Search found 9 matches

by Davekent
Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:17 am
Forum: The Rebel-Yankee Test
Topic: Minnesota-isms...anyone???
Replies: 21
Views: 128263

What is a Yooper???

Being a Yooper myself, I'm qualified to explain what a yooper is. . . Michigan is divided into two parts. The Upper Peninsula (or UP), and the Lower Peninsula (or LP). If someone is from the UP, they are a UP-er. . .phonetically spelled YOOPER. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan, although very pictures...
by Davekent
Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:52 am
Forum: Grammar
Topic: Ending Sentences with Prepositions
Replies: 34
Views: 88894

Back to Ending Sentences with Prepositions. . .A Joke

Reminded me of a joke :D I saw the other day: A southern belle and a snooty New Yorker (insert your favorite city) were seated next to each other on a plane. The southern belle, in her usual friendly manner, turns to the New Yorker and asks: "so where are y'all from?" To which the New York...
by Davekent
Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:41 am
Forum: WELCOME HOME!
Topic: Just a query about punctuation.
Replies: 8
Views: 47190

The comma after the penultimate item in a list: first, second , and third is called a "Harvard comma." Some call it the "Oxford comma" or "serial comma." It's a stylistic issue. Either way is correct. Technical writers prefer it as it lowers the risk of ambiguity. Journ...
by Davekent
Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:22 am
Forum: Grammar
Topic: Group genitive (not sure of the name)
Replies: 16
Views: 48063

It's called a "Saxon Genitive." And it clearly does not work here. . .Mary's merriment, Mike's microhone, and Peter's peter are fine examples. If people would just read their prose aloud these abominations would be caught before going to print. The author's genitive of choice should have b...
by Davekent
Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:46 am
Forum: Grammar
Topic: Ending Sentences with Prepositions
Replies: 34
Views: 88894

Ending Sentences with Prepositions

What's the opinion of our community of grammar scholars?

Is this something up with which you will not put?

or

Are prepositions ok to send a sentence with?
by Davekent
Thu Apr 13, 2006 4:21 pm
Forum: The Rebel-Yankee Test
Topic: How do YOU say "sauna"?
Replies: 36
Views: 96606

Only a runkalainen doesn't know how to pronounce "sauna." It's SOUUU-na. Heavy AC-cent on the first SYL-lable. . .Almost like sHOUU-na.
by Davekent
Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:29 pm
Forum: Grammar
Topic: May I or Can I
Replies: 13
Views: 34552

May/Can Conundrum

When used to express permission or possibility, can and may are often used interchangably without a problem. Seems to me the biggest distinction between can and may is formality . Can appears to be less formal than may in this context. More Formal: You MAY smoke in here. Less Formal: You CAN smoke i...
by Davekent
Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:10 pm
Forum: Grammar
Topic: "to hospital" vs "to the hospital"
Replies: 24
Views: 65112

Gotta add my extra two cents: There are many count nouns that take the zero article in abstract or specialized use. . .especially in certain idiomatic expressions with verbs like "be" and "go" + preposition: go by car . . .but sit in/look at, the car be in bed . . .but make/sit o...
by Davekent
Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:31 am
Forum: The Rebel-Yankee Test
Topic: Panking Snow and Cleaning Snow
Replies: 16
Views: 83524

Panking Snow and Cleaning Snow

Maybe this is an Upper Michigan/Northern Wisconsin/Minnesota thing---Anyone from snow country use or hear of these: 1. "I cleaned snow for two hours after that big storm the other day." (Meaning is "removed" snow, not "cleansed" the fallen snow) 2. "When I was done...

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