Grammar nazis and mastering crap

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

SMOGZINN

Lifer
Jun 17, 2005
14,359
4,640
136
Apostrophes - You are not smart enough to read between the lines? regardless of how something is wrote, doesn't it read the same?

I'm sure you are trolling with this, but:

The Apostrophe is the difference between:
A company that knows it's shit
and
A company that knows its shit.
 

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
18,811
198
106
The Apostrophe is the difference between:
A company that knows it's shit
and
A company that knows its shit.

That is what I am referring to about english being crap.

Whether it's a pit bull, or the lab, it's still a dead dog on the side of the road.
 

Rakewell

Platinum Member
Feb 2, 2005
2,418
1
76
That is what I am referring to about english being crap.

Whether it's a pit bull, or the lab, it's still a dead dog on the side of the road.

I just don't understand your argument. Smogzinn's example is spot on, and each sentence means something entirely different. How is that a "dead dog"?
 

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
18,811
198
106
I just don't understand your argument. Smogzinn's example is spot on, and each sentence means something entirely different. How is that a "dead dog"?

Why does english have to have so many rules?

Wouldn't it easier if the language was simpler?
 

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
18,811
198
106
It's all he could muster with his grasp of the language.

Lets do some english vs math

Math: 2+2=4

English: 2+2=4, unless you are talking about eggs, then its 2+2=5, if its milk its 2+2=6.

Can we not think outside the box? Or do yall have to puke up what yall have been told your whole life?

Its not about grasping the language, its about why does the language have to be so complicated?
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
Lets do some english vs math

Math: 2+2=4

English: 2+2=4, unless you are talking about eggs, then its 2+2=5, if its milk its 2+2=6.

Can we not think outside the box? Or do yall have to puke up what yall have been told your whole life?

Its not about grasping the language, its about why does the language have to be so complicated?

Because we think and behave in complicated ways?


And, let's be clear here: are you complaining about the ENGLISH LANGUAGE, or are you complaining about LANGUAGE IN GENERAL ?

There is no language out there that can demonstrate all complex ideas with ease and actually be called a simple and easy language, at least any more so than the major languages out there today.
 

Phoenix86

Lifer
May 21, 2003
14,644
10
81
Lets do some english vs math

Math: 2+2=4

English: 2+2=4, unless you are talking about eggs, then its 2+2=5, if its milk its 2+2=6.

Can we not think outside the box? Or do yall have to puke up what yall have been told your whole life?

Its not about grasping the language, its about why does the language have to be so complicated?
Higher education can help with understanding these things. There's actually specific classes that deal with the evolution of languages.

Have you tried to learn jive in stead?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0j2dVuhr6s#t=1m
 

drebo

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2006
7,034
1
81
If english was not so complicated, imagine how much time and money we could save in schools? Why teach kids english from the time they start school all the way through college?

Wouldn't it be a better idea to adopt something that was easier to learn?

Through the entire education system, how much time, money and resources are wasted on the english language? How many trees were cut down to make the text books, how much ink had to be make to print the books, how much fuel to transport the books?

If english was easier, we could probably shave years off the education system, and save billions of tax payers money.

The majority of "English" taught in primary and secondary schools is vocabulary and literature. Whether it be French, German, or Aboriginal, the time required to teach vocabulary and literature would be the same.

Grammar is a small, small fraction of the time spent in an "English" classroom. I learned most of my English grammar in French class.

Also, all languages have irregularities.
 

Rakewell

Platinum Member
Feb 2, 2005
2,418
1
76
Why does english have to have so many rules?

Wouldn't it easier if the language was simpler?

Lemme try to understand what you're saying here.

So in Smogzinn's example, you would prefer that the contraction it's be simply "it is", and keep the possessive pronoun its the way it is?

So the sentences would read:

"A company that knows it is shit"

and

"A company that knows its shit."

Is this an example of English being "crap"?
 

Vic Vega

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2010
4,535
4
0
The english language sucks. Why should someone strive to understand, or master crap?

Why would someone get a masters degree in operating a cotton gin? Its outdated technology, so your just throwing your time and money away.

Why master english when all you are learning is a crap language?

Do we dress up a bloated dead dog on the side of the road? No, we recognize it for what it is, a dead, bloated, stinking dog.

Grammar nazis are like pointing out a dead dog. Yea, its a dead dog, so what?

Didn't you go to school? I have done exactly zero English language study post high school and don't seem to have a problem.

Who let you on the Internet anyway?

Is it so difficult to understand the difference between you're and your?
 

Vic Vega

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2010
4,535
4
0
How many years of english do you think you took from 1st grade all the way through college?

My estimation is that I have fewer than 6 months total accumulated time learning English over my entire academic career. You make it sound like people literally spent years and years immersed in this language and did nothing else. Honestly, using you as an example, perhaps we SHOULD do this and maybe then people like you wouldn't be such taffards.
 

Phoenix86

Lifer
May 21, 2003
14,644
10
81
Didn't you go to school? I have done exactly zero English language study post high school and don't seem to have a problem.

Who let you on the Internet anyway?

Is it so difficult to understand the difference between you're and your?
I thought both were reduced to ur these days. SEE simple. ;)
 

Jodell88

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2007
8,762
30
91
Grammar Nazis - 1
OP - 0

hAD745908
 

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
18,811
198
106
Higher education can help with understanding these things. ]

So people have to pay to understand something that should be a basic concept?


Didn't you go to school?

Yes, finished high school and took 2 literature classes in college.

Truth be told, literature and english were some of my favorite classes. However, there is no reason for the language to be so difficult.
 
Last edited:

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
70,619
13,818
126
www.anyf.ca
Grammar nazis reside in parents' basements, have nowhere to go in life because they tried to master in useless stuff like arts and language, so they feel powerful when they can correct someone's mistake. Its fun to purposely make mistakes, get's them really riled up!
 

Murloc

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2008
5,382
65
91
If english was not so complicated, imagine how much time and money we could save in schools?
>english
>complicated
HAHAHAHA
everyone abroad learns English because it's the easiest language on Earth and it's very flexible.
Spelling should be fixed but apart from that it's cool.
As a matter of fact, only native speakers of English do stupid errors like its/it's their/they're. It's a good auxiliary language but it's difficult for natives, go figure.