MasTURbate vs. MasTERbate...

[jonb]

Wikipedia has a lot of or/our, er/re, rrhea/rrhoea, ize/ise, yze/yse, etc. flame wars.

 

[Pecker]

I know this falls more into etiquette than grammar, but it peeves me when the second poster in a string fully quotes the originator. Often this is a page-long post including introductions, explanations and, finally, a question.

All the second poster needs to do is to simply respond. We know to whom you are responding!!! :spank:

 

[D_Barbi_Queue]

I'm with you on that one, Pecker. I think too many people hit the "Reply" button instead of the "Add Reply" or "Fast Reply" buttons.

 

[madame_zora]

Wow, girl! You put the "ass" in Texass!! Damned nice!

 

[mrsparkle]

I can 'prolly' add another one to this list. How the fuck did they come up with that?

 

[jonb]

What about "common"? As in "common, don't be a prude".

 

[D_Martin van Burden]

Originally posted by absinthium@Sep 11 2005, 12:15 PM
If I said, "Wow, I sure hate it when someone spits gum on the sidewalk and I step in it," I'm sure there are folks on here that would come to the defense of those that choose to spit gum on the sidewalk, bringing their political and societal views into it, just for the sake of being able to argue with strangers.

[post=342291]Quoted post[/post]​

I think that's a pretty far-fetched analogy. Anyway, I'm in agreement with Steve. I think a lot of us appreciate polished grammar and correct spelling. I know I do. I just don't make a big deal of it if it doesn't quite happen in real life, whether I read a draft -- used to making corrections -- or if I hear someone make a slip or two of the tongue.

This kind of stuff represents "common" ignorance of the English language. And really, who wouldn't? Our language is one of the toughest to learn because of all its idioms and secondary meetings and strange and partially consistent rules. I could forgive someone for that. Couldn't, however, forgive people of various forms of malicious ignorance. Think of malicious ignorance as the same logic that fuels ad hominem arguments about gays or people of color or the latest Bush-ism.

(No offense, Pecker.)

Granted, we're behaving in this thread. But I've seen grammar things turn into big (and unnecessary and utterly pointless) blow-ups in other threads. Last thing I want to do is waste good bandwith, ya know?

 

[madame_zora]

I think that's the benefit of having a separate, polite thread about it rather than flaming a particular post or person. Posting some common mistakes we notice helps bring them to light to they can be more easily understood.

I get confused about when to use "data" and "datum", are they interchagable? Is there some rule that governs when either is preferable?

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

Originally posted by madame_zora@Sep 14 2005, 02:09 AM
I get confused about when to use "data" and "datum", are they interchagable? Is there some rule that governs when either is preferable?

[post=343068]Quoted post[/post]​

Datum is singular, and data is plural. A datum is a single fact or figure, but facts and figures in general are data. Data can also be used collectively to denote information, but it is still plural, so it takes a plural verb form.

 

[madame_zora]

Originally posted by DoubleMeatWhopper+Sep 14 2005, 07:21 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DoubleMeatWhopper &#064; Sep 14 2005, 07:21 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-madame_zora@Sep 14 2005, 02:09 AM
I get confused about when to use "data" and "datum", are they interchagable? Is there some rule that governs when either is preferable?

[post=343068]Quoted post[/post]​

Datum is singular, and data is plural. A datum is a single fact or figure, but facts and figures in general are data. Data can also be used collectively to denote information, but it is still plural, so it takes a plural verb form.

[post=343070]Quoted post[/post]​

[/b][/quote]


Well, that&#39;s easy enough- why wouldn&#39;t my dictionary just say that? It went into Latin derrivatives but didn&#39;t just say "s" and "p".

Thanks man, you&#39;re one of the good ones.

 

[Donk]

Originally posted by DoubleMeatWhopper@Sep 14 2005, 07:21 AM
Data can also be used collectively to denote information, but it is still plural, so it takes a plural verb form.

[post=343070]Quoted post[/post]​

Not necessarily. In acceptable usage, "data" is often treated as a collective noun taking a singular verb form. E.g., it sounds much more natural to say "My hard drive crashed, and my data was lost," rather than " . . . my data were lost."

 

[Pecker]

Another peeve:

ROFLMFAO instead of "Ha ha."

I think the latter is more appropriate whether in written or spoken word - just ask the preacher after he tells a Sunday sermon joke. :hiding:

 

[steve319]

Originally posted by madame_zora@Sep 14 2005, 03:09 AM
I think that&#39;s the benefit of having a separate, polite thread about it rather than flaming a particular post or person.

[post=343068]Quoted post[/post]​

Yeah, I agree completely. This is infinitely preferable to personal attacks.

Interesting sort-of-related story: I have a student now who is clearly intelligent, works very hard at his studies, and has solid academic skills across the board but who consistently leaves off final consonants and screws up word endings and suffixes in both writing and reading (not being able to immediately distinguish between singular and plural forms, for example). He seems to have strong phonics and word deciphering skills, and has an exceptional usage vocabulary, but is consistently unable to overcome this one issue. I&#39;m thinking now that there&#39;s a visual tracking problem, where his eyes aren&#39;t tracking across the page at the same rate or the blending of the signals isn&#39;t occurring as smoothly as it should. I&#39;m recommending a developmental vision exam to check for this sort of thing. Imagine how it must feel to carry the burden of this for your whole life, to be sure that you must be "stupid" because this keeps surfacing where others seem to have no problem.

Isn&#39;t the pure variety of humanity humbling sometimes? :hi:

 

[Dr Rock]

maybe he&#39;s just fucking with you.

