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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
'Everything is correct' versus 'nothing is relevant'
"'Everything is correct' versus 'nothing is relevant'" is a post which I recently came across in the Language Log, which can be seen at
http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001843.html
It was written by linguist Geoffrey K. Pullum, co-author, along with Rodney Huddleston, of *The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language.* What I found particularly interesting in the post is that Geoff Pullum appears to see prescriptivists in a manner very similar perhaps identical to that which I see them. Consider the following quote:
"Prescriptivists claim that there are certain rules which have authority over us even if they are not respected as correctness conditions in the ordinary usage of anybody."
Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com
http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001843.html
It was written by linguist Geoffrey K. Pullum, co-author, along with Rodney Huddleston, of *The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language.* What I found particularly interesting in the post is that Geoff Pullum appears to see prescriptivists in a manner very similar perhaps identical to that which I see them. Consider the following quote:
"Prescriptivists claim that there are certain rules which have authority over us even if they are not respected as correctness conditions in the ordinary usage of anybody."
Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com
Top answer
[nq:1]"'Everything is correct' versus 'nothing is relevant'" is a post which I recently came across in the Language Log, which ... "[/nq] But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and she never posts. CDB
- [nq:1]"'Everything is correct' versus 'nothing is relevant'" is a post which I recently came across in the Language Log, which ...
- "[/nq] But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and she never posts.
- CDB
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21 Answers
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[nq:1]"'Everything is correct' versus 'nothing is relevant'" is a post which I recently came across in the Language Log, which ... which have authority over us even if they are not respected as correctness conditions in the ordinary usage of anybody."[/nq]
But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and she never posts. CDB
But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and she never posts. CDB
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[nq:1]"'Everything is correct' versus 'nothing is relevant'" is a post which I recently came across in the Language Log, which can be seen at http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001843.html[/nq]
What a splendid gateway! Thanks.
What a splendid gateway! Thanks.
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[nq:2]"'Everything is correct' versus 'nothing is relevant'" is a post ... respected as correctness conditions in the ordinary usage of anybody."[/nq]
[nq:1]But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and she never posts. CDB[/nq]
I told her there was a rule against it.
John Dean
Oxford
[nq:1]But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and she never posts. CDB[/nq]
I told her there was a rule against it.
John Dean
Oxford
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[nq:2]"'Everything is correct' versus 'nothing is relevant'" is a post ... respected as correctness conditions in the ordinary usage of anybody."[/nq]
[nq:1]But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and shenever posts. CDB[/nq]
Let's not forget that solid American fact: people make money out of shouting "Prescriptivist!" at intervals. You don't want to get done for restraint
[nq:1]But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and shenever posts. CDB[/nq]
Let's not forget that solid American fact: people make money out of shouting "Prescriptivist!" at intervals. You don't want to get done for restraint
00
[nq:2]"Prescriptivists claim that there are certain rules which have authority ... respected as correctness conditions in the ordinary usage of anybody."[/nq]
[nq:1]But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and she never posts. CDB[/nq]
What about me? (I owe you an email.)
s/ meirman
Posting from alt.english.usage
If you are emailing me please
say if you
[nq:1]But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and she never posts. CDB[/nq]
What about me? (I owe you an email.)
s/ meirman
Posting from alt.english.usage
If you are emailing me please
say if you
00
[nq:1]cal to that[/nq]
That sounds good. How could I make some?
s/ meirman
Posting from alt.english.usage
If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Town NW of Pittsburgh Pa. 0 to 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
now in Baltimore 22 years
That sounds good. How could I make some?
s/ meirman
Posting from alt.english.usage
If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Town NW of Pittsburgh Pa. 0 to 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
now in Baltimore 22 years
00
[nq:2]But we have only one such prescriptivist in this group, and she never posts. CDB[/nq]
[nq:1]What about me? (I owe you an email.)[/nq]
You mean, why do I mention Ms T. and not you in this context? Because, in her, self-restraint is an excellent thing; whereas your silence is regretted, and eventual relief hoped for. CDB
[nq:1]What about me? (I owe you an email.)[/nq]
You mean, why do I mention Ms T. and not you in this context? Because, in her, self-restraint is an excellent thing; whereas your silence is regretted, and eventual relief hoped for. CDB
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[nq:1]Let's not forget that solid American fact: people make money out of shouting "Prescriptivist!" at intervals. You don't want to get done for restraint of trade, do you?[/nq]
You might want to translate 'get done for' for those Americans. With TV, perhaps most understand what it means by now, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Charles Riggs
You might want to translate 'get done for' for those Americans. With TV, perhaps most understand what it means by now, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Charles Riggs
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[nq:2]Let's not forget that solid American fact: people make ... want to get done for restraint of trade, do you?[/nq]
[nq:1]That sounds good. How could I make some?[/nq]
Send me ten dollars and I'll tell you.
[nq:1]That sounds good. How could I make some?[/nq]
Send me ten dollars and I'll tell you.
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