If you're a nerd like me, you may be amused by these humerous explanations of grammatical rules, which incorporate such critical resources as goats, unicorns, and velociraptors in their explanations.
If you're not a nerd like me, read 'em anyway! They're accurate, and when followed, make it much easier to understand whatever you're saying!
Reading as many papers and reports as I do, I run across a sadly large number of these on a regular basis. Hanging out on the internet, I run across even more. I found a couple I'm guilty of as well. Clear communication is a brilliant thing; let's use it!
Courtesy of our comic-creating friends at The Oatmeal.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 1:00 pm
by Flash
I'll admit I'm guilty of the "i.e." one.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 1:15 pm
by Chaka of the Pakuni
Flash wrote:I'll admit I'm guilty of the "i.e." one.
Same here.
I've never heard of this site before. Some funny stuff there. I loved the Cat vs Internet comic, haha.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 1:19 pm
by jim beam
what is grammar?
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 1:29 pm
by NoahTheBoa
jim beam wrote:what is grammar?
Don't worry about it Jim, you're fine.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 2:34 pm
by Ignatius
Me fail English? That's unpossible.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 5:34 pm
by frostdillicus
jim beam wrote:what is grammar?
/nerd mode on
A grammar is a series of rules that govern the structure of a natural language. While this applies to the multitudes of spoken and written languages in the world, it also, much to many peoples surprise, governs the world of computer programming languages too. In fact, programming languages follow their grammars far stricter than most human languages do, with very little in the way of exceptions that you find in human languages.
/nerd mode off
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 5:59 pm
by Boss Llama
frostdillicus wrote:
/nerd mode on
A grammar is a series of rules that govern the structure of a natural language. While this applies to the multitudes of spoken and written languages in the world, it also, much to many peoples surprise, governs the world of computer programming languages too. In fact, programming languages follow their grammars far stricter than most human languages do, with very little in the way of exceptions that you find in human languages.
/nerd mode off
Should I be evil and correct the grammar in your last sentence? There are two mistakes
::runs for cover::
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:13 pm
by l3eeron
I appear to be a habitual rule breaker of "ITS" rule #2.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:46 pm
by MrBlah
I was reading a guide on how to use a specific slide rule the other day. It was an engineer's slide rule, so it was obviously written by engineers. The 2nd paragraph of the introduction did not have a period at the end of it.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:12 pm
by frostdillicus
Alizée Fan wrote:
frostdillicus wrote:
/nerd mode on
A grammar is a series of rules that govern the structure of a natural language. While this applies to the multitudes of spoken and written languages in the world, it also, much to many peoples surprise, governs the world of computer programming languages too. In fact, programming languages follow their grammars far stricter than most human languages do, with very little in the way of exceptions that you find in human languages.
/nerd mode off
Should I be evil and correct the grammar in your last sentence? There are two mistakes
::runs for cover::
I can post the entire formal grammar of the English language for you to peruse. I'm sure there are far more than two mistakes in what I wrote.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:29 pm
by THE Flying chihuahua
frostdillicus wrote:
Alizée Fan wrote:
frostdillicus wrote:
/nerd mode on
A grammar is a series of rules that govern the structure of a natural language. While this applies to the multitudes of spoken and written languages in the world, it also, much to many peoples surprise, governs the world of computer programming languages too. In fact, programming languages follow their grammars far stricter than most human languages do, with very little in the way of exceptions that you find in human languages.
/nerd mode off
Should I be evil and correct the grammar in your last sentence? There are two mistakes
::runs for cover::
I can post the entire formal grammar of the English language for you to peruse. I'm sure there are far more than two mistakes in what I wrote.
DOO EET.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:42 pm
by frostdillicus
All I could find is a partial grammar and I'm pretty sure that would take at least 15 posts to post the entire thing.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:12 pm
by metacide
I was never taught about the "then" and "than" differences. Now I know, which I've heard is half the battle.
Re: Fun with grammar (No, really!)
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:15 pm
by THE Flying chihuahua
metacide wrote:I was never taught about the "then" and "than" differences. Now I know, which I've heard is half the battle.
