The Hijack Grammar Thread

[Hooty]

If I am writing an essay, and I have a subheading which I have underlined, do all words in that heading have to be started with a capital letter?

Whale?

[Pippin-Drill]

Is the heading a sentence? if so then the first letter does but nothing else , if it's not quite a sentence then only the key words are in capitals, or proper nouns, pronouns don't have to be.

They were the rules we followed in publishing anyway.

[whalemonste®]

If I am writing an essay, and I have a subheading which I have underlined, do all words in that heading have to be started with a capital letter?
Whale?

I concur with Emma; only capitalise if they're proper nouns.

[Hooty]

Yargh, 'tis a proper sentence. Thanks guys!

[Android Lloyd Webber]

and while we're (nearly) on the subject, can 'TEH' please fuck off now?

thanks

[whalemonste®]

and while we're (nearly) on the subject, can 'TEH' please fuck off now?
thanks

What about "ROFL"?

[Roadkill the VIII]

and while we're (nearly) on the subject, can 'TEH' please fuck off now?
thanks

What about "ROFL"?

You need rofl for when Benj makes a funny

[Android Lloyd Webber]

and while we're (nearly) on the subject, can 'TEH' please fuck off now?
thanks

What about "ROFL"?

i dont mind that... its just teh.

AARRGGGHHH

[whalemonste®]

and while we're (nearly) on the subject, can 'TEH' please fuck off now?
thanks

What about "ROFL"?

i dont mind that... its just teh.
AARRGGGHHH

I really don't see what teh problem is.

[jim b]

If I am writing an essay, and I have a subheading which I have underlined, do all words in that heading have to be started with a capital letter?

Whale?

I think it would be in the spirit of the Hijack grammar experts to point out that this is not a question about grammar, but typesetting. 

[Android Lloyd Webber]

and while we're (nearly) on the subject, can 'TEH' please fuck off now?
thanks

What about "ROFL"?

i dont mind that... its just teh.
AARRGGGHHH

I really don't see what teh problem is.

 

[Hooty]

If I am writing an essay, and I have a subheading which I have underlined, do all words in that heading have to be started with a capital letter?

Whale?

I think it would be in the spirit of the Hijack grammar experts to point out that this is not a question about grammar, but typesetting. 

 

[Lata]

Also, it's not good practice to underline things anymore.

Bold text please - underlining is from teh days of typewriters where there was no bold option.

[Snails]

and while we're (nearly) on the subject, can 'TEH' please fuck off now?
thanks

What about "ROFL"?

i dont mind that... its just teh.
AARRGGGHHH

I really don't see what teh problem is.

 

Typo? 

[Tom Blast]

and while we're (nearly) on the subject, can 'TEH' please fuck off now?
thanks

What about "ROFL"?

i don't mind that... its just teh.
AARRGGGHHH

I really don't see what teh problem is.

 

Exactly, what is the point!- Its not as if it saves any time by abbreviating. 'Teh' is wrong people, don't do it! 

[jimma]

Also, it's not good practice to underline things anymore.

Bold text please - underlining is from teh days of typewriters where there was no bold option.

Here, here.

[Hooty]

What is the difference between 'learnt' and 'learned'?

I have to write a paragraph on what I have learned/learnt and I'm not sure which it is (I think it's the latter)

Thanks

[Lata]

They are both past participles of "to learn" but "learned" is the perfect tense, "learnt" is the imperfect and sometimes needs the auxiliary "have learnt", suggesting that it is an action that is over.  "Learned" on its own is the perfect tense and is more general to describe somtehing in the past yo!

Like:

"I learned about it in the newspaper" or "I learned French".  The learning has gone on, but in a general sense and simply indicated that learning occurred.
"Yesterday I learnt the offside rule." or "I learnt French at school."   It is an action that was completed at a definite point in time.

Sorry I dunno if I have explained that well....

[Pippin-Drill]

I've always had problems with affected and effected, never know which to use 

[Hooty]

They are both past participles of "to learn" but "learned" is the perfect tense, "learnt" is the imperfect and sometimes needs the auxiliary "have learnt", suggesting that it is an action that is over.  "Learned" on its own is the perfect tense and is more general to describe somtehing in the past yo!

Like:

"I learned about it in the newspaper" or "I learned French".  The learning has gone on, but in a general sense and simply indicated that learning occurred.
"Yesterday I learnt the offside rule." or "I learnt French at school."   It is an action that was completed at a definite point in time.

Sorry I dunno if I have explained that well....

Ah - I understand now - thanks!

