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  • #46
    Re: Abandon All Apostrophes

    Originally posted by Fortean View Post
    As a warning, avoid the works of George Bernard Shaw, whose interest in developing a phonetic alphabet led to his abandonment of the apostrophe in most of its uses. With the Shavian alphabet, (developed by Kingsley Read), it would not be used.
    George Bernard Shaw's works are referenced as Shavian, yet it was Ionesco who wrote La Cantatrice Chauve. Hmmm.

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    • #47
      Re: Please

      Originally posted by iggy View Post
      Jack (20s)
      Jack (20's)
      Jack, 20's,
      Jack, 20s,


      Please.
      Which is correct?
      Thank you.
      "Jack is in his twenty's" = wrong

      "Jack is in his twenties" = right

      Therefore, 20s is correct.

      Use either parentheses or commas, nobody cares. (Nobody cares about 20s vs. 20's either.)

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      • #48
        Re: Please

        Btw, Manchester... hubba-hubba.
        #writinginaStarbucks #re-thinkingmyexistence #notanotherweaklogline #thinkingwhatwouldWilldo

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        • #49
          Apostrophes Are Only Over-Rated Commas Substituting Unpronounced Letters

          Originally posted by Manchester View Post
          George Bernard Shaw's works are referenced as Shavian, yet it was Ionesco who wrote La Cantatrice Chauve. Hmmm.
          I could pretend to know what you thought you meant by that. I, too, as a playwright, have thought of turning machine guns upon a recalcitrant audience, but I would reserve that fate for the writers who fail to do this tiny little thing.

          For God's sake. It's not that difficult.

          Originally posted by SBScript View Post
          And yet I see improper use in screenplays and it's a distraction.
          ...It just bugs me beyond belief!

          And, yet, I see improper use in screenplays, and it's a distraction.
          JEKYLL & CANADA (free .mp4 download @ Vimeo.com)

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          • #50
            Re: Please

            Originally posted by Donreel View Post

            Perhaps such folks could be lead back to the 7th grade for remedial coursework. Or maybe just hit 'em over the head with a lead pipe.*


            * Find the mistake.

            I think I found it.

            ...coursework. Or maybe...

            should be

            ...coursework, or maybe...

            Am I right?
            sigpic

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            • #51
              Re: Apostrophes Are Only Over-Rated Commas Substituting Unpronounced Letters

              Originally posted by Fortean View Post
              I could pretend to know what you thought you meant by that. I, too, as a playwright, have thought of turning machine guns upon a recalcitrant audience, but I would reserve that fate for the writers who fail to do this tiny little thing.

              For God's sake. It's not that difficult.
              A fair cop. And yet [see comment, below]... I was going more for the sound-alike "Shavian" and "Chauve" than the Shavian/Bald pairing. ("La Cantatrice Chauve"/"The Bald Soprano" - a great work.) Besides, a link would have grounded the highfalutin pretentiousness of making a reference such as that one. (I was surprised to learn just now that "highfalutin" can actually be spelled without a trailing "g", and thus a trailing apostrophe is not needed.)

              But seriously, I agree with you: Linking is a good idea. I even did one earlier in this very thread:
              Originally posted by Manchester View Post
              And to be a bit more clear, I mean "grammar" in the non-punny broad sense. Such as...

              "Where I'm from in PA, there's a bug called a "firefly". Anyone know what it's called in MN?"
              (FYI: See Frog Hair to Woolies: Dust Bunnies by 173 Other Names - WSJ.com)
              As for commas...

              Originally posted by Fortean View Post
              ...It just bugs me beyond belief!

              And, yet, I see improper use in screenplays, and it's a distraction.
              I'd say there's no need for a comma between "And" and "yet". Since "And" is optional (though others would say it's wrong preceding "yet"), I might say "And yet" serves as an adverbial phrase as to the following clause. (I "might" say that because I actually cannot recall all the detailed nomenclature ****.)