 

[Dorset]

Originally posted by steve319@Sep 14 2005, 01:52 PM
I&#39;m thinking now that there&#39;s a visual tracking problem, where his eyes aren&#39;t tracking across the page at the same rate or the blending of the signals isn&#39;t occurring as smoothly as it should. I&#39;m recommending a developmental vision exam to check for this sort of thing.

[post=343145]Quoted post[/post]​

I have had similar problems throughout school and on into my working life but I&#39;ve never heard of a developmental vision exam. Is this the kind of thing you can talk to your local doctor about?

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

Originally posted by Donk+Sep 14 2005, 07:49 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Donk &#064; Sep 14 2005, 07:49 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-DoubleMeatWhopper@Sep 14 2005, 07:21 AM
Data can also be used collectively to denote information, but it is still plural, so it takes a plural verb form.

[post=343070]Quoted post[/post]​

Not necessarily. In acceptable usage, "data" is often treated as a collective noun taking a singular verb form. E.g., it sounds much more natural to say "My hard drive crashed, and my data was lost," rather than " . . . my data were lost."

[post=343118]Quoted post[/post]​

[/b][/quote]

This is a grey area. In American English, collective plural nouns normally take the singular verb, but British English collective plurals are treated as any other plurals. That is according to the grammar books. It&#39;s not unusual to hear things like, "The orchestra were playing," or, "The crowd are loving it," on the BBC, but it sounds strange to American ears. So to be more precise, data used collectively can take a singular verb in the United States. In The UK, a plural verb is always technically correct, even though some might not realise it&#39;s plural and may mistakenly assign a singular predicate.

Another singular/plural situation that bugs me: people thinking that that words like biceps and Homo sapiens are plural, and the singular forms must be bicep and Homo sapien. Aaaaagh&#33;

 

[BuffMusicIdol]

It&#39;s amazing to me that people with big cocks and their groupies are more concerned about their intellect than sex, orgasms, and porn.

What is wrong with you people? :+

And my SECOND ex thought this was a dirty, nasty, misbehavin&#39; bunch pornsters.

I&#39;m glad that&#39;s her problem not mine.

Aside from some poignantly painful pronouncements in this collection, I have enjoyed many of the comments.

BYW, I think MasterBates was the co-owner of the Bates Hotel, wasn&#39;t he?

 

[Pecker]

Here&#39;s one you see everyday, Jacinto. Subjective vs. objective:

The problem has already been discussed by he and George.
The problem has already been discussed by him and George.

It was a nice trip to the mall for she and Valerie.
It was a nice trip to the mall for her and Valerie.

Sportscasters are the worst at this - it makes my teeth ache.

I learned in 6th grade that if one has a question about the correct usage of a pronoun, just mentally drop the "and George (etc.)" and bingo&#33; you&#39;ll get it right every time.

 

[BuffMusicIdol]

[/quote]

This is a grey area. In American English, collective plural nouns normally take the singular verb, but British English collective plurals are treated as any other plurals. That is according to the grammar books. It&#39;s not unusual to hear things like, "The orchestra were playing," or, "The crowd are loving it," on the BBC, but it sounds strange to American ears. So to be more precise, data used collectively can take a singular verb in the United States. In The UK, a plural verb is always technically correct, even though some might not realise it&#39;s plural and may mistakenly assign a singular predicate.

Another singular/plural situation that bugs me: people thinking that that words like biceps and Homo sapiens are plural, and the singular forms must be bicep and Homo sapien. Aaaaagh&#33;

[post=343251]Quoted post[/post]​

[/quote]


Um, okay then, "bicepses" and "Homo sapienses" mean more than one. Got it. :crazy: :smoke:

 

[madame_zora]

Originally posted by steve319+Sep 14 2005, 01:52 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(steve319 &#064; Sep 14 2005, 01:52 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-madame_zora@Sep 14 2005, 03:09 AM
I think that&#39;s the benefit of having a separate, polite thread about it rather than flaming a particular post or person.

[post=343068]Quoted post[/post]​

Yeah, I agree completely. This is infinitely preferable to personal attacks.

Interesting sort-of-related story: I have a student now who is clearly intelligent, works very hard at his studies, and has solid academic skills across the board but who consistently leaves off final consonants and screws up word endings and suffixes in both writing and reading (not being able to immediately distinguish between singular and plural forms, for example). He seems to have strong phonics and word deciphering skills, and has an exceptional usage vocabulary, but is consistently unable to overcome this one issue. I&#39;m thinking now that there&#39;s a visual tracking problem, where his eyes aren&#39;t tracking across the page at the same rate or the blending of the signals isn&#39;t occurring as smoothly as it should. I&#39;m recommending a developmental vision exam to check for this sort of thing. Imagine how it must feel to carry the burden of this for your whole life, to be sure that you must be "stupid" because this keeps surfacing where others seem to have no problem.

Isn&#39;t the pure variety of humanity humbling sometimes? :hi:

[post=343145]Quoted post[/post]​

[/b][/quote]


Yeah, that&#39;s tough. I was in peril of being placed in a slow learner class because of a combination of vision problems and dyslexia that were completely unnoticed until second grade. Funny how an eye exam, new glasses, moving me to the front of the class and a bit of tutoring on writing words in the same order I could sound them out helped. I still wrote individual letters backwards for years, and I couldn&#39;t read maps and tell north south east and west until I was in my thirties.

Believe me, I&#39;m the first one to recognise that poor spelling doesn&#39;t necessarily mean poor comprehension, but where would I be if no one pointed out my mistakes? Still making them, that&#39;s where. I no longer have need to be embarassed when I write, so I feel these things empower us all.