Posted by HisHughness on 2/19/05 1:07pm
Msg #21376
One more attempt
FWIW
THERE - Location, as in "I have been THERE twice," or "You insert the word right THERE."
THEIR - Possessive, as in "I like THEIR house," or "Where do Texas women get THEIR charm?"
THEY'RE - Contraction of THEY ARE, as in "THEY'RE born with it," or "THEY'RE most likely to buy it at Neiman-Marcus."
YOUR - Possessive, as in "CaliNotary is YOUR friend, not mine," or "I like YOUR bass boat."
YOU'RE - Contraction of YOU ARE, as in "YOU'RE kidding!" or "YOU'RE a jerk, Hugh."
I've pretty much given up on expecting even a modest level of literacy among most posters on this forum, but since Jon had the cojones to bring this up, I thought I would offer these comments. This is not rocket science, folks. The five words above are called "homophones," which means they sound alike but are spelled differently, have different origins, and mean different things. Confuse them in written communnication, and to anyone like Jon who values the correct execution of the language you have immediately conveyed a negative impression.
Tips: If YOUR using YOUR, try substituting YOU ARE. If YOU ARE sounds better -- as it would in the preceding sentence -- then you have used the wrong homophone. If THEIR not sounding right or if THERE not looking right, try subbing THEY'RE.
If for some reason you have trouble remembering this, try printing it out and taping it to your computer. There's no shame in that. The story is told of the grizzled old ship's captain who every day for 37 years would, first thing when he went to the wheelhouse, pull from a drawer a sheet of paper, read it, and put away the paper. Just before the captain retired, his long-time first mate opened the drawer and looked at the paper. It said, "Port is left, starboard is right."
| Reply by BrendaTX on 2/19/05 1:17pm
Msg #21379
Hugh: *** Just before the captain retired, his long-time first mate opened the drawer and looked at the paper. It said, "Port is left, starboard is right." ***
Many blessings to you today, Hughness! Wonderful story.
And, because you have given me this smile (rather than sending you the bass boat bearing widow I had in mind to send) I am going to type my notary commission number and my E&O number on a piece of paper in VERY LARGE font and put it in my desk drawer right now.
[ x ] Done!
(ok...I realize I just took a "suggestion" of sorts to heart, but hopefully Anonymous will not notice.)
| Reply by Anonymous on 2/19/05 1:22pm
Msg #21382
Ah, but I did.
| Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 2/19/05 2:27pm
Msg #21402
Cojones?
I'll admit up front, I had to search for the definition of "cojones" on the Internet. Here's what I came up with from one particular web page & I think it speaks for itself.
***************************************
Joe traveled to Spain and wandered into a Madrid restaurant one night for a late dinner.
He ordered the house specialty and was brought a plate with potatoes, corn, and two large meaty objects. "What's this?" Joe asked.
"Cojones, senor," the waiter replied.
"But, what are cojones?" Joe asked.
"Cojones," the waiter explained, "are the testicles of the bull who lost at the arena this afternoon."
At first Joe was disgusted; but being the adventurous type, he decided to try this local delicacy. To Joe's amazement, it was quite delicious. In fact, it was so good, Joe decided to return the next night and order it again.
This time, the waiter brought out the plate, but the meaty objects were much smaller.
"What's this?" Joe asked the waiter.
"Cojones, senor," the waiter replied.
"No, no," Joe objected, "I had cojones yesterday and they were much bigger than these."
"Senor," the waiter explained, "the bull does not always lose."
| Reply by HisHughness on 2/19/05 3:37pm
Msg #21422
Re: Cojones?
Dennis concedes:
***I'll admit up front, I had to search for the definition of "cojones" on the Internet.***
Also known, to the uninitiated, as mountain oysters, prairie oysters, calf fries, swinging beef, Montana tendergroins, and cowboy caviar. Soon, no doubt, to be identified simply as "what Hugh's B&TEW relieved him of."
| Reply by John_NorCal on 2/19/05 7:46pm
Msg #21462
Re: Cojones?
And here I thought I knew what sweet breads are....Learn something every day..."Waiter, I'll have an order of lasagne instead!"
| Reply by Bobbi in CT on 2/19/05 3:58pm
Msg #21428
But it IS rocket science ...
I believe there were 39 failed attempts before the first rocket was launched into space.
So, we give everyone on the board at least 39 tries to get it right. Or maybe more, we all don't have the same degree of advanced education, time, and billions of dollars as the scientists who couldn't get it right 39 times.
Someone with more time and enthusiasm can search the web for the exact information 
| Reply by HisHughness on 2/19/05 4:12pm
Msg #21430
Re: But it IS rocket science ...
There were many more failed attempts than 39, going all the way back to the Chinese centuries ago and to Robert Goddard in the modern era. None of that is relevant, however. Rocket pioneers were just that -- pioneers. They were developing something theretofore uncommon to human experience. Those people who misuse "their" for "there," though, are misusing a tool they employ countless times every day of their lives. Yeah, they get 39 tries at it -- in the third grade. Know many third graders on this forum -- or just many posters who through laziness and sheer ineptitude perform at a third grade level?
