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Discretion is the...  [message #75573] Tue, 26 February 2019 18:25 Go to next message
Carl in Boston is currently offline  Carl in Boston

Getting started

Registered: November 2015
Messages: 15



I cringe when I see certain grammatical errors-'there their they're'-'your you're', etc. Also, the incorrect use or nonuse of apostrophes. "The two boy's walked to school." But one that I see often is the use of 'discrete' when it clearly should be 'discreet'. It would be discreet of writers to learn the discrete meanings of these two words. That is all.
see:  www.vocabulary.com/articles/chooseyourwords/discreet-discret e/

[Updated on: Tue, 26 February 2019 18:30]

Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75574 is a reply to message #75573] Tue, 26 February 2019 19:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13739



I see your cringe and raise you loose vs lose and awhile vs a while

As for the apostrophe catastrophe....



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75575 is a reply to message #75574] Tue, 26 February 2019 20:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Carl in Boston is currently offline  Carl in Boston

Getting started

Registered: November 2015
Messages: 15



I can't get involved in a complicated discussion of this right now; I have to go setup my tent and then visit my neighbor who's having prostrate surgery.
Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75576 is a reply to message #75575] Tue, 26 February 2019 21:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13739



"carl9804 wrote on Tue, 26 February 2019 20:48"
I can't get involved in a complicated discussion of this right now; I have to go setup my tent and then visit my neighbor who's having prostrate surgery.

--
I have this vision, now, of your neighbour having prostate surgery in your tent!



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75577 is a reply to message #75576] Wed, 27 February 2019 03:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Teddy is currently offline  Teddy

Really getting into it
Location: USA
Registered: October 2006
Messages: 484



Oh, gosh and darn! lol 

I know from personal experience how easy it is to write the wrong one as the fingers are flying becasue the mind is spinning out good stuff. It helps to have beta readers and editors but I've discovered that not even that is always successful in weeding out the they're vs their vs there problems. I've seen some of the best gay fiction writers on the web inadvertently let things through. Even website owners. Mostly, I don't let it bother me unless it's prolific in a tale. 

The one that drives me nuts, and it seems to happen a whole lot, is the one that says, "Billy didn't intend to make a pass at Tommy and nor did he want to." I mean come on! Really? 8o (<---- emoji's don't seem to be working. At least they don't show on my screen)

Maybe those of us who naturally see things like that could volunteer to beta read for other authors? 

[Updated on: Wed, 27 February 2019 03:06]




“There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That's what sin is.” - Terry Pratchett
Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75580 is a reply to message #75577] Wed, 27 February 2019 13:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
The Composer is currently offline  The Composer

Toe is in the water

Registered: September 2018
Messages: 87



Best ever:

'He smiled at them weekly.'

Did he make a note in his diary?
Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75582 is a reply to message #75580] Thu, 28 February 2019 12:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mark

Likes it here
Location: Earth
Registered: April 2013
Messages: 275



"The Composer wrote on Wed, 27 February 2019 06:41"
Best ever:

'He smiled at them weekly.'

Did he make a note in his diary?

--

Yes, he must have liked them a lot (not "alot"!) if he was able to smile at them on a weekly basis! 

I know that English isn't the easiest language in the world to learn, even for those of us for whom it is our native language (and sometimes the only language we know fluently), but even I'm bugged by certain obvious errors - things like the stuff Carl noted: confusing they're/their/there, your/you're, its/it's, of the bad use of the apostrophe - saying "boy's" (singular possessive) when you mean "boys" (referring to multiple young males).  I mean, I learned that stuff in school by the time I was in the second grade (in the U.S., the average individual starts second grade around age 7).
Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75587 is a reply to message #75582] Thu, 28 February 2019 20:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Teddy is currently offline  Teddy

Really getting into it
Location: USA
Registered: October 2006
Messages: 484



"Mark wrote on Thu, 28 February 2019 04:34"

saying "boy's" (singular possessive) when you mean "boys" (referring to multiple young males). 

--
Ah, the dreaded possessives and apostrophes. And, since I've left school, even those rules have changed some. Like it's no longer a strict rule whether one places the apostrophe after the "s" or before it. A person can now spell Marcus's or they can spell it Marcus' and either way is correct for obtaining the same meaning. That one always confused me anyhow, still does even though it apparently no longer matters! LOL



“There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That's what sin is.” - Terry Pratchett
Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75605 is a reply to message #75577] Mon, 11 March 2019 03:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Carl in Boston is currently offline  Carl in Boston

Getting started

Registered: November 2015
Messages: 15



I might be willing to perform BETA services for writers in regard to spelling, grammar and punctuation. I have skills in writing in the English language.(Unfortunately I have no skills in creative writing).I am also limited in my ability to use various WP applications. If you can tell me more about how this all works: how to make contact w/ writers, and actually do the reviewing. I don't know how this msg. brd. works, as far as privately making contacts, and I don't want to just post an email address.
Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75608 is a reply to message #75605] Mon, 11 March 2019 13:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
The Composer is currently offline  The Composer

Toe is in the water

Registered: September 2018
Messages: 87



I would be happy to do the same, particularly with respect to 'Britspeak'.
Re: Discretion is the...  [message #75609 is a reply to message #75605] Mon, 11 March 2019 15:44 Go to previous message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13739



"carl9804 wrote on Mon, 11 March 2019 03:37"
I might be willing to perform BETA services for writers in regard to spelling, grammar and punctuation. I have skills in writing in the English language.(Unfortunately I have no skills in creative writing).I am also limited in my ability to use various WP applications. If you can tell me more about how this all works: how to make contact w/ writers, and actually do the reviewing. I don't know how this msg. brd. works, as far as privately making contacts, and I don't want to just post an email address.

--
There is a Private Message facility on the forum. Starting there works if you wish for privacy



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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