New member's

[Stratmangler]

Originally Posted by Matthew Snell

I think you'll find that a "C'D's" is probably a model in Citroen's range. If it wasn't before, it will be soon.

Loving all this grammar stuff. Does anyone remember this old chestnut? You have to try to punctuate the following sentence:

Richard where Bob had had had had had had had had had had had the examiner's approval.

(And yes, it can be done!)

I've done the apostrophe for you to give you a head start.

I can manage four hads.

Richard, where Bob had had, had had the examiner's approval.

However, the crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe.

Chris

[andrew ivimey]

Is that the one with Emmeline the modified dog?

an album that was released om quadrophonic sound!

[Richard]

Originally Posted by andrew ivimey

Is that the one with Emmeline the modified dog?

an album that was released om quadrophonic sound!

Heavens! Had to look that up,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nINYjuPsHbo
Evelyn was Zappa, Wuthering Heights was Bronte who appears here by proxy,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WChywYrwHBY

I can't get anywhere at all with the lads had dads thing. Does that get me third prize in the Penadnt competition?

[Stratmangler]

Originally Posted by andrew ivimey

Is that the one with Emmeline the modified dog?

an album that was released om quadrophonic sound!

Nah, Evelyn is on "One Size Fits All" - it's the track before San Ber'dino.

"Crux of the biscuit" is from the song about bromadrosis, otherwise known as Stink Foot, from the album Apostrophé.

Don't know about the quadrphonic sound thing - possibly, there was a lot of it around at the time.

Chris

[Stratmangler]

Originally Posted by pre65

How about

Richard, where Bob had had "had", had had "had had". "Had had" had had the examiner's approval.

Is it any wonder that so many people don't bother with grammar ?

And to the pedants, I know there should not be a gap between the question mark and the letter before, but that's my way, it looks better.

Didja google it ?

I agree about the question mark thing, too.

Chris

[pre65]

Originally Posted by Stratmangler

Didja google it ?

I agree about the question mark thing, too.

Chris

Did I google it ?

You saying I ain't clever ?

Corse I googled it.

[andrew ivimey]

As I cycled home this afternoon I suddenly heard 'stinkfoot' > dun to dun too dunnnnn! remembered Fido and bromadrosis with python boot and realised my error!

had had bollocks ;-)

[Baggy Trousers]

Originally Posted by andrew ivimey

As I cycled home this afternoon I suddenly heard 'stinkfoot' > dun to dun too dunnnnn! remembered Fido and bromadrosis with python boot and realised my error!

had had bollocks ;-)

Oh dear, Doc!

I was about to quote Fowler's Modern English Usage and why I disagree with several of his postulations contained therein (and which would be apposite in the context of this thread), when Fido and his galloping bromadosis shattered the spell that has attended quite the most entertaining and erudite conversation we have had for at least three years.

I long have subscribed to the view - note correctly-placed participle (!) - that a fundamental familiarity with Latin is a prerequisite for the proper usage of English; in the absence of this and the etymological grounding it provides, we have newsreaders and other semi-literates assaulting us with the likes of "vunerable" which they would never say if they had been wounded in Latin.

Of course, this wouldn't help with the Greeks' apostrophe. The Romans didn't have this useful grammatical device as they were much too concerned with their own genitive case. But (if I may start with a conjunction) they (the Romans) reveled in Bunga Bunga parties whilst the Hellenic tribes just ran up enormous national debts which we, it seems, are obliged to underwrite.

There is an excellent history entitled The Landships of Lincoln in which the author's prose is rendered all but unintelligible by the publisher's inclusion of only one apostrophe in the entire work. One has to re-read many sections in order to determine whether the "s" denotes plurality or possessiveness. I continue to wonder if this is some new typesetting fad or just another sad product of what passes for "education" in modern England. Shame, innit?

When I become planet dictator, everyone will be required to read Thomas Babington Macaulay. The standard of literacy then will be raised by an immeasurable degree and our lives will be enriched because of it; no longer will be be obliged compulsorily to dwell in a land where such standards as do exist seem to have been dictated by Millwall supporters.

Bis vivit qui bene vivit or sumfink like that John, know wot I mean like ?

Baggo

Philip - the question mark is for you!

[Richard]

Hail Baggus, Pedant Supremus

I know little of Latin not a little Latin little of it. Whilst researching this post for the Latin for Supreme , after deciding to ignore whether or not Pedant is Latin, I came across a lovely thread here,

http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqu...,-5253,00.html

and read as far as here,

• • I have sat here engrossed for half an hour after an engaging debate at work today where some suggestions included 'conundri', 'conundrae', 'conundinomie', 'conundrinopigomipingus' - all of which I dismissed as being utterly uneducated guesses. I do not believe in the concept of overbearing pedants. Pedantry is a rare and beautiful thing these days and the mere sniff of it brings joy to my heart. So my hearty congrats to all of you who felt moved enough by this topic to contribute. By the way, the plural is conundrums. But I think conundra sounds posher.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Katy Attwood, Manchester UK
  • A pedant is a piece of cloth that flies from the top of the mast of a ship whose captain has a stuffy nose. An overbearing pedant is a bigger piece flying above a smaller one.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Stafford Smith, Seattle USA
  • I was enjoying the debate until all these Americans started joining in!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Andy Malec, Ventura, California USA

[Shane]

Ah Baggy; truly the pedant's pedant. I wonder though whether, having neatly avoided a split infinitive, you may be guilty of tautology.