#1
Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:30pm
I need to brush up on some basic principals of grammar. Any good books you'd recommend?
Updated On: 4/29/06 at 06:30 PM
#2
Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:36pm
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
Not that I've been using it to edit my posts.
Not that I've been using it to edit my posts.
Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be enbered with your old nonsense. ~ Emerson
#3
Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:38pm
Shameless, I thought the same thing. That was standard issue for first year law school. That and the Blue Book of Citations and Black's Law Dictionary!
#4
Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:40pm
Different states, same requirements for law school.
I still have my blue book somewhere!
I still have my blue book somewhere!
#5
Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:42pm
I have it at the office, but rarely use it. I wrote an article recently and used it then, but the courts here do not even follow the Blue Book in their own decisions.
#6
Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:43pm
Journalism School. We had to pass a NASTY grammar test to graduate.
Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be enbered with your old nonsense. ~ Emerson
#7
Posted: 4/29/06 at 7:33pm
Please let me note that Strunk and White is often WRONG in its usage of grammar. I've used that booklet in the classroom and ultimately went back to Warriner's Grammar and Composition. Everything you need to know is there and it's clearly written.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
Updated On: 4/30/06 at 07:33 PM
#8
Posted: 4/29/06 at 7:36pm
So, that's why I had such a hard time with that test. Dammit!
Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be enbered with your old nonsense. ~ Emerson
#9
Posted: 4/29/06 at 8:35pm
That's probably the case. I can't come up with specific examples where Strunk and White go astray, but there were enough times for me to scrap the book and haul out the trusty Warriner's books.
Using Strunk and White was the idea of a principal who encountered them in a graduate course he was taking. This is the same principal who thought V.C. Andrews was an "exemplary" writer. At his urgings I tried to read FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC and couldn't get through the first 50 pages. Not only was it poorly written, but it was obvious.
He taught a single English class and had them read FLOWERS. My classes read THE GREAT GATSBY and got higher scores on the NYS Regents exam because they had a greater appreciation of literary technique and the use of symbolism.
What literary merit is to be found in FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC?
Using Strunk and White was the idea of a principal who encountered them in a graduate course he was taking. This is the same principal who thought V.C. Andrews was an "exemplary" writer. At his urgings I tried to read FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC and couldn't get through the first 50 pages. Not only was it poorly written, but it was obvious.
He taught a single English class and had them read FLOWERS. My classes read THE GREAT GATSBY and got higher scores on the NYS Regents exam because they had a greater appreciation of literary technique and the use of symbolism.
What literary merit is to be found in FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC?
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
#11
Posted: 4/29/06 at 11:11pm
Have you noticed that Liam's writing has marginally improved?
(I take no credit for it, but the truth must be told!)
(I take no credit for it, but the truth must be told!)
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
#13
Posted: 4/29/06 at 11:18pm
Yes. He posted on one of Yenta's threads today.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
#14
Posted: 4/29/06 at 11:20pm
DP, are you really in Montana, or was that a joke?
#15
Posted: 4/29/06 at 11:32pm
What does your question have to do with Liam's improved writing skills?
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
#16
Posted: 4/29/06 at 11:34pm
Obviously nothing, I saw the Billings reference in another thread!
#17
Posted: 4/29/06 at 11:38pm
Was Liam mentioned in the Billings reference that you caught in another thread?
I still don't see how you made the connection.
I still don't see how you made the connection.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
#18
Posted: 4/29/06 at 11:43pm
It was a thread jack question, there was no connection, non sequitur sorry!
#19
Posted: 4/29/06 at 11:50pm
Is "Thread Jack" the au courant term for "Mojito"?
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
#21
Posted: 4/29/06 at 11:54pm
"Sin and Syntax"
It's a little hardcore and makes you feel like an idiot.
It preaches grammatical rules so correctly that it, itself, isn't alway written perfectly.
It's a little hardcore and makes you feel like an idiot.
It preaches grammatical rules so correctly that it, itself, isn't alway written perfectly.
#22
Posted: 4/30/06 at 12:05am
"Please let me note that Strunk and White is often WRONG in their usage of grammar."
You mean ARE wrong?
You mean ARE wrong?
#23
Posted: 4/30/06 at 12:07am
Well, now, that depends if Strunk and White is a company named for two people or are just the two people.
#25
Posted: 4/30/06 at 12:26am
strunk and white refers to the book so "is" is correct.
also, even if strunk and white referred to a company named for two people it would be "is" since "strunk and white" in this case refers to "the company."
therefore, the sentence would read: (the company) is wrong on all counts...
lastly, i highly doubt that the elements of style by strunk and white has numerous errors since the book is in its fourth edition now and, if there were errors, they would have been corrected by now. also, as several people here noted the book is known as an authority for journalists, lawyers, etc. it would not be the case if it had so many mistakes.
also, even if strunk and white referred to a company named for two people it would be "is" since "strunk and white" in this case refers to "the company."
therefore, the sentence would read: (the company) is wrong on all counts...
lastly, i highly doubt that the elements of style by strunk and white has numerous errors since the book is in its fourth edition now and, if there were errors, they would have been corrected by now. also, as several people here noted the book is known as an authority for journalists, lawyers, etc. it would not be the case if it had so many mistakes.
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Updated On: 4/30/06 at 12:26 AM
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