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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

A crisis on the boards

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Jag_Fel, Jan 26, 2002.

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  1. Derek_Colze

    Derek_Colze Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 14, 2002
    I think what's trying to be said here is that we don't want this to turn into the AOL instant messenger. Where almost every word in the dictionary is abbreviated.

    'sup? kewl. skool.

    I hate that.
     
  2. Kier_Nimmion

    Kier_Nimmion Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2000


    'There' vs. 'their' bugs me (though I sometimes make the mistake with 'they're' and 'their'), as does people messing up 'to', too and 'two'. People who never use caps, especially when using 'i'. Things like 'ob1' bother me to no end, when it should be 'Obi-Wan', 'ur' instead of you are or 'you're'; and especially when they spell a simple name incorrectly, like 'Anakin'- I mean, you just read (presumably) a book where the character's name was spelled out before you possibly hundreds of times, how can someone get it wrong?

    That said, however, I could live with the poor grammar and spelling of which I am most certainly guilty of as well, if I didn't see so many inane threads. I am sick to death of 'Insert Name here vs. Insert Name Here' threads even though I usually post in them. Or, though out the span of a day a user will post 3-6 threads asking one question instead of creating one thread asking 3-6 questions. However, we must also look at what is inane to us is important to someone else.

     
  3. ReaperFett

    ReaperFett Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 9, 1999
    Jag, I have corrected you so many times on 'Zhan' it's not funny :)
     
  4. The Gatherer

    The Gatherer Jedi Youngling star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 2, 1999
    I agree - I hate bad spelling and grammer!

    You would think that you would find a greater understanding of the english language in this forum, after all, this forum is dedicated to literature and reading!
     
  5. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    True Gatherer but when SW books like XW by AA use the word "too" for the number "two", what do you expect? Then there's the infamous Rebirth oddity of the "Larses" when it should be "Lars". AA's books are when I noticed SW laguage suddenly being less than perfect. I'm grammar and punctuation blind, but if I can spot an error, it ain't good.

    Jedi Ben
     
  6. AmazingB

    AmazingB Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2001
    "Then there's the infamous Rebirth oddity of the "Larses" when it should be "Lars"."

    This wasn't a mistake. Since the Lars name ends in "s," in order to pluralize it, it needs the "es." That is, if I remember it correctly.

    Amazing.
     
  7. palpatineson

    palpatineson Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2001
    You're right. When a word ending in an "s" needs to be made plural, you add an "e" before the plural "s".

    Of course, if that person was not trying to be plural, but instead possesive(sp.), then that person did not use correct english.

    Thank you.
     
  8. IAmTheDarkSide

    IAmTheDarkSide Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 9, 2002
    No, it was definitely used wrong in that passage. I don't have the book here, but it was definitely an error.
     
  9. Genghis12

    Genghis12 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 18, 1999
      "Owen and Beru Larses had been the first personal casulties in Luke Skywalker's battle against the Empire."
    In this context, "Lars" is neither plural nor possessive. The same could have been written "Owen Lars and Beru Lars..." Because both people are Larses (note proper use of "Larses"), it can be shortened "Owen and Beru Lars..."

    However, IMO it's hardly a worthwhile nit to pick. All print media has typos, grammatical errors, etc. Del Rey is not immune to something that plagues everyone.

    (That's why I tend to dismiss a certain groups of NJO critics, for example, who have to resort to dwelling on such insignificant trivialities to maul the NJO.)
     
  10. IAmTheDarkSide

    IAmTheDarkSide Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 9, 2002
    I wonder: When any manuscript is turned in to the editors, how bad is it? Because it makes me wince when I catch a grammatical or spelling error every page or two in any book, makes me wondering why the people in charge of editing are even getting paid when they're not doing their jobs...
     
  11. palpatineson

    palpatineson Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2001
    That is most definately a point to be nitpicky over. I mean, that's somebodies name. Would you like it if someone said at your funeral, "Here lies Genhgrass14"?

