Handy grammar guide
POSTED BY: PhoenixRose
UPDATED: Friday, August 17, 2007 18:08
VIEWED: 25478
PAGE 2 of 11
Quote:
Originally posted by HawkMoth:
You have awesome summing up powers!
OK, names are changed, things are shiny, and I'm glad to be doing good works!
If anyone has any questions or are fuzzy on word usage not covered here, please feel free to ask! I will be editing and adding anything I think of, and I'm happy to answer specific questions.
...My mom says I'm a frustrated English teacher.
"Languages are not just sets of symbols. They also often conform to a rough grammar, or system of rules, used to manipulate the symbols. While a set of symbols may be used for expression or communication, it is primitive and relatively unexpressive, because there are no clear or regular relationships between the symbols. A language that also has a grammar can manipulate its symbols to express clear and regular relationships between them."
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I know just where you're coming from--I taught English once upon a time and set up a grammar guide* page out of frustration when I was in ST:Voyager fandom. You really did hit on all the worst "offenses" in your first post.
(*Known as "DangerMom's Handy-Dandy Grammar Guide!"
Here's an excellent source for all writers:
Common Errors in English: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/errors.html
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Major updates have been added to main post! Just... thought I'd declare that. Keep seeing things that get mixed up and annoying. Gets rid of some itchy frustration, really, to have a place to post "No, it's like this!" and hopefully have people appreciate it. 
"Languages are not just sets of symbols. They also often conform to a rough grammar, or system of rules, used to manipulate the symbols. While a set of symbols may be used for expression or communication, it is primitive and relatively unexpressive, because there are no clear or regular relationships between the symbols. A language that also has a grammar can manipulate its symbols to express clear and regular relationships between them."
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Great addition for us writers. These are all things that spell check does not catch. I for one get so wrapped up in the story as it is coming out that what gets typed isn't necessarily the right word.
Here’s what I have been wondering.
The crew tends to drop g’s from their words as in wonderin and thinkin. Should that g be replaced with a ‘ ?
I seem to remember from creative writing class (a very long time ago) that in dialogue. Each new speaker starts a new line.
What I don’t remember is:
1. Do I remember correctly that if a second PP is needed by the same speaker quotations are not used at the end of the first PP but are used again at the start of the second.
2. What if you want to add a tag onto that PP such as "Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng," Mal slamed his cup down on the table.
or "Inara you have got to stop that your driving me crazy.
Mal picked up the tea cup to throw at her. "Put your cloths on."
2. And lastly. If you put a tag in the middle of a dialogue PP should you really start a new line when the dialogue picks back up, even if it is the same speaker?
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PR -
Can you add two of my punctuation pet peeves?
Use of semicolons (;) versus commas (,) - semicolons separate what could be complete sentences!
And punctuation with quotes... it makes me crazy!! Don't use a period, as in:
"I'm so hot." said Mal. WRONG!!!
These are right:
"I'm so hot," said Mal.
"I'm so hot," Mal said.
"I'm so hot!" yelled Mal.
"I'm so hot." Mal scratched his nose while he spoke.
Desertgirl - I'm slow - what do you mean by tag and PP?
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I'm the president. I don't need to listen.
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I would be eternally grateful to any educator (primary or secondary - English or otherwise) who could effectively teach the proper conjugation of the verb " to See"...
If I hear one more overpaid athlete (or anyone else), give an interview and say “I seen you at Wal-Mart, or I seen this or I seen that….”
Well, it just really bugs me, is all I’m saying.
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Good one to point out, MAL4PREZ.
>>"I'm so hot," said Mal.
"I'm so hot," Mal said.
"I'm so hot!" yelled Mal.
"I'm so hot." Mal scratched his nose while he spoke. <<
What also needs to be emphasized is that verbs and pronouns (and articles) used thusly are not capitalized, which is usually an error seen with the improper use of commas and quotation marks. Plus, using commas to set off names when someone is directly addressed:
"What's wrong, Mal?" asked Zoe.
"I'm so hot," he replied.
"Kaylee, check the life support settings," the first mate ordered.
"Sure, Zoe, I'll get right on it," she replied.
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Sorry should not abraviate. PP stands for paragraph.
By tag I mean what happens outside the dialogue. Such as:
"Give me the money," he said while putting his hand on his gun.
'he said while putting his hand on his gun'is what I would call a tag for dialogue.
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desertgirl:
Yes, it would be proper to replace a dropped "g" with an '. This can make for some strange looking sentences.
"I was just sayin'," said Jayne. Looks weird, yet is correct.
Yes, when a second paragraph of dialogue is used for the same speaker, you do not put quotes at the end of the old one, but you do put quotes at the beginning of the new one. This shows that someone is still talking, but it's still the same person as before.
This: "Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng," Mal slamed his cup down on the table.
Would actually be written like this: "Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng." Mal slammed his cup down on the table. (could also have a "!" at the end)
This: "Inara you have got to stop that your driving me crazy.
Mal picked up the tea cup to throw at her. "Put your cloths on."
Would actually be written like this: "Inara you have got to stop that, you're driving me crazy." Mal picked up the tea cup to throw at her. "Put your clothes on."
So no, if there's a tag like that in the middle, you usually wouldn't start a new line, unless the tag you insert does not have to do with the character who is speaking.
For example:
"Inara, you've got to stop that!"
Inara flinched.
"You're driving me crazy!" Mal continued.
And yes, semicolons. I've always thought of them as something like a "soft" period. They can be used to break up run-on sentances and other handy things like that. I love them...
"Languages are not just sets of symbols. They also often conform to a rough grammar, or system of rules, used to manipulate the symbols. While a set of symbols may be used for expression or communication, it is primitive and relatively unexpressive, because there are no clear or regular relationships between the symbols. A language that also has a grammar can manipulate its symbols to express clear and regular relationships between them."
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desertgirl,
Yeah - what PR said!
Funny, I think I'm decent with grammar and punct (with beta help!) but I don't remember the words for anything. tag and nominative and dangling parti-whatever. blech!!
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I'm the president. I don't need to listen.
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