate over it quite humourous, nonetheless.

Please note that I use English spelling in my posts.

Edited July 4, 2011 by Chicogal

[NixAyum]

If you use parentheses around a complete sentence (as opposed to a fragment) then you also need to have punctuation within the parentheses also.

Don't repeat the "also".

 

The first example is what is used for American English.

 

wat no it's not. Unless there is punctuation in the title there's no way it would be "Love Like Woe.", it would always be "Love Like Woe".

 

I love it, too.  Oxford retracted their statement.

 

I put another link about 5 posts after that about the correction. x3

[7Deadly$ins]

Don't repeat the "also".

 

 

 

wat no it's not. Unless there is punctuation in the title there's no way it would be "Love Like Woe.", it would always be "Love Like Woe".

 

 

 

I put another link about 5 posts after that about the correction. x3

Believe it or not, that actually is how it is in American English.

 

It's stupid and I hate it.

[Princess Artemis]

Believe it or not, that actually is how it is in American English.

 

It's stupid and I hate it.

I checked my Little, Brown Handbook and it said periods and commas in the quotes, other terminating punctuation inside only if they are part of the quote. So it sounds as if, strictly speaking,

 

The song is titled "Love Like Woe."

 

is correct American English, while

 

The song is titled "Love Like Woe"!

 

is also correct American English.

 

This leads me to believe

 

The song is titled, "Love Like Woe".

 

would not be as incorrect as

 

The song is titled, "Love Like Woe!"

 

because having the terminating punctuation outside quotation marks that don't enclose a quote just makes more sense.

 

I'm going to continue putting them outside, because IIRC, I was taught that way, and I'm older than my Little, Brown Handbook.

[RheaZen]

 

Relevant.

[7Deadly$ins]

I checked my Little, Brown Handbook and it said periods and commas in the quotes, other terminating punctuation inside only if they are part of the quote. So it sounds as if, strictly speaking,

 

 

 

is correct American English, while

 

 

 

is also correct American English.

 

This leads me to believe

 

 

 

would not be as incorrect as

 

 

 

because having the terminating punctuation outside quotation marks that don't enclose a quote just makes more sense.

 

I'm going to continue putting them outside, because IIRC, I was taught that way, and I'm older than my Little, Brown Handbook.

I usually place them outside. I was editor of a publication the last two years and I checked the AP style book when I was checking in vs. out, and it said it should always go inside.

 

Regardless, my third grade teacher taught me otherwise, particularly in dialogue.

[soupnazi]

Interrobang key for my keyboard. NOW.

._____.

YES.

 

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.

 

Nooooo I hate that thing.

 

Why do you hate it?

 

Also, is it completely terrible to mix British English and American English in ways not done by Canadian English? I like to use grey instead of gray, and put my punctuation outside of quotation marks (not for prose speech, of course).

[NixAyum]

Why do you hate it?

I really don't like it. The only symbol representation that I've seen of it is messy and the sentiment is pretty much the same with just a "!?".

[soupnazi]

I really don't like it. The only symbol representation that I've seen of it is messy and the sentiment is pretty much the same with just a "!?".

Hmm, I can understand where you're coming from, but ?! can often be considered as sloppy or improper, and it seems to me like having an actual symbol rather than combining the two makes more sense. I do agree that the interrobang looks kind of cluttered, though. ‽ (Whee interrobang!)

[Stromboli]

... So sometimes I judge people by what fonts they use. Like, in advertising and things, or restaurant menus.

And then I feel like a geek. ;-;

[NixAyum]

Hmm, I can understand where you're coming from, but ?! can often be considered as sloppy or improper, and it seems to me like having an actual symbol rather than combining the two makes more sense. I do agree that the interrobang looks kind of cluttered, though. ‽ (Whee interrobang!)

I don't think it's quite popular enough in casual/formal use to necessitate its own symbol yet (internet aside, and strings of !!!!!!!??????? don't count). It's not something uber-needed for relaying tone or grammar like a period or exclamation point.

 

Is ?! the "proper" way to double the punctuation? I always use !? because having the exclamation point last seems silly/extraneous/messy to me. >w>

[Stromboli]

I always thought it was !?, but then we never exactly covered proper use of symbols very well. I still know people who put an apostrophe before a plural S. :\