0
Vushcm Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

A complete sentence?

Hello,

Today I read an online article about a basketball player named Hakeem Olajuwon and found this paragraph:

"Because I'm lucky enough to have your ear for however long, I don't care that this might come off as a bit twee. A little embarrassing. A little too forthright. I'm OK with that. Hopefully you are, as well."

Apparently the author treated 'A little embarrassing' and 'A little too forthright' as two complete sentences. That is grammatically okay, right?

Thanks,
VUSHCM
  

Top answer

If it's a transcription, you could argue that the transcriber should have used dashes. When a person is speaking impromptu, he may not consider the sentence structure. " .

— Avangi

  • If it's a transcription, you could argue that the transcriber should have used dashes.
  • When a person is speaking impromptu, he may not consider the sentence structure.
  • " .
  • .
  • it might come off as X - Y - Z.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

10 Answers
0
If it's a transcription, you could argue that the transcriber should have used dashes.

When a person is speaking impromptu, he may not consider the sentence structure.
I'd say the emboldened phrases function as alternative complements to "come off as."
. . . . it might come off as X - Y - Z.
0
0
It's a stylistic choice, probably intended to make the text feel more racy.
0
0
Mr WordyIt's a stylistic choice, probably intended to make the text feel more racy.
Hello Mr. Wordy,

Thank you for your reply. Am I mistaken in saying that you believe the style is grammatically acceptable? 'A little embarrassing' is a complete thought just like the word 'Yes', which can stand alone by itself as a sentence?

Best,
V
0
0
vushcmI don't care that this might come off as a bit twee. A little embarrassing. A little too forthright. I'm OK with that
These are not complete sentences. They are merely adjectival phrases of emotions.
Consider this: I don't like people who are self-centered, rude, and insincere.
0
0
vushcm Am I mistaken in saying that you believe the style is grammatically acceptable?
The style is grammatically acceptable. It needs to be used in the right context (e.g. one would not use it in dry, formal writing), but this context is OK. If overused it could become tiresome.
0
0
dimsumexpress
vushcmI don't care that this might come off as a bit twee. A little embarrassing. A little too forthright. I'm OK with that
These are not complete sentences. They are merely adjectival phrases of emotions. Consider this: I don't like people who are self-centered, rude, and insincere.
Hello,

I underst
0
0
Hi, dimsum.
I agree they're not sentences.
I just don't know whether we're critiquing the basketball player or the reporter.

At least in your list of adjectives you include a conjunction before the last one:
I don't like people who are self-centered, rude, and insincere.

A sentence would b
0
0
vushcmI understand about 'adjectival' things you stated - words or phrases separated with commas. All I asked for was a 'Yes' or 'No' answer regarding the grammatical aspect of the phrases between the periods (.), which should only be used to start a new sentence. Thus, when you stated, "These are not complete sentences," did you believe they are grammatically wrong?
0
0
Avangi
vushcmI understand about 'adjectival' things you stated - words or phrases separated with commas. All I asked for was a 'Yes' or 'No' answer regarding the grammatical aspect of the phrases between the periods (.), which should only be used to start a new sentence. Thus, when you stated, "These are not complete sentences," did you believe the
0
0
AvangiI think what the basketball player said is fine. It's casual conversation.
I think the way the reporter punctuated it is grammatically incorrect, and unacceptable.
I don't think this is a reporter transcribing someone's speech, though. It doesn't appear that way at
0

Related Questions