Your vs You're....Its vs It's....There vs Their..

by Terry 40 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  scotoma

  Damn. Now I'm afraid to write. By the way is there a spell checker on this forum? I copy and paste my posts into my word processor to catch errors.

  But someitmes I'm rushed.
• 

  tiki

  ahhh scotoma - we'll forgive ya for the occasional unintentional goof..........:)
• 

  Splash

  I'm in favour of correct spelling.

  Try to google (or do a web site search) for something, and if it's spelled incorrectly you will never find it.

  The rules Terry mentions are simple, primary school stuff.

  There's a difference between spelling badly because you're lazy, and spelling badly because you're uneducated.

  Get an education and spell correctly, or stay happy knowing that the internet doesn't work as well for your poor search terms as it does for those who can spell.

  Splash
• 

  Terry

  Now the following may well seem off-topic but I don't intend it so.

  Think of it more in the way of analogy.

  Some of the finest music ever created came from people who could not read music and had no formal instruction in theory, harmony, orchestration, form, etc.

  I believe it was Stravinsky who said, "There is no such thing as music theory. One can be deduced from an examination of music as it exists."

  Meaning?

  Our city is not a map but we can create a map by describing the city as it exists.

  Where is the analogy, Terry?

  Okay, here it comes...

  A powerful and creative mind expresses itself through what is produced. The art of words no less so.

  These products are then taken up by the map-makers and theorists and a description is formalized.

  At that point, the tail wags the dog!

  Rules are created and demands are made for conformity.

  What has been lost sight of is the artist's compulsion to create the thing itself as purity of self-expression.

  BEFORE the rules have been deduced the artist stood supreme.

  AFTER the rules have been imposed (derrived from those artist's creations!) a false imprisonment is created

  with shackles and chains which may impose an unintended consequent RESTRAINT on the same creative impulse by others!
• 

  Nika Bee

  Communication in general is a difficult thing, as one only knos one's own perspective. I think grammatical and orthographic rules provide a certain frame to this, and help to make communication as precise as possible. Even if the sules are observed, misunderstandings occure, this is just human. But misunderstandings are even more likely, if the rules are not observed.

  I also think, it can add to the aesthetics of a text if it is written correctly. It makes it smoother to read. In particular for non-native speakers as myself - I noted that it throws me alays a little of, if grammatical/orthographic rules are broken, sometimes not quite trusting my on judgement. But also in my native language - German - or my second language - French, I appreciate the correct use of language.

  Also, I have a hard time with punctuation in foreign languages. The punctuation rules in German make sense to me, and in my opinion add to the readability of a text. But I have no clue about the punctuation in English.
• 

  LisaRose

  It does bothers me a bit when people use your instead of you're, but I don't correct them, as it just seems pointless. I don't want to be the grammar police, and they either picked it up in school or they didn't, they aren't going to change at this point. As long as I understand what they are saying, I'm good. I am sure I make my share of mistakes on other things.

  Just in case anyone is not sure which to use, try substituting "you are". If the sentence still makes sense, use "you're". if not, stick with "your".

  It's your blue car. It's you are blue car. Nope, it doesn't make sense, stick with "your"

  Your going to make a mistake. You are going to make a mistake. "You are" sounds good, change to "you're"

  I just try to remember that there are people who are possibly bothered by mistakes I make, and I probably would not want them to correct me, so I try to ignore the mistake a of others.
• 

  EntirelyPossible

  Its to true, Terry, that their is a thread four everywons interest, hear, you'res and mine alike.
• 

  rip van winkle

  So then you are speaking of the written language as an art form over the correctness of a word or its spelling. I like the world of words and what pictures words can create in the mind of the reader. I am also well aware of my limitations because of the rules of grammar.

  If certain rules are not followed, the meaning of your words can be misinterpreted. Where as a painting can be interpreted by the viewer without the limitation of words. Even music without words is open for interpretation to the individual hearer. But once the lyrics are attached to the music, the meaning has been provided for you. And those words are more or less different from what you may have imagined.

  So are certain rules of grammar necessary? Is the correct spelling necessary?

  Again, I will answer: that is dependant on the purpose and goal of your written word!
• 

  compound complex

  I am, by profession, involved with editing and proofreading original writing.

  If I read something on JWN that is to go "public," such as the fine writing of cedars, I will pm him with what I feel are necessary corrections. The incorrect use of a word and bad sentence structure are not capital offenses, but I do weary of seeing it's for its. Poking fun at one's mistakes is bad sport.

  CC
• 

  Defianttruth

  I think grammar is important, but it depends on the situation. I am from the deep south. Most people in my area uses horrible grammar. If one grows up surrounded by people who use language incorrectly, he or she will be greatly influenced by the region in which that individual grew up. It does go to show the level of education, an individual has by the language he or she uses. With that being said, the list of acclaimed writers from Mississippi are as long as my arm. If one reads William Faulkner, it doesn't take long to realize that if a grammar teacher was to grade his writing it would take several cases of red ink pens. Faulkner is one of the most acclaimed writers in American history regardless of his grammar.

  If someone is talking to friends on a friday night, will it matter if an individual uses the rest of the extinct subjunctive modus of the verb were? I don't think so. If someone is doing scholarly research, I think the answer is yes.

  My Achilles Heel has always been spelling. Thank God for spell check.

  Here is my resource for grammar.

  1. Harbrace College Handbook

  http://www.textbooks.com/BooksDescription.php?BKN=286744&SBC=LCC&network=GoogleShopping&tracking_id=9780155039483U&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=9780155039483U&utm_source=googleshopping&kenshu=23b2fc57-f886-5d69-42fe-00001827cdd2&adtype=pla&kw=%7Bkeyword%7D&gclid=CJH1ise_kLUCFQuynQoduUEAig

  It can be bought cheap and uses example sentences we non-grammar minded folks can copy and reword to fit our needs.

  I also think the Oxford Comma is of great value, and it's importance is being eroded by modern writers.

  Here is two examples

  1. We invited the geniuses, Pastor Russell and Judge Rutherford to the meeting.

  Without the Oxford Comma, the sentence means Pastor Russell and Judge Rutherford are Geniuses invited to to a meeting.

  1. We invited the geniuses, Pastor Russell, and Judge Rutherford to the meeting.

  With the Oxford Comma, the sentence means more than one Genius and Pastor Russell, and Judge Rutherford are invited to a meeting. Sentence two also has the potentiality of being true. (That was an apostate nerd joke, get it)

  Here's a question which sentence is correct.

  I wish I was taller.

  I wish I were taller.

  Defiant.