posted on April 25, 2007 08:57:15 AM new A fun book for you punctuation pedants:
"Eats, Shoots and Leaves" by Lynn Truss
Another grammar book written in a witty and playful style is "The Deluxe Transitive Vampire; The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed" by Karen Elizabeth Gordon.
posted on April 25, 2007 09:57:28 AM new
Love talking grammar and punctuation! (I am a certified Word Police for the Atlantic Monthly.)
Lately we've been transcribing old family journals from the 1800s, written in faint pencil, small. My husband sits next to me with the journal and a strong magnifier and reads, including spelling as given and all punctuation as given. I type. We can get about 3 weeks done in an hour, and we spend one hour daily doing this. (There are 48 years' worth!) It's hard for an ex-English teacher to type it wrong! Here's just a sample, from 1865; this woman was educated (for a woman in those days) and the wife of a man named Folsom who founded Folsomdale NY and then Tekamah NE:
Thursday, January 19
Fine morning, had invitation to go to Folsomdale, did not go. Mr Wilcox called; payed [sic] him for hay, had, & gave him, 20 dols for more. Fried cakes, Sarah had company to tea. Mrs Brain [sic] called, went to meeting. She came home with me stayed all night.
Friday, January 20
Beautiful day. Went out with Mrs B. Made some calls, took dinner at Mrs Pembers, came home, put up 2 shelves. JB Folsom here to tea, Br Butterfield & wife come, had a prayer meeting. Mr Fry came. JBF pd 10 dols for stove. Letter from Benj.
Saturday, January 21
Busy day. Sarah had washing done. I worked about house until 2 oclk. Joan, G. [sic] called went to church PC not mine. Br Bills preached. Went in evening to prayer meeting.
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Dogs have owners, cats have staff.
[ edited by roadsmith on Apr 25, 2007 09:58 AM ]
posted on April 25, 2007 10:17:32 AM new
Well, you are probably familiar with Barbara Wallraff, an editor for The Atlantic. She has written a few books on the subject of words and grammar too.
posted on April 25, 2007 10:49:11 AM new
Your quote from the nineteenth century..
"Fine morning, had invitation to go to Folsomdale, did not go. Mr Wilcox called; payed [sic] him for hay, had, & gave him, 20 dols for more. Fried cakes, Sarah had company to tea. Mrs Brain [sic] called, went to meeting. She came home with me stayed all night."
That looks like the genesis of casual email and text messaging.
posted on April 25, 2007 11:31:07 AM new
I've e-mailed Barbara W. a couple of times about grammar stuff.
A friend of mine, also a grammar fanatic, used to travel with her brother when they were younger. They'd make a point of eating in little local cafes and, upon entering, would grab a menu quick. The first one to find an error (usually an awfully placed apostrophe!) got free lunch from the other. Sometimes they'd find the error while walking to their table.
Reporter friends of mine back in Utah couldn't stand the ignorant woman who was the editor at the time. They'd all grab the daily paper when it came to their desks; first one to find an error in her editorial!! got free lunch.
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Dogs have owners, cats have staff.
posted on April 25, 2007 12:12:47 PM new
Many years ago, I was copy editor for the University of Maryland newspaper, The Diamondback. Now, I'm using spellcheck and misplacing commas.
posted on April 25, 2007 01:04:37 PM new
May as well rehearse for writing commie speech and articles,we could be a commie state soon!
We will all pool our herilooms together and sell under one seller ID ,IOWA STATE COMMUNE CHAPTER 102987,and eat at the communal kitchen .Anyone caught selling on his own at his home would be punished!
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Lets all stop whining !
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posted on April 25, 2007 01:54:42 PM new
Linda-this is what Helens university nicknamed their school after....I know there theres a joke here somewhere
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[ edited by classicrock000 on Apr 25, 2007 01:55 PM ]