              While this is not the basis for my comma-comment, here's a reference: Grammar Tips & Tidbits - Beginning Sentences with "And" or "But"
              Last edited by Manchester; 05-09-2012, 10:09 AM.

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              • #52
                Re: Please

                Originally posted by Mark Twain Weck View Post

                Originally Posted by Donreel:
                Perhaps such folks could be lead back to the 7th grade for remedial coursework. Or maybe just hit 'em over the head with a lead pipe.*

                * Find the mistake.
                I think I found it.

                ...coursework. Or maybe...

                should be

                ...coursework, or maybe...

                Am I right?
                Thanks for the question, and I take it seriously. My little contribution was not meant to be a study in absolutely correct grammar, but rather, was a silly illustration of one of the most common word mistakes now current.

                The word lead is the noun for a soft heavy metal. Sadly, the name of that metal also rhymes with led, which is the past tense of a completely different word, the verb lead (rhymes with bleed). The substitution of lead for led is everywhere, but for some reason the mistake seems not to be mentioned as often as most of the other word goofs that are well-known (its/it's, they're/there/their, your/you're, affect/effect, etc.).

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                • #53
                  Re: Please

                  Originally posted by Donreel View Post
                  The word lead is the noun for a soft heavy metal. Sadly, the name of that metal also rhymes with led, which is the past tense of a completely different word, the verb lead (rhymes with bleed). The substitution of lead for led is everywhere, but for some reason the mistake seems not to be mentioned as often as most of the other word goofs that are well-known (its/it's, they're/there/their, your/you're, affect/effect, etc.).
                  The lead-for-led mistake drives me crazy. Unfortunately, it's now so common that I believe it will soon be considered acceptable. English is a living language, after all, so if the majority of people start using lead-for-led it will become a standard alternate spelling. I can't count the number of times I've seen it lately in reputable newspapers, etc., so the war is just about lost. I will nevertheless gripe about it until the day I die.

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                  • #54
                    Re: Please

                    Originally posted by Paul Striver View Post
                    The lead-for-led mistake drives me crazy. Unfortunately, it's now so common that I believe it will soon be considered acceptable. English is a living language, after all, so if the majority of people start using lead-for-led it will become a standard alternate spelling. I can't count the number of times I've seen it lately in reputable newspapers, etc., so the war is just about lost. I will nevertheless gripe about it until the day I die.
                    That makes two of us.

                    Although to be fair, at least "lead" and "led" are both actual words. When it comes to horrendous travesties like "irregardless," or "winningest," I positively refuse to go gently into that good grammatical night.

                    Never.

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                    • #55
                      Re: Please

                      Originally posted by Paul Striver View Post
                      The lead-for-led mistake drives me crazy.
                      While we're at it -- cliche for cliched (accented if you like) and bias for biased.

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                      • #56
                        Re: Please

                        This is somewhat related, I guess:

                        Bored of his job.

                        I thought it should be bored with of bored by. But it's used so often it's creeping toward acceptance and I've seen it in news headlines.
                        Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

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                        • #57
                          Re: Please

                          Nothing stays the same.

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                          • #58
                            Re: Please

                            I gave up years ago on my pet peeve - "fewer" vs. "less."
                            Last edited by ScriptGal; 05-10-2012, 05:17 AM.
                            ScriptGal
                            Screenplay Consultation & Analysis
                            Fifteen Years Development Experience
                            http://www.scriptgal.com/

                            Discount for DD Members!

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                            • #59
                              Re: Please

                              I hate how language streamlines so that two different words which used to have two different spellings suddenly become one word with one spelling that means two completely different things... adding to confusion.

                              But, I also believe there *should* be a word "alot" because it has a MUCH different meaning (almost opposite) of "a lot".

                              - Bill
                              Free Script Tips:
                              http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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                              • #60
                                Re: Please

                                Unbelievably, no mention of:

                                Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation (a non-fiction book written by Lynne Truss).


                                Read it.
                                Story Structure 1
                                Story Structure 2
                                Story Structure 3

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