[Hooty]

I've always had problems with affected and effected, never know which to use 

Affected is when you are/something is affected by something or someone. Effected is to bring something into existence or to produce something as a result.

[Lata]

I've always had problems with affected and effected, never know which to use 

Ah that one is cool; Affect is something that you do (verb).  To affect something is to change it or modify it.  The "effect" is the resulting change that occurs (noun). 

Sarah B: "I wore a low-cut top to Subloaded to affect Blazey in a mad way"
Blazey: "Man, Sarah's top really had a mad effect on me!"

There is no word "effected" (unless you're American in which case I think that you can use it), but there is the past tense "affected".

An easy way to remember it is because a comes before e in the alphabet, so you need to first affect something to get the desired effect out of it!

[Pippin-Drill]

cheers guys 

[tito del monte]

I really like how square this thread is. I find it strangely reassuring. 

[Blazey]

Sarah B: "I wore a low-cut top to Subloaded to affect Blazey in a mad way"
Blazey: "Man, Sarah needs to put her titties away"

  

[kt.mo]

I've always had problems with affected and effected, never know which to use 

Ah that one is cool; Affect is something that you do (verb).  To affect something is to change it or modify it.  The "effect" is the resulting change that occurs (noun). 

Sarah B: "I wore a low-cut top to Subloaded to affect Blazey in a mad way"
Blazey: "Man, Sarah's top really had a mad effect on me!"

There is no word "effected" (unless you're American in which case I think that you can use it), but there is the past tense "affected".

An easy way to remember it is because a comes before e in the alphabet, so you need to first affect something to get the desired effect out of it!

you can't use it if you're an educated American.  I just spent 10 minutes trying to come up with a use for "effected" and I can't, it is and always is "affected" (trust me, its only the hicks/uneducated Americans that use "effected").

I remember this by thinking A for ACTION.   

note: also so says the AP style manual 

[C-S-B]

comprise vs compose
Again, from the American Heritage College Dictionary:

    comprise tr. v.
    1. To consist of; be composed of. 2. To include; contain. 3. Usage Problem. To compose; constitute.

    Usage Note: The whole comprises the parts; the parts compose the whole. In strict usage: The Union comprises 50 states. Fifty states compose the Union. While comprise is increasingly used in place of compose, in an earlier survey a majority of the Usage Panel found this use of comprise unacceptable.

[Lata]

you can't use it if you're an educated American.  I just spent 10 minutes trying to come up with a use for "effected" and I can't, it is and always is "affected" (trust me, its only the hicks/uneducated Americans that use "effected").

I was hoping to ask about that actually Katie, since English is spoken mostly in the world by non-UK peeps so it's a dynamic always-changing thing, and we witness big changes in the language in our own lifetimes.  I was wondering if you've noticed a change in American English in your lifetime too, since lots more foreign people are learning American English rather than trad. English since it's easier and more useful.  Maybe it's affecting American English's development too.

[kt.mo]

you can't use it if you're an educated American.  I just spent 10 minutes trying to come up with a use for "effected" and I can't, it is and always is "affected" (trust me, its only the hicks/uneducated Americans that use "effected").

I was hoping to ask about that actually Katie, since English is spoken mostly in the world by non-UK peeps so it's a dynamic always-changing thing, and we witness big changes in the language in our own lifetimes.  I was wondering if you've noticed a change in American English in your lifetime too, since lots more foreign people are learning American English rather than trad. English since it's easier and more useful.  Maybe it's affecting American English's development too.

if anything, i've noticed a lot more people being concerned about proper grammar and a lot LESS people being taught how to speak correctly in school.   then again, i hang out with a buncha dorks and we sit around and actually discuss things like this 

if anything, a few slang terms have been incorporated, "esse" is one I hear quite frequently spoken by Americans (means 'homie' in Mexico) - but off the top of my head (at 7am on a Saturday mind  ) I can't think of any MAJOR major changes that I've seen American English undergo.

There's just a lot more of a hispanic influence overall, and for the LAST time you brits - fajitas is pronounced "fa- hee - tas" not "fa - gee - tas" 

[Hooty]

you can't use it if you're an educated American.  I just spent 10 minutes trying to come up with a use for "effected" and I can't, it is and always is "affected" (trust me, its only the hicks/uneducated Americans that use "effected").

