Things I Think about
Viewing comments for Chapter 2 "A Verbal Irritation"thoughts that consume, worry, intrigue, and tickle
9 total reviews
Comment from Katherine M. (k-11)
I was glad to see you have come up to bat for NaPoWriMo (it's only today that I have a few minutes free to look to see who else is mad enough to try and rise to the challenge). I enjoyed this poem and especially the idea that you are going to treat us to a wider more precise use of words that have fallen into mis/dis use. Looking forward to it; katherine xx
reply by the author on 05-Apr-2021
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I was glad to see you have come up to bat for NaPoWriMo (it's only today that I have a few minutes free to look to see who else is mad enough to try and rise to the challenge). I enjoyed this poem and especially the idea that you are going to treat us to a wider more precise use of words that have fallen into mis/dis use. Looking forward to it; katherine xx
Comment Written 04-Apr-2021
reply by the author on 05-Apr-2021
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well, I don't know that I will go into more grammar. I just feel that although it is now acceptable to say certain things, that doesn't make them proper or correct. But Lord knows, if Dumbo, Dr. Seuss, and probably Kipling's How the Leopard got his Spots - except the cancel culture probably never heard of him - can be unilaterally banned, we are beyond help.
Comment from judiverse
Very clever. I don't remember who said it, but once a gentleman was scolded about ending a sentence with a preposition and he came back with, "That's the kind of nonsense up with which I will not put." I don't think the rules of grammar are really taught well or not at all today. I like your title even if it ends in a preposition. I enjoyed your informal tone in this, but you stray away from the meter. It's more like prose. A fun poem, anyway. judi
reply by the author on 04-Apr-2021
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Very clever. I don't remember who said it, but once a gentleman was scolded about ending a sentence with a preposition and he came back with, "That's the kind of nonsense up with which I will not put." I don't think the rules of grammar are really taught well or not at all today. I like your title even if it ends in a preposition. I enjoyed your informal tone in this, but you stray away from the meter. It's more like prose. A fun poem, anyway. judi
Comment Written 03-Apr-2021
reply by the author on 04-Apr-2021
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the old gentleman's retort is hilarious and perfect. thanks for bringing it to my attention. In my mind, I put the emphasis on certain words in a line to make the meter right, and I forget to highlight it or change the font to signify the accent, but I know a good poet doesn't need to do that if the beat is obvious. Anyway, thanks for reading.
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You're welcome. I can't recall who said that. I like your down to earth approach. I think it's a bit too much when people in the contest put too much into researching their subjects for their poems. judi
Comment from Susan Louise Gabriel
You sound like someone who loves to play with words and to learn how the use them grammatically correctly - or not, whichever way you prefer. I always think about the statement made by Dalai Lama: "Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively."
Thank you for sharing
Susan
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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You sound like someone who loves to play with words and to learn how the use them grammatically correctly - or not, whichever way you prefer. I always think about the statement made by Dalai Lama: "Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively."
Thank you for sharing
Susan
Comment Written 03-Apr-2021
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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well, sometimes I agree with the Dalai Lama. I guess I'm showing my age - we had an English teacher who drilled proper grammar into us and I tend to agree with her, too. The English language is a pretty language and I just hate to see it mutilated. However I have
to say, I'm not much on having rules spouted at me.
So, best I get off the subject. Thanks for sticking with me!
Katharine
Comment from Jeff Watkins
I violate rules of grammar frequently when I think it is more effective to do so. I agree with the Mark Twain school of thought on the topic correctness.
The misuse of words bothers me. I have read or heard people I respect--intelligent, well known, well informed people--that do not know the difference between uninterested and disinterested. I would not be surprised if the dictionaries change their definitions of disinterested to fit with how people use the word. Keep up the good work, please. Jeff
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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I violate rules of grammar frequently when I think it is more effective to do so. I agree with the Mark Twain school of thought on the topic correctness.
The misuse of words bothers me. I have read or heard people I respect--intelligent, well known, well informed people--that do not know the difference between uninterested and disinterested. I would not be surprised if the dictionaries change their definitions of disinterested to fit with how people use the word. Keep up the good work, please. Jeff
Comment Written 03-Apr-2021
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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Thanks, Jeff. I must admit, I violate them, too, at times, and to tell the truth, I am not much of a rule follower. However, English is a pretty language, spoken properly, and I hate to see it slaughtered out of laziness or for any reason.
Also, titled and entitled - same thing with hearing it spoken incorrectly by people who should know the difference.
Thank you for your very nice and encouraging comments. AND for the lovely 6!!
Katharine
Comment from dragonpoet
Yes, my English teachers stated that you should not end sentences with prepositions or dangling modifiers. Does the preposition rule also go for questions? Because 'Are you there?' ends with a prepostion. I think we all have become lax with following the rules we learned in school. As with most grammar rules there are some exceptions, like the one I mentioned and your title.
