Re: Hi and How?

tony cooper wrote:
On Tue, 15 May 2007 14:23:14 +1000, Salty <p@xxxxxxx> wrote:

Next, George Pickering is NOT an authority on classic language, he is a "coach" ??? and is an inspector of language in UK schools. Those same schools that are teaching to an appalling and rapidly falling standard as often noted in both Parliament and the media.


I'm more of a popcorn and Coke guy than a Brie and Chardonnay guy. In
my public (that's a U.S. "public") high school, a "classic" was one of
those illustrated comic books like
http://www.tomheroes.com/images/COMIC%20classics%20illustrated%20moby%20***.jpg
Americans of a certain age will remember these. They were Cliff Notes
for high schoolers.

In college, I took all business courses and journalism courses after
my freshman year. I think "Comp 101" and "Lit 101" were the last
English-related courses I took. My interest in English usage stems
entirely from being a voracious reader.

I can appreciate that. I wish that more of my students regarded reading as a pleasurable pastime rather than something onerous. People who are avid readers often have a greater appreciation of language than those who are merely educated.


I have no interest in "classic language". I *do* like to see words
used correctly. My vocabulary is 'arf decent, and a misused word hits
me like ice cream on a bad tooth.

It used to with me, but nowadays I notice, but seldom respond. Unless the offender proceeds to lecture others on matters of grammar or personal expression. :)


I am much more tolerant of syntactical "errors". I respect Partridge,
Curme, Fowler, Hayakawa, et al, but I rarely pull out their books from
my shelf. If it's clear, it works. I follow the pause school of
commafication,

Commas as breath pauses still irritate me unless it is intended as a speech.

prefer and use the UK style of punctuation outside of
the quotes, and joyfully mix in slang and vulgarisms in my writing.

As do I.

I am my own Style Guide.

No, in my case I am still locked in the original EB White "Little Book" mode. I'll accept growth in language, but grudgingly. (Curmudgeonly?)


Whether you like it or not, the rules of syntax have evolved. I feel
that you can place "however" and "though" anywhere you want to in a
sentence and break any mouldy old rule as long as clarity is not
diminished.

Sometimes clarity is "jarred" out of acceptance by atrocious use of language, even if the meaning is still apparent.

Just don't use "assessed" when you mean "appraised".
That affects clarity.

When have I ever done so?

In my experience an appraisal could be a "estimate" by someone who doesn't necessarily have qualification, and an assessment is a valuation, the paid opinion of a qualified professional. I don't mix them. Various dictionaries will give differing but basically similar definitions.

Real Estate agents give free appraisals, while banks considering loans require rather expensive assessments from qualified property valuers.


My other pet peeves are the use of multiple "?"s and "!"s, using
all-caps for emphasis, and spelling vulgarities (the other definition
from the usage above) with asterisks. One "?" or "!" does it,

No it doesn't.

A single ? indicates a question, as in, please clarify, while ??? signifies "what the *** are you on about"? Subtleties. ;)

use
the "*" for emphasis where you cannot bold, italicize, or underline,
and spell out "***" if that's the word you want to use.

Aye, Aye, Sir!


Regards

Salty
.

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