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HERE is a thread Sasvermont started last year. The first page is something new members might find helpful.
It's not necessary to read all the following pages because the thread changes topic.
At first I thought I would bump up that thread, but then realized someone would need to read the whole thread before coming to the bump where I say only read the first page!
:D
I agree it is time for a reminder, because I have noticed my posts getting sloppier! I don't know if our space bar isn't working correctly, or if my thumbs aren't, but I know I have been noticing more and more run on words in my posts!!!
I too agree ..... of course. ;)
And, I have a question. :eek: Could anyone enlighten me on the words THEN and THAN? It seems that quite a few Americans are using THEN, while I would have used THAN. :confused:
I'm still hoping to learn more English here. :)
THEN should be used to describe something relating to time.. as in "I went to the store then I ate cake then I came home."Quote:
Originally posted by Randi
I too agree ..... of course. ;)
And, I have a question. :eek: Could anyone enlighten me on the words THEN and THAN? It seems that quite a few Americans are using THEN, while I would have used THAN. :confused:
I'm still hoping to learn more English here. :)
THAN is a comparison word - "I would rather have chocolate than green beans"
taken from http://www.nc.gsu.edu/~phltso/grammar&usage.htmlQuote:
Then is used to indicate a time ("Now I feel OK, but I was scared then") or to introduce the consequent in an "if...then..." phrase ("If death is annihilation, then it is nothing either to the living or to the dead"). Than is used to make comparisons ("Jesse Ventura is taller than Dr. Ruth").
I think it was explained in the previous thread:
I know I am a horrible offender of this rule. I think it is because it is difficult to determine which is which when spoken, therefore it is not as obvious to me when writing. As a default I tend to always use then, and I'm sure it is often incorrect.Quote:
First off - "Than" is used as a comparative statement - comparing this to that. (example: I am older than you!) "Then" usually refers to a time or sequence (example: "Then" we went to the store.)
LMAO, I honestly forgot that the word THAN even existed. Now, I need to go look it up.Quote:
Originally posted by Randi
I too agree ..... of course. ;)
And, I have a question. :eek: Could anyone enlighten me on the words THEN and THAN? It seems that quite a few Americans are using THEN, while I would have used THAN. :confused:
I'm still hoping to learn more English here. :)
I used to be an awesome writer in highschool. In fact, I was chief editor of the school newspaper. It really bothers me that I have slipped so much. I think alot of it comes from when I was a service representative. We had to abbreviate everything and make the notes as small as possible. We never used punctuation or spacing. We left the vowels out of all the words to keep the notes short.
:eek: "... learn more English HERE!?"Quote:
Originally posted by Randi
I'm still hoping to learn more English here. :)
Gud Grief! :p
You and John do rather well on your own ~
WHY ruin a good thing!?? :confused:
SOME of us would do well to take English Lessons from YOU!
;)
Oooh, if someone loans you something you have BORROWED IT, NOT "BARROWED" it!
I know that I am one of those people that just can't spell for crap. I now understand that it ticks people off everytime I miss-spell something. I will try to take the time to look up a word that I don't know how to spell in the future. I hope I didn't bug to many people. See, me being such a horrible speller,lol, I can read other miss-spelled words. hehehe. Pretty bad huh. I guess its because no one really buckled down on me to take the time. Maybe pt can be a good practice. :)
Kate
This topic was near and dear to me or is that neer and deer?
I really think it is ok to type words incorrectly some times. But some of the people cannot even get the topic spelled correctly. Some times I hardly know what is being brought up because the word(s) are so poorly spelled. I don't want to give examples, as I don't want to start hurting feelings.
Please take the time to get the words correct at least in the topic portion! We all make mistakes, everyone knows that. But being "lazy" or "not giving a hoot" does not count.
And that is my update......not much of one I suppose.
SAS
I revisited this thread because of typing shortcuts; u for you, for example.
I know there are a bunch of words I don't know how to spell. I usually try to come up with a different word. If I can not think of any word to use I will look how to spell it.
I blame some of this on the auto-correct functions of Word and other software. For example, if I type in "taht" - it automatically corrects it to "that".
So my brain is getting rewired and my fingers are learning that "taht" is how one spells "that".
So when I'm typing here at PetTalk, I've got to be extra craeful, so that I don't mix up my spelling while waiting for spellcehck to fix it for me ;)
(btw - who wants to break the news to Freckles that she and I live in "Oregon":eek: :p )
I see quite a few spelling mistakes, but it seriously does not bother me one little bit, I am more interested in what the person has to say, than checking their grammar etc etc.
Keep in mind in NZ we spell things differently to America e.g colour, you spell it color, Jewellery, and there a quite a few others I cannot think of just now, I used to be a very good speller in my young days, but honestly I just forget how to spell some words these days, and I don't have a spell checker,
As I age, I find I make the most mistakes with homonyms, even though I am well aware of the different meanings and proper word usage. I guess that puts me into the lazy category for not proof reading carefully. I'm generally not as good a speller as I used to be either. Even though I value being correct in my printed and spoken word, I'd rather not feel so compelled to be accurate that I pass on making a comment.