No, Bobbi, it isn't rocket science. It's something fairly simple that most people on this forum spent at least 12 years studying. Or at least, they were supposed to spend 12 years doing that. Apparently some were not paying attention.
For anyone out there to whom English is a second language, please disregard these comments. They don't apply to you. You have my admiration for speaking a second language, whatever your level of facility with it.
Jon, this is your argument. I'm handing you the baton.
| Reply by BrendaTX on 2/19/05 4:25pm
Msg #21432
Hugh...was it Jon (The Great)?
Hugh, sweating profusely after his round with Bobbi-CT, said: "Jon, this is your argument. I'm handing you the baton."
The thread I saw this morning was from fiKS #21330. Perhaps I overlooked the one you mean. Please enlighten me.
| Reply by BrendaTX on 2/19/05 4:28pm
Msg #21433
Nevermind...I think I got it n/m
| Reply by Jon on 2/19/05 7:34pm
Msg #21458
Tell me....I don't n/m
| Reply by BrendaTX on 2/19/05 8:19pm
Msg #21471
Re: Tell me....I don't n/m
Jon, in the original post of this thread Hugh states:
"Confuse them in written communnication, and to anyone like Jon who values the correct execution of the language you have immediately conveyed a negative impression."
He just pulled your name out of his _ear as an example. Sign...something I have also been known to do on occasion.
Yep, he used you, good buddy.
| Reply by Jon on 2/20/05 1:18am
Msg #21489
Re: Tell me....I don't n/m
He also said that I brought it up??
| Reply by ERNA_CA on 2/19/05 4:32pm
Msg #21434
Re: But it IS rocket science ...
Thank you ! English beiing my third language I greatly apreciate that it is taken into concediration. As typos are common in my case (:
| Reply by Bobbi in CT on 2/19/05 6:21pm
Msg #21453
Showing our ages here ...
I had a grammar teacher that threw a desk at a student who had a problem remembering what a direct object is. It worked. To this day anyone in that class can define a verb and a direct object. High school term papers were NEATLY handwritten and Every teacher corrected them for grammar and spelling. 1 point off for every grammar or spelling mistake!
Sadly, my adult children, their friends and my young nieces and nephews aren't getting that same education. Calculators and wordprocessing with spell check and grammar check have taken over for independent thinkiing. "They'll fine tune their language skills in college." In second grade when my son's teacher admired his neat printing he replied, " that's only because I don't want to write it twice." "I don't make you re-write your work." "No, but when I bring it home my mother checks it and, if it's sloppy, she makes me write it again."
In high school, when my husband and I chuckled over my son's grammar and spellling errors I discovered the worst. The aspiring history teacher's term papers, using the computer and spellcheck, came back with As. Only the english teacher had polite comments on his papers, and never less than a B. It seems that the other teachers taught "our subject matter. " It is no longer fashionable for high school teachers, other than language teachers, to correct spelling and grammar errors. The new theory is: As long as the content is good, well documented, and factual, it is OK. On why Alexander the Great won so many battles: "Alexander the Great's warriors had to be good because they rode horses bareback" is one of my son's classic, grade A+, sentences. It does make sense, in more ways than one. He said in one sentence what you or I would have written a paragraph on.
Yes, there are times mistakes annoy me, too. I take them with a greater sense of humor. I drive to work on a parkway and park in a driveway.
| Reply by Ted_MI on 2/19/05 8:15pm
Msg #21470
Re: A mountain out of a mole hill !!
With all due respect to Hugh, and I do mean that I think all this needs to be put in perspective. Now admittedly I too like to see English words used appropriately (what really gets me is when the words "affect" and "effect" are mixed up).
That being said, this is nothing compared to the pitfalls faced by those poor souls trying to learn Spanish, particularly those making a half-hearted effort. One classic mistake that newbies (apologies to Hugh) make is trying to ascertain someone's age. Now in Spanish such a query is formulated as follows: "how many years do you have?" Now the word for "year" in Spanish is an~o pronounced "onyo" Brenda, where are you when I need you with respect to being able to type the secret code for "nyeh". Now there is also another word very close to the word year: "ano". So often times unknowing newbies inquire as to how many "anos" one has. Well, unfortunately the word "ano" means anus in Spanish. So you can easily appreciate what they are asking.
| Reply by AngieCa on 2/19/05 8:48pm
Msg #21473
1st grammar, now spelling
"Confuse them in written communnication, and to anyone like Jon who values the correct execution of the language you have immediately conveyed a negative impression."
Communication
C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-I-O-N
Communication
| Reply by HisHughness on 2/19/05 11:18pm
Msg #21483
Re: A mountain out of a mole hill !!
Ted_MI cautions:
***So often times unknowing newbies inquire as to how many "anos" one has [Editor's note: "anos" instead of "anyos." That is the correct pronunciation but not the correct spelling]. Well, unfortunately the word "ano" means anus in Spanish. So you can easily appreciate what they are asking.***
Spanish is not unique in offering confusion sometimes. Ever had an astronomer ask your wife, "Have you seen Uranus?" That can lead to some uncomfortable moments.
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