Stranger then fiction...

[Keef]

Indeed. But I sometimes get confused when I write a sentence just like Kenny's. Should there be no mark where his semicolon is or should there be a comma? When I read that sentence aloud I naturally pause between "scenario" and "people".

You can also say a semicolon is used to replace a word like "but" (as in Sage's sentence) or "and".

 

[Roo]

Does it really bother y'all that much. I mean as long as you understand what people are trying to say, whats the major problem?

From this thread:

If you don't take the time put together a sentence or paragraph, then why should I read it.

That's how you should see it.

Precisely. If the user is too lazy to put his own thoughts into something coherent and readable, how dare he assume that we should bother to do it for him? That shows arrogance and immaturity - two things everybody seems to agree suck. Well, everybody except for arrogant immature people. But for most of us, our time is valuable to us and we are not happy about wasting it deciphering some crappy txt msg post full of AOL-speak.

The other point is that this forum is very international in makeup. Many users do not speak English natively. Out of respect for them, it is important to use the best English you can. I know if I was trying to post on a Spanish or German board, I would have a hard enough time understanding textbook posts, let alone those full of slang and horrible grammar.

That sums my thoughts up nicely.

The only trouble I have with grammar threads is when people start using words like "ephemeral" and "comparative operator", and I just get horribly confused. That said, if I was that bothered, I'd look it up.

 

[Sage]

Indeed. But I sometimes get confused when I write a sentence just like Kenny's. Should there be no mark where his semicolon is or should there be a comma? When I read that sentence aloud I naturally pause between "scenario" and "people".

There should be a comma there. Notice that his sentence could’ve been written like this:

But I know that I'm a decent enough writer that if I make an occasional typo, people will still understand me and no harm [is] done.

The rest of the middle stuff is just a long non-restrictive appositive, which is always set off by commas.

 

[DuckRacer]

I actually had a grammar beef the other day... I'll just copy/paste it.

I have a few bones to pick regarding grammar.

How come some people (namely the companies that make said products) speak of objects as humans? Example: "iPhone is a revolutionary product." Why is it not "The iPhone is a revolutionary product."

...And why do some people type product/company names
in all caps? Examples: "My MAC can run Final Cut Pro." "I love SONY's products."

And to top this all off, why do people use extra question marks or exclamation points? Examples: "I love Aquafina bottled water!!!" "How come I can't format my hard drive??"

 

[Sage]

How come some people (namely the companies that make said products) speak of objects as humans? Example: "iPhone is a revolutionary product." Why is it not "The iPhone is a revolutionary product."

You answered your own question within your question. By treating the name in a more human-like manner, you anthropomorphize it, which can be very important in marketing.

 

[1X83Z]

Does it really bother y'all that much. I mean as long as you understand what people are trying to say, whats the major problem?

It doesn't bother me, I just laugh because the people look like complete idiots.

 

[dougiemeats]

This thread has been real, real helpful.

 

[kennythebomb]

And to top this all off, why do people use extra question marks or exclamation points? Examples: "I love Aquafina bottled water!!!" "How come I can't format my hard drive??"

This is obviously for stylistic purposes, or to add emphasis. Adding more questions marks or exclamation points tend to alert the reader that this is probably the sentence showing your strongest emotion.

 

[Danoff]

Does it really bother y'all that much. I mean as long as you understand what people are trying to say, whats the major problem?

It can lead to confusion...

You can sitll raed my tpinyg wehn I mix up the ltteers, but it's iirraitng ins't it?

 

[Wolfe]

It can lead to confusion...

You can sitll raed my tpinyg wehn I mix up the ltteers, but it's iirraitng ins't it?

Wnas't it Hrarvad taht dveroecsid taht we ulsulay olny raed the fsirt and lsat ltteers of a wrod, and taht as lnog as toshe two are in pacle, the rset culod be all mxeid up and we'd sitll uentrdnasd waht was bnieg tpeyd?

Or is that just an internet myth?

 

[Tulok]

No mtyh, it was Hravrad taht dscviredeod tihs werid tinhg, I culod tpye lkie tihs aIl day, but it is hrad to tpye lnog wdros.

 

[Loon]

From this thread:



That sums my thoughts up nicely.

Now with that post, I can understand what you're saying. Most people here don't do that, its usually little simple typos that people make.

It doesn't bother me, I just laugh because the people look like complete idiots.

Because someone used the wrong word, when you still get the jist of what they're saying. Its not really that big a deal if mess up one letter in the word.

It can lead to confusion...

You can sitll raed my tpinyg wehn I mix up the ltteers, but it's iirraitng ins't it?

Yes it can, and yes it is.

Wnas't it Hrarvad taht dveroecsid taht we ulsulay olny raed the fsirt and lsat ltteers of a wrod, and taht as lnog as toshe two are in pacle, the rset culod be all mxeid up and we'd sitll uentrdnasd waht was bnieg tpeyd?

Or is that just an internet myth?

Definetly not a myth, a pretty cool discovery actually.

 

[Car-less]

I actually had a grammar beef the other day...

...And why do some people type product/company names
in all caps? Examples: "My MAC can run Final Cut Pro." "I love SONY's products."

This is a trademark issue. For example, the LEGO company prefers you to write their product/company name in all caps as LEGO is a registered trademark. To write it in lower case would be to use their trademark as a noun, and so dilute its value. Too much dilution could lead to any plastic building brick being refered to as legos (don't get me started on the plural), and even the loss of their trademark. Just look at what has happened to asparin, coke, kleenex and xerox amongst others.

In your examples above, SONY may or may not be a similar case, but I'm not so sure about MAC as that is an abbreviation. Have either Sony or Apple issued a statement as to the correct use of their trademarks? I don't know, but I have read such a statement from the LEGO company.

 

[Wolfe]

Well, when Duck first posted that in the Premium forum, I responded that people probably did it because the company name/logo appears that way -- for example, Sony products usually have a badge with the name in all-caps. Although that doesn't apply for Macs.

Anyway, in terms of trademarks and your LEGO example, these two links demonstrate well enough that the companies themselves use lowercase letters:

http://www.sony.com/index.php
http://www.apple.com/dotmac/

"Welcome to the World of Sony."
"The Mac experience."

 

[Sage]

MAC is completely wrong – that means Media Access Control, which has nothing to do with Apple.