I believe here in Ohio it is "Orygun" of maybe "Ori-gone"...at least that is how many pronounce the suburb of Toledo.Quote:
Originally posted by catland
(btw - who wants to break the news to Freckles that she and I live in "Oregon":eek: :p )
But what my BIL tells me is that the State of is pronounced more like Organ.
I guess everybody says things a little differently :D
I don't even remember what a homonym is. LOL...it's been to long since school.Quote:
Originally posted by Rachel
As I age, I find I make the most mistakes with homonyms, even though I am well aware of the different meanings and proper word usage. I guess that puts me into the lazy category for not proof reading carefully. I'm generally not as good a speller as I used to be either. Even though I value being correct in my printed and spoken word, I'd rather not feel so compelled to be accurate that I pass on making a comment.
It's not news; you live across the Willamette.:) I'm closer to Mt. Hood.Quote:
Originally posted by catland
(btw - who wants to break the news to Freckles that she and I live in "Oregon":eek: :p )
LOL :D (but how many PetTalkers out there besides you and me and Luckies4mes that know how to pronounce "Willamette"?)Quote:
Originally posted by Freckles
It's not news; you live across the Willamette.:) I'm closer to Mt. Hood.
:o Well I'll try. Is ... WILLaMet ... anywhere close to correct?Quote:
Originally posted by catland
LOL :D (but how many PetTalkers out there besides you and me and Luckies4mes that know how to pronounce "Willamette"?)
A homonym is what they call it when two words are spelled differently, and have different meanings, but sound the same.
You're and your are homonyms. So are two and to and too. So are pear and pair. And knew and new.
You're is only properly used as a contraction for "you are."
Your is used to indicate a possesive.
So if you are going to the store in order to return more than one pair of shoes, it could be confusing to hear, but clear when spelled correctly.
You're going to the store, two pairs of your new shoes need to be returned. You knew that might happen when you bought them, too!
willAMette ;)Quote:
Originally posted by catland
LOL :D (but how many PetTalkers out there besides you and me and Luckies4mes that know how to pronounce "Willamette"?)
My parents live in Sisters, Oregon. :D
Lets all see if you can pronounce this one NONGATAHA?:) :D
Karen, thank you for posting that. The "your/you're" "to/too/two" "it's/its" grammar errors irk me. But one I can't figure out how people do is "No" for "know." Writing for attorneys for a living keeps my spelling and grammar eagle eye on. Word's grammar checker is dumb too - doesn't know the difference between there, they're and their.Quote:
Originally posted by Karen
A homonym is what they call it when two words are spelled differently, and have different meanings, but sound the same.
You're and your are homonyms. So are two and to and too. So are pear and pair. And knew and new.
You're is only properly used as a contraction for "you are."
Your is used to indicate a possesive.
So if you are going to the store in order to return more than one pair of shoes, it could be confusing to hear, but clear when spelled correctly.
You're going to the store, two pairs of your new shoes need to be returned. You knew that might happen when you bought them, too!
Alright...two serious questions. I'm trying to type a letter and my spell check is bothering me.
Why would greatful be spelled grateful? Grate as in grate cheese? Wouldn't great as in good thing make more sense?
Also, I always thought it was 'beckoned call' It makes sense, because you beckon people. But apparently, the correct phrase is beck and call. Huh? :confused:
I *think* grateful is derved from the Latin (Greek?) word "gratus" meaning pleasing. Not sure.
Think of gratitude instead of your cheese grater - that might help. ;)
As for "beck and call" - I've never heard of it. :p
Thank you. Beck and call as in "She expects me to be at her beck and call." I saw it spelled that way in the Enquirer magazine, so I went and looked it up, that is the correct way. But I always thought beckoned makes sense. Because when you want someone you beckon for them or call for them.Quote:
Originally posted by Kater
I *think* grateful is derved from the Latin (Greek?) word "gratus" meaning pleasing. Not sure.
Think of gratitude instead of your cheese grater - that might help. ;)
As for "beck and call" - I've never heard of it. :p
Haha, of course! It didn't click until you used it in a sentence. I can see how you could hear it as "beckoned call". (In fact, if you do a search for it on google you will see that a *lot* of people think it's "beckoned call".)
It's funny how sayings can get mangled in our minds, often due to mishearing. Kids are really good at mangling expressions! I know I used to say some pretty strange things when I was a kid....:o
I went to my husband all matter of factly and said "So, how do you spell beckoned call and greatful?" I thought I was going to enlighten him too. He goes "B-E-C-K A-N-D C-A-L-L and G-R-A-T-E-F-U-L. Why?" Boy was that humbling. My husband is the worst speller that I know. How did I miss this? It took me 26 years to finally learn this?!