Handy grammar guide
POSTED BY: PhoenixRose
UPDATED: Friday, August 17, 2007 18:08
VIEWED: 25478
PAGE 6 of 11
Ok, I'd be happy to do that, but let me clarify a few things with you first, since I'm not a native to the UK and don't want to miss any nuance...
Could it be said to be similar in meaning to "rather"? Or is it more like "partly"? Or maybe even "mosty"? I don't want to get this wrong, so please let me know!
The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows. - Gautama Siddharta
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In the British English sense, "rather" can be used to mean both "extremely" and "slightly", with the latter closer to the dictionary definition and the latter as a sarcastic understatement, so yes, it's very similar to "rather" - unless, that is, "rather" is used in a different way in the US!
Thinking about it, there seem to be three levels of "quite" in use in UK English:
1) Slightly ("quite good" in dullish tone = just about acceptable)
2) Most of the way there, often in a surprising manner ("quite good" in excited tone = goodish, better than I expected)
and 3) Extremely ("quite marvellous" = wonderful; we wouldn't normally say "quite good" to mean wonderful). The stages between don't seem to be covered. What I don't know is how this will fit into what you can say about the silly word... Ah, for the good old days when words simply had contradictory meanings, such as "nice" once meaning "nasty".
I wonder if this means we need a UK/US translation dictionary in the BSR forum too.
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UK to US English dictionary might not be a bad idea! I'd be happy to contribute anything I know.
Sounds like it is close to the way we use "rather" (those of us who actually use rather, anyway) "Rather" is used both seriously and sarcastically. So now I think I understand a bit better. I'll see about putting that in there without it being too muddy.
The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows. - Gautama Siddharta
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Thank you, PR.
I'll come back on here and start a US-UK thingy after work this evening. By association it may even prod me into finishing the two incomplete Firefly shortfics I have on my hard drive.
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I just looked at the list and found which are my common mistakes... lol...
Grammar:
- Loose vs Lose - someone pointed out to me that I used "loose" when I should've used "lose" (but now I've been corrected)
- Noone - For a long time I wrote that, this has also been pointed out to me and I don't anymore.
Character names:
- I always write Zoë as Zoe (Bad me, but I can't help it, I always forget those two dots)
- I always believed Malcolm was written "Malcom", luckily I've pretty much always used "Mal", so there's been no problem there.
This guide's realy good, keep it up. There should really be more of these out. Too many people make so many of these mistakes and it's so easy to correct most of them.
*~*~*
"Joss, if you kill him now I'll stuff a compression coil up your ass sideways!"
~ Kaylee, "Serenity in 2000 words or less"
Kaylee's the perfect woman!
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Quote:
Originally posted by sahara:
I guess where I get confused is that I think of "The power to produce an outcome or achieve a result; influence:" for "effect" and "To have an influence on:" for "affect" to be almost indistinguishable.
Ok this is a little late, only just noticed this thread.
The difference between "effect" and "affect" is very simple in fact: one's a noun, one's a verb!
If it affects you, then it has an effect on you.
Dong ma? :)
Stuart.
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Quote:
Originally posted by sab39:
The difference between "effect" and "affect" is very simple in fact: one's a noun, one's a verb!
If it affects you, then it has an effect on you.
Dong ma? :)
Thank you, kind sir!
"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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Quote:
Originally posted by PhoenixRose:
Very welcome, Saraha! Always happy to help. Yes, they seem very similar. Those trip even my mom up at times.Quote:
Originally posted by DesktopHippie:
Thanks, PhoenixRose! Your reely good to correct our grammer like this. Their are just to many silly mistakes being made these days. Its a real annoyance. Noone should be forced too read threw badly written posts. Hear's hopeing all our post's will be grammer perfect from now on!Are you mocking me?
Me? Mock the beautiful, talented Phoenix Rose? Never! *looks very innocent*
More graphics available at www.desktophippie.com - yes, I've moved!
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Your innocent look does not fool me!
Oh yeah, and bump 
"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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Thanks, this should clear up a few things around here....It kinda bothers me when people make mistakes like that, but then I also am kinda crazy too.... 
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Love keeps her in the air when she outta fall down, tells you she's hurting before she keels. Makes her a home.
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