The Ledge Usage Guide

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by skcin

It's Christopher REEVE. NOT REEVES

I don't know what that has to do with anything, but there it is.

However it is George Reeves.

Also, because I feel I should let everybody know what a horrible person I am, my original response to this post was going to be: "Correction: It was Christopher Reeve!"

Am I the only one who liked Village of the Damned?

[skcin]

^ I thought about posting "was" but it seemed too morbid.

BTW - it brings up the point - can you ever use "it's" for "it was" or only "it is?" I'm almost positive "it is" is the only one. Am I correct?

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by skcin

BTW - it brings up the point - can you ever use "it's" for "it was" or only "it is?" I'm almost positive "it is" is the only one. Am I correct?

You are correct: it's, there's, here's, he's, she's - the "s" stands only for the present tense "is." Just as "you're" means "you are," not "you were." And "I'm" means "I am."

Also on the apostrophe-s front, it might be interesting to note that the apostrophe-s used to form possesive nouns is actually a contraction of "his," though saying or writing "John his tattoo" became obsolete long ago.

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by Jyqm

Although (I almost just typed "all though"... and then "all most") that's the actual title of the song, so that's Stevie's fault, not the fans'.

Ah, I misunderstood your original post. I thought you were referring to Stevie's errors.

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by cliffdweller

gotta

It's "got to". .

[David]

Originally Posted by cliffdweller

I've been reading through this thread now for about 15 minutes (albeit half-assedly) and I've gotta say that this is one of the most boring threads I've read in a long time!

I'm sorry, I guess it's just that I can't stand lengthy conversation about prescriptivist grammar. ~snooze~

You could find at least one ledgie who could make that criticism of virtually every thread on the ledge. So I don't think this thread is any more widely boring than another thread.

[amber]

Originally Posted by David

You could find at least one ledgie who could make that criticism of virtually every thread on the ledge. So I don't think this thread is any more widely boring than another thread.

I have to admit, I changed one of my spelling errors last night in an assignment because of this thread. It was a ChiliD tip, one that I knew already but that wasn't so concrete in my mind as to be automatic, apparently. It was the plural "s" with just an apostrophe afterwards thing.

[ragandbone]

Thanks for the explanation and examples, Jyqm!
I would have chosen correctly in most of your examples, just using my ear, and not the rules, so perhaps the instances in which I am confused are actually ones in which "which" would be as appropriate as "that".

Originally Posted by Jyqm

I think "that" and "which," at this point, are acceptably interchangeable in most cases. There is a distinction, but I think even grammar books these days recognize that it's not really worth making.

"That" is actually a fairly tricky word. There are four uses of it:

1) as a noun/pronoun. "That is one of my favorite songs."
2) as a determiner. "That pie is tastier than the others."
3) as a conjunction. "I think even most grammar books these days recognize that it's not really worth making."
4) as a relative pronoun. "I used to put up with her attitude, but telling me I look fat was the straw that broke the camel's back." (This is the one that is sometimes interchangeable with "which.")

I think the general rule for that/which is that if the clause is absolutely necessary for the sentence to make sense, use "that."

"Dogs that bite are dangerous." If you take out the clause "that bite," the sentence doesn't mean the same thing anymore: "Dogs are dangerous." So you use "that."

"The article, which talks about the dangers of owning large dogs, was printed in Sunday's paper." This sentence still makes sense and means the same thing if you take out the clause: "The article was printed in Sunday's paper." So you use "which," and you also usually separate the clause with commas.

I think that's the rule, anyway.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by amber

I have to admit, I changed one of my spelling errors last night in an assignment because of this thread. It was a ChiliD tip, one that I knew already but that wasn't so concrete in my mind as to be automatic, apparently. It was the plural "s" with just an apostrophe afterwards thing.

Glad I could be of SOME help.

(See? I'm not ALWAYS surly )

[amber]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Glad I could be of SOME help.

(See? I'm not ALWAYS surly )

I know. I was just jealous and wanted more of happy fun ChiliD.
Just giving you a hard time. Besides, we hardly ever talk about the same things anyway, so I'm not much affected if you are surly. I read your posts, though, I like them.

[cliffdweller]

Originally Posted by Rickypt

It's "got to". .

touche

[DrummerDeanna]

Anyone else live in a place where people say, "sangwich" instead of sandwich?

That makes me want to put sharp things in my eye. Or in the eye of a person who says sangwich.

[cliffdweller]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

Anyone else live in a place where people say, "sangwich" instead of sandwich?

No, but someone said "nafkin" instead of napkin to me the other day. What's so funny is that they thought that was the correct useage. Oh, and another friend of mine says "earf" instead of "earth" and thinks that's correct too! I corrected him the other day because it made my ears bleed a little to hear it, and frankly, I'm sick of hearing him say "earf" all the time---it's f*cking annoying . Well, he got mad at me for correcting him! It was as if he had never seen or heard the word "earth" before. I swear, it was weird .

Okay David, your thread isn't that boring after all

[Johnny Stew]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

Anyone else live in a place where people say, "sangwich" instead of sandwich?

I do!

My brother and uncle say it, with their tongues firmly planted in their cheeks. But there are folks around here who don't mispronounce it intentionally.

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

Anyone else live in a place where people say, "sangwich" instead of sandwich?

You're both wrong.

It's "sammich."