Another interesting language story

Started by `Eylan Ayfalulukanä, January 30, 2013, 02:22:12 AM

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`Eylan Ayfalulukanä


Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

wm.annis

Now if only we could get rid of the nonsense about having to avoid the passive voice...

Ateyo Te Syaksyuk

I never mastered grammar.  But the rules about the split infinitives and dangling participles remain.  The rest went in one ear and out the other!  The phrase in the last paragraph of the Smithsonian paper, caught my eye:There's a simple test that usually exposes a phony rule of grammar: If it makes your English stilted and unnatural, it's probably a fraud.*
  There goes my theory: if it is stilted, it's probably proper!

Ma William, I am unaware of the prohibition against the passive voice.  That information is probably on the school  room floor, as well!
ta ATEYO
:D

Smithsonian Feb 2013, O'Conner and Kellarman)

Stranger Come Knocking

*brain asplodes*

QuoteIf it makes your English stilted and unnatural, it's probably a fraud.

That I do have to finagle with just because it's tough going from "Me and her" to "she and I" and it does come out awkward at first.  The latter is proper, but the former is easier.
I will not die for less
I dug my grave in this
Will I go before I fall
Or live to slight the odds?

These are my books.  You should check it out.  Speculative sci-fi murder mystery historical fiction.

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

To me, good English just seems natural. The rules that make it that way are rather complex. but when you are constantly exposed to them they just become natural.

Passive voice is not allowed in Na'vi. You see it a lot in English though, without realizing it. Passive voice is something that is kind of subtle.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

Irtaviš Ačankif

Quote from: wm.annis on January 30, 2013, 07:49:26 AM
Now if only we could get rid of the nonsense about having to avoid the passive voice...
Avoiding the passive voice is certainly not as bad as one would think, especially since English can pretty much function completely without it. It's not like you're mandating Japanese to leave all the subjects and objects in...
Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

Irtaviš Ačankif

Quote from: `Eylan Ayfalulukanä on January 30, 2013, 02:22:12 AM
Here's a story about some interesting myths about the English language. From Smithsonian magazine.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Most-of-What-You-Think-You-Know-About-Grammar-is-Wrong-187940351.html?utm_source=smithsoniantopic&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20130127-Weekender
Also, I never recall learning any of these "grammar" rules in grammar books. The first time I read about them in my grammar book is in the common misconceptions section :P
Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

The grammar classes I had in school never gt sophisticated enough to cover things like 'passive voice' and 'split infinitives'. The link that Wm. Annis provided has a lot of good material to learn from.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]