Keep writing and stay healthy.
dragonpoet
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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Yes, my English teachers stated that you should not end sentences with prepositions or dangling modifiers. Does the preposition rule also go for questions? Because 'Are you there?' ends with a prepostion. I think we all have become lax with following the rules we learned in school. As with most grammar rules there are some exceptions, like the one I mentioned and your title.
Keep writing and stay healthy.
dragonpoet
Comment Written 03-Apr-2021
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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Yes, and like, "What is it for?" etc. I guess it's just the "at" one that gets me. It sounds so bad to my ears. However, to the best of my knowledge, "there" is not a preposition.
Thanks for reading my post and for your comments.
Hope you stay healthy, too.
Katharine
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I agree with you on that one.
No porblem, Katherine.
I'm trying my best
Joan
Comment from Susan Newell
I 'm nit-picky about that one, too. Even worse is when a preposition is used previously in a sentence and then repeated at the end. Perhaps you could also do a poem about split infinitives. I aspire to write correctly, but sometimes find myself making common errors. Great job.
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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I 'm nit-picky about that one, too. Even worse is when a preposition is used previously in a sentence and then repeated at the end. Perhaps you could also do a poem about split infinitives. I aspire to write correctly, but sometimes find myself making common errors. Great job.
Comment Written 03-Apr-2021
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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Oh, heavens, I do, too. I think, mainly, it's the "at" thing. :) It just bugs me. I think our language is a pretty one when spoken correctly and I hate hate to hear it...not. Maybe you can write the one on split infinitives ;) I will eagerly await it.
Katharine
Comment from Debra White
Hello :)
I really enjoyed reading your verbal irritation!
I agree with you too ;)
I love your little 'opine' tangent at the end of your poem. You do know I'm going to look it up now?! It's one of those words as you so rightly said is 'an old word from a different time' - I've heard it before, but I need to familiarise myself with its meaning.
Thank you for sharing. You made me smile :)
Best wishes, Debra
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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Hello :)
I really enjoyed reading your verbal irritation!
I agree with you too ;)
I love your little 'opine' tangent at the end of your poem. You do know I'm going to look it up now?! It's one of those words as you so rightly said is 'an old word from a different time' - I've heard it before, but I need to familiarise myself with its meaning.
Thank you for sharing. You made me smile :)
Best wishes, Debra
Comment Written 03-Apr-2021
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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Well, Debra, if I made you smile, I am delighted. I am smiling, too, at your response.
Many thanks.
Katharine
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
Love the meter here and the grammatical lesson! He he he, I know now what makes you mad. This is a fun write and I hear bad grammar all over the place and have to bite my tongue! Unless it comes from my own daughters! Which is rare! My Father was a stickler for grammar, much enjoyed, love Dolly x
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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Love the meter here and the grammatical lesson! He he he, I know now what makes you mad. This is a fun write and I hear bad grammar all over the place and have to bite my tongue! Unless it comes from my own daughters! Which is rare! My Father was a stickler for grammar, much enjoyed, love Dolly x
Comment Written 03-Apr-2021
reply by the author on 03-Apr-2021
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Well, actually, I am guilty of some grammatical errors, but "the 'at' one" just gets to me. I think the English language, spoken properly, is a beautiful language, and I hate to hear it mangled. One thing I've noticed on the news, besides the misuse of "at", is when asked a question, the guest begins with "So, ...such and such" What is with the "so" business? I am really getting picky. :)
Thanks, Dolly for reading and for your comments.
Hope you have a Happy Easter,
Katharine
Comment from lyenochka
That's cute! And you can opine all you want as you are totally free to do so, Katharine! Unfortunately, you and I learned that old grammar rule to not end in a preposition but it's not true. It was based on Latin grammar where you couldn't "split infinitives" because in Latin, it's just one word but in English it is two. So here's the updated scoop.
https://www.writingforward.com/grammar/grammar-rules/grammar-rules-ending-a-sentence-with-a-preposition
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2021
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That's cute! And you can opine all you want as you are totally free to do so, Katharine! Unfortunately, you and I learned that old grammar rule to not end in a preposition but it's not true. It was based on Latin grammar where you couldn't "split infinitives" because in Latin, it's just one word but in English it is two. So here's the updated scoop.
https://www.writingforward.com/grammar/grammar-rules/grammar-rules-ending-a-sentence-with-a-preposition
Comment Written 02-Apr-2021
reply by the author on 02-Apr-2021
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Helen, what am I going to do with you??? ;)
You are scolding me. I know, you're trying to enlighten me, and I will check it out, but whatever the new rule of correct grammar is, to me it sounds tacky and uneducated. Maybe other prepositions don't sound as bad, but "at" does, to me. Also, just because somebody says it is now accepted as correct because we can split infinitives in English, doesn't make it sound good, IMHO. I bet you NEVER hear a Britisher say it. Seems to me acceptable and proper English are two different things.
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Your opinion is what counts, Katharine. You just keep doing what you feel is right! 😊
