Grammar Police (What ticks you off?)

[khadejiacat]

Typing so fast I miss entire words that give context to the sentence and not being able to go back and edit it![/QUOTE
LMAO, this is a perfect example of it!! Ha Ha

 

[ActionBuddy]

I feel your pain... Five minutes is not enough editing time, IMHO... It feels inhumane.

A/B

 

[Fuzzy_]

In keeping with Fuzzy's previous post of putting modifiers as close to the verb as possible, here's another thing that irks Fuzzy: the placement of only.

1. Only Jane drives her car on the sidewalk.
2. Jane drives her only car on the sidewalk.
3. Jane drives her car only on the sidewalk.
4. Jane only drives her car on the sidewalk.

Here are Fuzzy's interpretations:

1 implies that Jane, and nobody else, drives her car on the sidewalk.
2 implies that Jane has no more than one car.
3 implies that Jane drives her car on the the sidewalk and nowhere else.
4 implies that Jane performs no tasks other than driving her car on the sidewalk.

Fuzzy often sees 3 and 4 interchanged, as if the authors don't think that the placement matters, as long as the modifier is close to the verb. But the order does matter.

If Fuzzy were to convey that Jane does more than just drive her car but when she drives her car, she does so on sidewalks and nowhere else, Fuzzy would say: "Jane drives her car only on the sidewalk." However, it seems that many-- if not most-- people prefer to say: "Jane only drives her car on the sidewalk." The problem is that, looking at syntactic structure and scope, only is much broader in the latter proposition -- it is too broad because, as stated above, it suggests that Jane does nothing but drive her car.

Does anyone disagree?

 

[chicagosam]

It might be better if Jane didn't have a car or a drivers license.

 

[LaFemme]

It might be better if Jane didn't have a car or a drivers license.

That's what I was thinking. Also, I'd like to know where Jane lives. LaFemme would stay off all sidewalks in that particular locale.

 

[223790]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, to versus too. There is a big difference in how they are used. I see them misused all of the time. Another irritant, misuse of the word seen. For example, "I seen him yesterday".

 

[vince]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, to versus too. There is a big difference in how they are used. I see them misused all of the time. Another irritant, misuse of the word seen. For example, "I seen him yesterday".

I seen that to.

 

[223790]

I seen that to.

 

[Uncutsouthernboy]

1. Only Jane drives her car on the sidewalk.
2. Jane drives her only car on the sidewalk.
3. Jane drives her car only on the sidewalk.
4. Jane only drives her car on the sidewalk.

You forgot one:
5. Jane drives her car on the only sidewalk.

 

[Calboner]

In keeping with Fuzzy's previous post of putting modifiers as close to the verb as possible, here's another thing that irks Fuzzy: the placement of only.

1. Only Jane drives her car on the sidewalk.
2. Jane drives her only car on the sidewalk.
3. Jane drives her car only on the sidewalk.
4. Jane only drives her car on the sidewalk.

What about "Jane drives only her car on the sidewalk"? She doesn't drive her lawn mower there, just her car.

 

[ActionBuddy]

I'm currently in a two quarter long training program that has a required Business English class. No problem, as I need the refresher, and perhaps for once I will memorize the rules about who vs. whom... lol

But... about one third of my (rather great!) classmates speak in "Ebonics", and it's driving me insane!... Can any of you spare some sedatives?

A/B

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

Here. Try a little sense of humor from "Weird Al Yankovic"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gv0H-vPoDc

 

[Novaboy]

Here. Try a little sense of humor from "Weird Al Yankovic"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gv0H-vPoDc

I've seen the Weird Al video before, but I have to say that it really is quite clever. Apparently he spends a huge amount of time writing and rewriting the lyrics to his songs. Note also that he solves the "couldn't care/could care less" argument!

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

I've seen the Weird Al video before, but I have to say that it really is quite clever. Apparently he spends a huge amount of time writing and rewriting the lyrics to his songs. Note also that he solves the "couldn't care/could care less" argument!

True enough, but you have to love the tongue in cheek humor he approaches it.

 

[ActionBuddy]

... Note also that he solves the "couldn't care/could care less" argument!

See?!...

 

[Novaboy]

True enough, but you have to love the tongue in cheek humor he approaches it.

I do! I think he's quite brilliant.

 

[ConanTheBarber]

I've seen the Weird Al video before, but I have to say that it really is quite clever. Apparently he spends a huge amount of time writing and rewriting the lyrics to his songs. Note also that he solves the "couldn't care/could care less" argument!

Nope, he got it wrong. "I could care less," as an idiom, means exactly the same as "I couldn't care less."
The assembled meaning you get following usual rules of grammar and logic don't count ... coz idiom.

 

[ActionBuddy]

Bullshit!... Now, go back to the Land of the Canucks, where you belong!...

joking!

 

[ConanTheBarber]

Bullshit!... Now, go back to the Land of the Canucks, where you belong!...

joking!

We never go back before burning the White House.
You know that.

 

[ActionBuddy]

Burn, baby, burn!..