Reading DaveWojo's journal

Of course I had to look that up...
(Or would it be "of course I had to look up that"? "up, I had to to look that"? :-))

It would seem that this is at least a rule not everyone agrees with. (I just can't go without it. Should it be "at least not everyone agrees with that rule"?).

From H.W. Fowler's A Dictionary of Modern English Usage: (as found on multiple websites)

"It was once a cherished superstition that prepositions must be kept true to their name and placed before the word they govern in spite of the incurable English instinct for putting them late. [...] The fact is that the remarkable freedom enjoyed by English in putting its prepositions late and omitting its relatives is an important element in the flexibility of the language. The power of saying A state of dejection such as they are absolute strangers to (Cowpers) instead of A state of dejection of an intensity to which they are absolute strangers, or People worth talking to instead of People with whom it is worth while to talk, is not one to be lightly surrendered. [...] Those who lay down the universal principle that final prepositions are 'inelegant' are unconciously trying to deprive the English language of a valuable idiomatic resource, which has been used freely by all our greatest writers except those whose instinct for English idiom has been overpowered by notions of correctness derived from Latin standards. The legitimacy of the prepositional ending in literary English must be uncompromisingly maintained; in respect of elegance or inelegance, every example must be judged not by any arbitrary rule, but on its own merits, according to the impression it makes on the feeling of educated English readers.

'Repent, Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman. 'Get stuffed!' the Harlequin replied, sneering.

This post was edited by wizz on Apr 02, 2004.

I do not mean to ruin the "flexibility of the English Language." However, my post was aimed at those who do not even realize that higher institutions of education prefer that prepostions are not left at the end of sentences. Hence, the semi-humorous joke:

Person 1: Where do you go to school at?
Person 2: I go to Harvard, a school at which we do not end our sentences with prepositions?
Person 1: (after much thought) Where do you go to school at, asshole?

And with that, I go to bed.

Good night!

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

(after much thought) Where do you go to school at, asshole?

Ooh, I must write that down. :-)

Good morning!

When life hands you a lemon, that's 40% of your RDA of vitamin C taken care of.

I thought I might mention that Microsoft Word began berating me when I experimented with the Grammar Check. I tried saying, "By completely ignoring the Olive Branch Petition, King George inadvertantly caused the creation of the Declaration of Independence, which would eventually cause a full-scale war to break out." The error cited was an 'End-of-Sentence Preposition' (broke out)

However...

I've decided not to criticize anyone for doing that kind of thing from now on. It may not be perfect grammar, but it is at least understandable. Our society has continually dropped our language skills standards, but I doubt many people really care. Seeing prepositions at the ends of sentences is something with which I should become familiar.

I mean...

Seeing prepositions at the ends of sentences is something that I should become familiar with.

Do whatever you guys want...I don't really care that much. I'll still take note if you do it, but I won't think less of you for it. The real problems arise when someone wants to IM me and their first sentence is:

(Please note that the Screen Name used below was created by me to demonstrate a frustrating aspect of our society. Also note, that the second SN is my real SN. Feel free to IM me. :-P)

RandomRedneck666: hey, whats you're name?
DavidWojo2000: I am not "name", at least not to my knowledge.

Or:

RandomRedneck666: aren't their parties goin on now? you coud go to one insted of puting me down for my sucky gramer?
DavidWojo2000: as far as i know, they were only going to have one party.

It's probably pointless to rant about the correct use of either 'there/their/they're,' or 'your/you're,' because I'm willing to bet you guys know them anyways. Oh well.

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

It's probably pointless to rant about the correct use of either 'there/their/they're,' or 'your/you're,' because I'm willing to bet you guys know them anyways.

Oh, this bugs me too. The funny thing is, from my experience, the people with the worst grammar are usually native English speakers. It might be clear for them, but I always have to think about what they're trying to say.

When life hands you a lemon, that's 40% of your RDA of vitamin C taken care of.

The funny thing is, from my experience, the people with the worst grammar are usually native English speakers.

I'm terrible. Really, really terrible. When I'm writing by hand i don't seem to make those stupid errors, but sit me down at a computer and all Language skills fly out the window (though they suddenly seem to have very attractive wings so that i can spend pargraphs describing the graceful, yet oh so powerful, beating motion they make...)

But yes, I am a prime example of a native English speaker who is just too damn lazy to type properly half the time.

With me, i try to write at the speed in which I talk...which means i tend to leave out words and letters...

My friends have labelled it "Mel-Speak" or "Mel-Babble"

The official Mel Babble Dictionary will be available soon.

-Mel ;)

Look at me! I'm a prostitute robot from the future!

and all Language skills fly out the window (though they suddenly seem to have very attractive wings so that i can spend pargraphs describing the graceful, yet oh so powerful, beating motion they make...)

See, you're a poet. That means you may ignore grammar rules at will, and it will make you look like a visionary.

Still looking forward to getting to know you in person :-)

When life hands you a lemon, that's 40% of your RDA of vitamin C taken care of.

Still looking forward to getting to know you in person :-)

bleurgh...still looking forward to getting a credit card so i could be *gasp* in the same hemisphere as almost every other NAO user.

But it's the thought that counts I'm told ;)

-Mel

Look at me! I'm a prostitute robot from the future!

still looking forward to getting a credit card

Ooh, I have one, but unfortunately it doesn't give you more money that you already have. (Now that would be a great invention.)

But it's the thought that counts I'm told

Of course. :-)

When life hands you a lemon, that's 40% of your RDA of vitamin C taken care of.

Still looking forward to getting to know you in person

Why that? Are we going to Australia for holidays or something like that? ;)

Or are you coming to the next Europe NAO meeting?? *just curious*

"Sie wollen nichts anderes. Sie wollen kämpfen! Sie sind Soldaten! Fucking Wahnsinnige!" - Noel G.