Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
No, I agree with you. But grammar rules that describe the way grammar worked in a different language (latin) , then applied to English 100+ years ago, do not necessarily still hold true today.
In my professional opinion...
- Thread starter Stig-OT-Dump
- Start date
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No, I agree with you. But grammar rules that describe the way grammar worked in a different language (latin) , then applied to English 100+ years ago, do not necessarily still hold true today.
Moon bunny
Judging your grammar
- Location
- Basking in my own brilliance.
The only reason it is "wrong" to split an infinitive is because it is impossible to easily do so in Latin.
Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
I'm liking what you did there. Liking what you did there am I.
hoopdriver
Guru
- Location
- East Sussex
It is still sloppy expression. That said, there are expressions in the English language where a split infinitive is unavoidable- 'to more than double' being one that immediately pops to mind.
hoopdriver
Guru
- Location
- East Sussex
No, I agree with you. But grammar rules that describe the way grammar worked in a different language (latin) , then applied to English 100+ years ago, do not necessarily still hold true today.
Why?
And was not just 100 years ago. I am nowhere near 100, being only just over halfway there, and I was most certainly taught grammar. As was everybody else in my generation and some few years afterwards. It was relevant than and it remains so, despite the justifications thrown up by sloppy educators, most of whom never caught on when it was being taught to them and later decided, of their own accord, that it was all irrelevant.
Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
I'm about the same age as you. I meant that it was in the Victorian era when educators tried to apply Latin grammar rules to English. Some of them simply don't work. I know grammar very well (I have been teaching it for nearly 30 years) and I have a healthy respect for what it is, and what it isn't.
Lance Jack
Über Member
- Location
- A BFPO somewhere
"Grid to mag add, mag to grid get rid" This term is derived from the term used in Map and Compass for finding the GMA. Or, you just use your GPS.
Haitch
Flim Flormally
- Location
- Netherlands
To me, they sound like the irresistible force of a quart of English being crammed into the immovable object of a pint pot of Latin.
ThinAir
Do more.
- Location
- Finchley, London.
To quote a certain Mr. Twain;
"It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt".
Fewer, truer words have ever been spoken
"It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt".
Fewer, truer words have ever been spoken
hoopdriver
Guru
- Location
- East Sussex
I have never heard that sound and so can't comment on your comparison.
Fred's swimming is coming on well. Swimming is a gerund.
Fred swimming is a sight to be seen. Swimming is a present participle qualifying Fred. This is correct. The difference between gerunds and present participles is not entirely obvious except to those who have learned Latin. On the other hand a lot of traditional grammar was invented to describe Latin or Greek rather than English.
Fred swimming is a sight to be seen. Swimming is a present participle qualifying Fred. This is correct. The difference between gerunds and present participles is not entirely obvious except to those who have learned Latin. On the other hand a lot of traditional grammar was invented to describe Latin or Greek rather than English.
Maybe, but it sounds like Greek to me.