    I forgot to read back before I posted
     
  12. Kier_Nimmion

    Kier_Nimmion Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2000



    I have gotten e-mail from a few authors with typos and spelling errors in it and seen some in their public posts, so they are no more immune to it than we are. Check Mike Stackpole's web page, there are a couple there also.

    Also, typos don't bother me nearly as much as a technical gaff.


     
  13. Genghis12

    Genghis12 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 18, 1999
    palpatineson...
    "Would you like it if someone said at your funeral, "Here lies Genhgrass14"?"

    I actually wouldn't care at all at the time - I'd be dead. :D
     
  14. Kier_Nimmion

    Kier_Nimmion Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2000




    And not like it's your real name anyway.



     
  15. Genghis12

    Genghis12 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 18, 1999
    Imagine if in a secret government experiment on children's names they took DNA from Frank Zappa and Demi Moore to find out what the child would be named.

    (EDIT: Toss in a bit of George Foreman as well, to get the number aspect.)

    I'd think "Genghis12" would be one of the more normal names that would be created.
     
  16. palpatineson

    palpatineson Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2001
    Considering I don't know your real name, I was using Ghengis 12. I was trying to make a point.

    True, Ghengis would probably be a more normal name if they crossed those two, but hopefully no one ever will.
     
  17. Fluke_Groundwalker

    Fluke_Groundwalker Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 11, 2001
    It bugs me to no end when I see the number of spelling/grammatical errors that are made on this message board! Every individual forum is plagued by poor grammar and/or spelling.

    People, how hard is it to proof read your post? Just scan over it, and if you see an error, fix it! Man!
     
  18. IAmTheDarkSide

    IAmTheDarkSide Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 9, 2002
    I've never really cared what people say about me at my funeral. If by the time that I die I haven't yet made a lasting mark on the world, nothing they say at my funeral's going to change that one bit. And I for one will be beyond caring...
     
  19. Jag_Fel

    Jag_Fel Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 8, 2002
    I never mispell Zhan!
    Hey wait, do I?
     
  20. Face Loran

    Face Loran Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 21, 1999
    Yes. You do. A lot. It's Zahn.
     
  21. IAmTheDarkSide

    IAmTheDarkSide Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 9, 2002
    I think that was a joke. ;)
     
  22. Bravo

    Bravo Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2001
    I agree with Jag_Fel. If you don't know how to spell a word, please check it up. I bet you, rival boards and sites are probally talking about this to, and just degradeing theforce.net.

    You all have to understand, is that theforce.net IMHO is the best site/board out there. And we must keep that alive, by having INTELL. words, and posts being posted.
     
  23. Sinje_Gawa

    Sinje_Gawa Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 17, 2001
    For those having problems, I have my IE homepage set to www.dictionary.com - a very helpful website not just for spelling but also for its thesaurus. If I have a problem, I just open another IE window and it's there.

    We can all help out people by expanding our own vocabularies while using the boards and leading by example. Make fun of someone's bad spelling and grammar, and you'll just make them think you're a nitpicking jerk. Correct them gently and show them what a nice post with plenty of well-chosen words looks like and they might emulate you.

    That's one reason why I try to use different words interchangably with more commonly used phrases, to challenge people and make them think about them. That, and because I care about what I write. 'Transubstantiate' to describe Jedi going to spirit form. 'Pogrom' instead of Imperial 'purge'. Etc, etc.

    We're the Lit forum! We should be well-read! Let's not wallow in the mire of poor language skills!
     
  24. Kier_Nimmion

    Kier_Nimmion Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2000


    If I do a long post I take it into WordPerfect and write that way, then paste it back into the message window.


     
  25. Sturm Antilles

    Sturm Antilles Former Manager star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 22, 2000
    i do admit i do spell things wrong, but about 90% of the time i spell whatever i spell wrong on purpose. like 'coz' instead of 'because' and 'realize' instead of 'realise', etc.

    Wat doo U think English class is 4 N-E-way?
     
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