I was hoping to ask about that actually Katie, since English is spoken mostly in the world by non-UK peeps so it's a dynamic always-changing thing, and we witness big changes in the language in our own lifetimes.  I was wondering if you've noticed a change in American English in your lifetime too, since lots more foreign people are learning American English rather than trad. English since it's easier and more useful.  Maybe it's affecting American English's development too.

if anything, i've noticed a lot more people being concerned about proper grammar and a lot LESS people being taught how to speak correctly in school.   then again, i hang out with a buncha dorks and we sit around and actually discuss things like this 

if anything, a few slang terms have been incorporated, "esse" is one I hear quite frequently spoken by Americans (means 'homie' in Mexico) - but off the top of my head (at 7am on a Saturday mind  ) I can't think of any MAJOR major changes that I've seen American English undergo.

There's just a lot more of a hispanic influence overall, and for the LAST time you brits - fajitas is pronounced "fa- hee - tas" not "fa - gee - tas" 

NO, kt, it's FAN-JEE-TAS 

[thedave]

i prunounsez eet

meck - see - kan
butt - ees

 

I likes the way they effected me belly

[whalemonste®]

Sorry dudes, but "effect" is also a verb as well as a noun!

An action can have an effect, for example.

But, "to effect" means to bring about, or to initialise, i.e. to "effect change". It is subjective, relating to the viewpoint of the thing doing the "effecting".

The verb "affect", on the other hand, is objective, and used relative to the viewpoint of the object being affected.

[Wakspaka]

I'd like to have Jah-Step added to the local vocabulary.
It is a generic term for music with audible reggae influences, for example;roots,ragga,dancehall,dubstep,dubwise,ragga-jungle and ragga breakcore.
 

[Spit]

I'd like to have Jah-Step added to the local vocabulary.
It is a generic term for music with audible reggae influences, for example;roots,ragga,dancehall,dubstep,dubwise,ragga-jungle and ragga breakcore.
 

...which are all pretty much the same genre really 

[Hooty]

Urgent help please!

If I am discussing the Government, as in this particular Government which is currently in power, do I give it a capital G?

[sir rants a lot]

Yes, I would say so. government without a capital would descirbe the actual act of ruling, i.e. "the government of the people" whereas Government is the people doing the governing

[Hooty]

Thanks muchly.

 

[i am harry]

Lightning round, one simple answer, yes or no, to the following question:



ready?



The Oxford Comma. Yes or no?
QUICK!

[Hypno-tits]

no

The Chinese guy at work today asked me the difference between 'TOO' and 'AS WELL'
Which i tried to explain with little success and only confused him by adding that you can also use 'ALSO'. Is there an specific difference?
Anyone care to elaborate?

[i am harry]

oooh unlucky. im afraid that's the wrong answer kosieringo.
the answer we were looking for was "no."
"no."

[Hypno-tits]

oooh unlucky. im afraid that's the wrong answer kosieringo.
the answer we were looking for was "no."
"no."

 

[i am harry]

 

anyway in answer to your question there is no difference they are synonyms

[Hooty]

It bugs me when people write 'aswell', or use 'too' instead of 'to' or the other way around.

[thedave]

It bugs me when people write 'aswell', or use 'too' instead of 'to' or the other way around.

yeah I'm the same about when people murder in cold blood

[i am harry]

then
than

if we had a spoken language that also involved writing the words while saying them aloud i would be arrested for gbh after hearing someone use "im better then that girl over there" or "its darker then that other thing" or well you catch my drift.

[noremac]

I got your joke "harry", i instinctually read it in a peter griffin voice, probably helped.

"too/to" never fails to vex me.

also, i believe there to be valid usage of the word "effected" within the context of audio (and possibly visual) processing (slang:fx'd), but maybe that's merely an insidious parlance lodged in my brain after hanging out with the wrong crowd.

"that bass is f***in' sick! what was it effected with?"

i'd give a less contrived example were i not using a 2400 baud modem (nearest equiv.)

[i am harry]

my name is actually harry you know that's why i called myself "i am harry" there's no need for the quotations it makes me feel kind of sad like you're speaking down to me in a condescending manner maybe you should think next time before you use quotations so recklessly.

[Kofi Annan]

I was feral until I was 12 and spent my gcses doing buckets and listening to tape packs. As a result my grammar is shocking and I can only write joined up with crayons

but - as I know something about almost everything, I have managed to hold down a job as a well paid rich person and now and again I have sex with girls (someone of them I haven't even paid very much)
there is hope and if the worse comes to worse , dictate it and get some one else to fucking do it.
Standard!

[i am harry]

kofi annan you are my hero do you think i'll ever get to be in the UN Secretary-General?

[Kofi Annan]

Kofi annan you are my hero do you think i'll ever get to be in the UN Secretary-General?

what you want to fuck him, go for it , follow your dream , 
maybe a digit up his bum or a reach around at worst
The worlds your oyster
You ve just got to believe man

tee um up son tee um up