Whippett's 1st Assignment

[Whippett]

Not to pop your balloon, Dean, but it depends on whether you follow the Oxford or Cambridge grammar style. Both are correct, and both have serious and legitimate followings. I happen to follow the Cambridge rules. While "and" is indeed one of the conjunctions, the only legitimate times to leave out the comma before "and" are: when the two items are part of a nominative pair, such as "peas and carrots" or when a list of alternates are presented (though the Oxford style requires a comma prior to the an joining the last clause to the list of alternates. The use of comma before "and" when dealing with separate actions is actually correct, though I understand that the rules of grammar (as epitomized by the Microsoft rules of grammar) suggest Americans have a third convention in this regard. As with American ideomatic spelling, it is not something I care to follow since I am not (thank whatever diety you choose to address) and American. Well, I am an American, being Canadian, but since Usians have stolen the term "American" and claim it as their own I will concede that I am decidedly not American, and will not follow American rules of spelling or grammar.

I do understand that Americans have grammar rules, however, they are not the rules of English as I know it and love it* **. Yes I make mistakes, especially when dealing with things on-screen. I also find it difficult to proof my own work since I get bogged down in meaning rather than syntax and grammar in my own work. I do accept correction - but lets be clear about which rules of grammar are being criticized. I no longer use full English spelling, though for the longest time I did, since that was required of me. However, I do use the Cambridge rules of grammar and follow then automatically.

Elipses (the ...) strike me as a casual affectation, and, unless I have access to a word processor which allows for the proper use of he en and em bar, prefer not to use a "-" in my writing***. I am here precisely to hone my skill. Of course my sentences are too long. If I wrote tightly I would not be here, nor would I need to be.

All of which is to say - be as harsh as you care to be Dean - crticism is always useful. However, I will reject criticism that is based solely on American rules of grammar or spelling - (em bar, of course) since they are an abomination unto the eyes of the Lord and and a curse unto His ears, and, being a devout follower of a Jesuit education, I reject that kind of perversion (rotflmao).

*as an aside, the Oxford convention would be ; however, in the above sentence
** I am told that Americans speak and write English. I would take exception to that, or, if it is the case that English is used, would suggest a proper dictionary (the Unabridged OED springs to mind)
*** the en bar is properly used in numbers, the em bar is used in grammar. Thus, 1980-1989 requires the en bar, while the phrase - meaningless to some - uses the em bar twice, once before and once after the aside. The use of the minus sign the "-" properly only is used in depicting negative numbers of a subtraction.

[Mad Lews]

Not to pop your balloon, Dean, but it depends on whether you follow the Oxford or Cambridge grammar style.

I do understand that Americans have grammar rules, however, they are not the rules of English as I know it and love it* **. Yes I make mistakes, especially when dealing with things on-screen. I also find it difficult to proof my own work since I get bogged down in meaning rather than syntax and grammar in my own work. I do accept correction - but lets be clear about which rules of grammar are being criticized. I no longer use full English spelling, though for the longest time I did, since that was required of me. However, I do use the Cambridge rules of grammar and follow then automatically.

Dear Whippett,

Yes many a true (American) English speaker realizes that the mother tongue has been debased across the pond. Whilst it is well known the, so called, "English" can not tell a z from an s, can not spell tire correctly, and have difficulty telling a car hood from a ladies cap, we still live in hope for your salvation.
Seriously though, the object of all those grammar rules, proper spellings, and writing styles, are to make your meaning clear as you tell your tale. Some would claim since the bulk of your readers are American you should humor them at the expense of your native dialect. I'm not such a purist. I would simply hope for consistency.
No one I know can properly proof read their own work since you tend to read what you meant to write rather than what is actually etched in photons. If you find the colonist to damn conflicted you might consider a more local source for proofing. These hallowed halls can still offer some tips on inspiration, style, plotting, point of view etc. Hopefully that can be of use to you.
Now to read the assignment.

Yours
Mad Lews