The Grammer mistakes Topic

Andail · Fri 18/07/2008 10:38:43

Quote from: Ghost on Fri 18/07/2008 05:55:52
German tourist (doberman voice): "Waitress!!!!!"
Cute waitress, about to serve me some pie: "Sir?"
German tourist: "When will I become my food?"
Me: "I'm *not* with him!"

Well, you are what you eat

Matti · Fri 18/07/2008 13:29:48

Yeah, that's a very common mistake. For those who don't know: "To get" is "bekommen" in german.

In this forum I once wrote "Die variable" instead of "The variable", that must have seemed odd.

Honestly, I don't want any variable to die..

DGMacphee · Sat 19/07/2008 05:29:43

There's a lot of debate about this but I'm very strict about using apostrophes correctly for decades. Case in point:

"I own a 1970's Ford."

I think this is wrong.

"I own a 1970s Ford."

DING! I think this is correct.

"I own a '70s Ford."

DING! Also correct.

monkey0506 · Sat 19/07/2008 06:07:47

Holy shit it's DG!

I must say I agree with you about the decade apostrophization. Definitely the two digit versions, to be grammatically correct must start with an apostrophe, because digits are being left off; it is a contraction. As for the four digit versions, you aren't saying that the Ford "belongs to 1970". The "1970s" is an era consisting of 10 years starting with 1970 and ending with 1979. It is a set of "years", not "year's". Logically, I'd say you're correct. And welcome back from wherever you've been hiding.

Stupot · Sat 19/07/2008 14:12:58

Quote from: matti on Fri 18/07/2008 13:29:48
Yeah, that's a very common mistake. For those who don't know: "To get" is "bekommen" in german.

That would work well if you turned it around and said "When will my food Bekommen?"

DGMacphee · Sat 19/07/2008 15:35:43

Quote from: monkey_05_06 on Sat 19/07/2008 06:07:47
Holy shit it's DG!

I must say I agree with you about the decade apostrophization. Definitely the two digit versions, to be grammatically correct must start with an apostrophe, because digits are being left off; it is a contraction. As for the four digit versions, you aren't saying that the Ford "belongs to 1970". The "1970s" is an era consisting of 10 years starting with 1970 and ending with 1979. It is a set of "years", not "year's". Logically, I'd say you're correct. And welcome back from wherever you've been hiding.

Yes, that pretty much explains why I think the 1970's or 70's usage is wrong. I don't think a year can literally posses something, plus adjectives can't strictly possess something (the possessive adjectives aren't really adjectives, but more like genitive nouns that indicate ownership).

But if you were going to describe something with a singular year, you'd write: '71 Ford.

Thanks for the welcome back. I never really went anywhere. I've just been quietly watching.

Neil Dnuma · Sat 19/07/2008 17:19:29

Searching for "definately"...

...26 pages of hits..

Stupot · Sat 19/07/2008 17:59:50

Quote from: Neil Dnuma on Sat 19/07/2008 17:19:29
Searching for "definately"...

...26 pages of hits..

That's one of my bogey words... I know how to spell it but my fingers don't always obey me... It's like 'becasue'... I've almost given up trying to get it right.