Dave Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 That's me told then.......[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 "I think your biggest mistake, Hoddy, was getting rid of that bidet on wheels! "The even bigger mistake was not photographing before I threw it away.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyC Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="Hoddy"]Originally this thread was about Netiquette and now we seem to be talking about correct grammar, spelling and punctuation on the forum and whether anyone should correct it if it seems wrong. I write as someone whose teaching experience is very similar to Dick’s. I believe we qualified at about the same time, with the same degree and have held similar positions of responsibility within schools I care at least as much as Dick does about English being written correctly and I take the point made by him and others that we do need to understand exactly what other people mean. This forum is not set up as an icon of perfect English. It is here for people who are interested in France. I think it rather rude to correct another adult’s use of English. [/quote]Our posts seem to have crossed on this. If you look back, nobody has suggested correcting anybody else's English, some of us have been saying that it matters (to us personally and in real life) and others think it unimportant. That's not the same thing as correcting each other's usage.By the way, many schools now have Family Learning Centres in them where adults can improve their basic skills: both for their own sakes and to help them help their children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 It was only when I did my Michel Thomas French , that I found out that 'ing' was a fairly recent addition to the English language. Can't imagine trying to have a conversation without using ' ing' words now. I wonder if any other language evolves as quickly as English ? New words are added to the dictionary every year, whereas the French have committees to preserve their language and to prevent too many non French words becoming used in everyday situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daryl-et-elaine Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="KathyC"] is this a rather grand way of saying you were a squaddie?[/quote]Now that statement I do find insulting![:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyC Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Don't you have to be fast to delete anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimportequoi Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 There are over 500,000 words in current use in the English language and only 100,000 in French, quite a difference! One thing that seems to be happening in French now is that tu is becoming more widely used, when 'vous' would have been used before. For example in the company I teach, the rule is that everyone uses 'tu', regardless of how well you know the person. In English we used to use 'thou' and 'ye', but the thou was superceded and we only use you (ye) now. I wonder if that will happen in French? Bill Bryson has written some interesting books on the evolution of the British and American English language. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyC Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="daryl-et-elaine"][quote user="KathyC"] is this a rather grand way of saying you were a squaddie?[/quote]Now that statement I do find insulting![:P][/quote]And people say that language isn't a powerful tool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 So are we generally agreed that we are within the bounds of Netiquette to write as we would speak (rather than write as if we were composing formal letters, etc.) and that it should not offend anyone's sensibilities if posts appear with typos or other errors of grammar etc. so long as the meaning is reasonably clear? I can't remember how we became so concentrated on this one aspect![8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 The pen is mightier than the sword. [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 until it runs out of ink [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daryl-et-elaine Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="SaligoBay"] I think you're getting cross and taking things out of context, d-et-e. You may despise the rest of us for not being out there in what you think of as the real world, but somebody's got to do it, eh? [/quote]Read the post again. Where do I mention despising anyone? If anyone is getting something out of context, it certainly isn't me!My point is simply the fact that one or two members of this forum appear to object to others contributing unless the said contribution is grammatically perfect with all the full stops, exclamation marks and commas in the right place. To some wishing to post a or ask a question, it must appear quite daunting wondering whether they will be subjected to a condescending answer which I might add, appears to be the main aim of a handful on this forum.When it comes to the '3 - R's', Remember the K.I.S.S. principle - Keep It Simple Stupid Daryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="AVIV"] the French have committees to preserve their language and to prevent too many non French words becoming used in everyday situations. [/quote]Bof! Nobody I know has any time for these people, they really ARE divorced from real life! [:)]Football, black, weekend, parking, break, has-been........ that's your starter for 6, there are hundreds more English words used every day in French.And since when was "toubib" a French word? [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="daryl-et-elaine"][When it comes to the '3 - R's', [/quote]Enough Rs to go round, thank you, don't need any more! [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Oi! I'm trying to chill things down here - you're going to have us all at it again, SB and D-et-E![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyC Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="daryl-et-elaine"]My point is simply the fact that one or two members of this forum appear to object to others contributing unless the said contribution is grammatically perfect with all the full stops, exclamation marks and commas in the right place. To some wishing to post a or ask a question, it must appear quite daunting wondering whether they will be subjected to a condescending answer which I might add, appears to be the main aim of a handful on this forum.[/quote]If you think this then I don't know what you're reading because nobody has said anything like it. The only people who have had the mickey taken out of them for making mistakes are those of us who extoll the virtues of correct English; this makes us fair game when me get something wrong and that's fine by me. The only thing I would object to is where people write half a dozen lines without a capital letter, comma or full stop in sight. That sort of post is pretty unintelligible to anyone and is a bit of an insult to other users. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="SaligoBay"]And since when was "toubib" a French word? [:)][/quote]What is 'toubib' - sorry, off topic, but just momentarily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="KathyC"] The only people who have had the mickey taken out of them for making mistakes are those of us who extoll the virtues of correct English; this makes us fair game when me get something wrong and that's fine by me. [/quote]Glad someone here can take a joke![quote user="KathyC"] The only thing I would object to is where people write half a dozen lines without a capital letter, comma or full stop in sight. That sort of post is pretty unintelligible to anyone and is a bit of an insult to other users.[/quote]Agreed again. Thankfully, I can't remember seeing one, except where someone was making a point about how unintelligible the result is if there is no attempt at all made at punctuation etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Here's a toubib. http://babel.lexilogos.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2967 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 The toubib is the one in the white coat, btw! Toubib is a widely-used word for a doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Thank you - from the pic I thought it meant stethoscope. So 'toubib' roughly = quack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="Cassis"] So 'toubib' roughly = quack?[/quote]Not roughly actually equal Toubib = quackTo go for an op = Passer sur le billard What does it have to do with Netiquette ?? .... other than using the correct wording when one happens to be is that situation I suppose...Sorry... gone off course yet again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 [quote user="SaligoBay"]And since when was "toubib" a French word? [:)][/quote]Since we, the French, pinched it from the language of what were our North African colonies .... Don't quote me on it but from the very distant past of my school days, I was told it had arab origins. If not so... I'll sue my primary school teacher for learning me wrong stuff!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Ouais, je sais. Je plaisante, c'est tout! [:)]Just pointing out the folly of those who believe they can keep a modern language like French "pure". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 My link above confirms what you say about the origin Missy and thanks SB for mentioning it as I would have never looked it up and known the origin. I bet there are a lot of people who don't know where it came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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