Text 140, 85 rader
Skriven 2005-06-20 12:14:12 av Ardith Hinton (1:153/716.0)
     Kommentar till en text av James Bradley (1:134/77.0)
Ärende: Rules...  2.
====================
Hi again, James!  Much cheered by the thought that you probably didn't notice
the errors in my last message, I shall continue bravely on the same path:

JB>  I'm excited about having a palace, and even more
JB>  flattered I've reached Sainthood, but to have an
JB>  infirmary named after me... Apropos, I guess.


          Hmm.  At least it's not something like "King Charles's head", i.e. a
recurrent & irrational obsession, from a novel by Charles Dickens... [grin].



JB>  I'm just afraid the guide will only confirm my
JB>  distaste for the language, not increase my curiosity.


          Perhaps... but what did I say about decisions based on fear?  One of
the best *and* worst features of English, IMHO, is its hybrid vigour....  :-))



JB>  why differentiate between syllable count on Pronouns,


          I didn't say anything about pronouns.  In the absence of examples as
to what you wanted to know about, I guessed it had to do with "James".  If you
wanted to know about pronouns... possessive pronouns don't use the apostrophe.



JB>  and I've heard some Brits pronounce Charles with two.


          I've also heard Canadians pronounce "film" with two syllables... but
their pronunciation doesn't change the spelling!  I didn't mean to suggest the
number of syllables is the only important factor.  It's just that one-syllable
names don't include certain complexities you might not care about anyway.  You
might prefer to avoid the whole issue by using the American spellings....  ;-)



JB>  Why do I *have* to place that punctuation mark inside
JB>  the quotations?


          You don't have to do it if you're quoting a single word in isolation
as you did with "syllable".  I'd place the question mark outside the quotation
mark, as I've done with the period here... but that's not what I was taught to
do in school either!  The Americans do as you describe.  The British apply the
rule of common sense, which makes much more sense to me.  I did the latter for
quite some time before I realized it was British usage.  I also use the double
quotation mark, though, as you would.  Only in Canada, eh?  Pity... [chuckle].



JB>  With English, I'm afraid I have little patience. When
JB>  every answered question poses four more questions, and
JB>  sixteen exeptions...


          Okay... so here's my capsule summary of the history of the language.
England was a "green & pleasant land", and various people came along & decided
they'd like to have some of it for themselves.  They all contributed something
to what we now know as the English language.  There are inconsistencies in the
way we use the language because of its mixed origin.  But you & I are carrying
on this fine tradition in Canada.  We use British & American English together.
I've also seen signs with descriptions like "Chinese smorgasbord", "Vietnamese
cuisine", and "BLT on a bagel"... another aspect of the cultural mosaic.  :-))



JB>  I've been trying to learn a bit of Russian. I hear that
JB>  language is easier to understand. <G>


          I don't know.  Russia is a pretty big country... they may have local
dialects just as we have in English-speaking countries.  I understand somebody
was trying to start up a RUSSIAN_TUTOR echo not too long ago, however....  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver BC, CANADA [604-266-5271] (1:153/716)