NationStates Jolt Archive

Why are so many starting with "So,"? Even speech has become polluted with this attention getter. Can't we just say what we want to say? It's like, you know, annoying.

So what?

Like, totally?

So, you want us to stop?

I hate when people use improper spelling and grammar!

I hate when people use improper spelling and grammar!

I agree, it makes it really hard to read people's posts.

So what exactly is the problem here?

Why are so many starting with "So,"? Even speech has become polluted with this attention getter. Can't we just say what we want to say? It's like, you know, annoying.

Your being annoyed at poor grammar means your time in NSG is going to be unpleasant to say the least.

So *insert some sort of ontopic point that really didn't need to be said but since i wanted to start a sentence with the word so (even though the joke had already been done several times) here*

"Periods end a sentence" ?

You are an illiterate. A sentence is not ended with "periods" it is ended with a period.

The phrase is awkward, even if the above correction is made.

If you were a careful student of English and meticulous in your expression you would have written "a sentence ends with a period" or "a sentence is ended with a period."

it's called a full-stop anyway :rolleyes: ;)

"Periods end a sentence" ?

You are an illiterate. A sentence is not ended with "periods" it is ended with a period.

What about elipses? Actually do they count as one punctuation mark or the three periods?

What about elipses? Actually do they count as one punctuation mark or the three periods?
Technically, they are a single punctuation mark, and do not end sentences, but function to demonstrate where words or sentences have been omitted.

dont mak fune off mi caise i cantt speel

So you're saying that bad grammar annoys you?

And.. so why is that?

So you're saying that bad grammar annoys you?

And.. so why is that?
"So," isn't necessarily bad grammar, but's a hell of a poor way start a topic sentence. I'm just a little puzzled about why it's so popular, all of a sudden.

You are an illiterate. A sentence is not ended with "periods" it is ended with a period.

And you are devoted to minutia. That's not a compliment. But, if I could correct the title, I'd say something like "Periods end sentences ...". Okay?

And you are devoted to minutia. That's not a compliment. But, if I could correct the title, I'd say something like "Periods end sentences ...". Okay?

The opposite of "minutia" is sloppy, shameful, embarassing mistakes of grammar and usage.

Like I told you above, "periods end sentences" is awkard and poorly written.

"A sentence is ended with a period" is best.

Go into the moderation forum and ask them to change it for you. Write it out again!

..."a sentence is ended with a period."
Wouldn't "a sentence is ended by a period" be more appropriate? Periods aren't the only things that end sentences; it's just that their presence indicates that the sentence prior to it has just been terminated.

Wouldn't "a sentence is ended by a period" be more appropriate? Periods aren't the only things that end sentences; it's just that their presence indicates that the sentence prior to it has just been terminated.

'With' is better than 'by' here.

You have a point, but it should be written out "A sentence can be ended with a period."

I think it is unneccesary complication though.

So what exactly is the problem here?
You teach. Do you like to see your students start off a paragraph with "So,"?

'With' is better than 'by' here.

You have a point, but it should be written out "A sentence can be ended with a period."

I think it is unneccesary complication though.
You say it's an unnecessary complication, but if the author is intending to point out that the use of a period is to end a sentence rather than that sentences are explicitly ended by periods, as the phrasing of the initial title suggests, then using "with" would be entirely inappropriate.

In context, however, I guess that the intention was indeed to bemoan the "flow of consciousness" style of writing, which would render "with" the more accurate of the possible prepositions after all.

You say it's an unnecessary complication, but if the author is intending to point out that the use of a period is to end a sentence rather than that sentences are explicitly ended by periods, as the phrasing of the initial title suggests, then using "with" would be entirely inappropriate.

In context, however, I'm guessing that the intention was indeed to bemoan the "flow of consciousness" style of writing, which would render "with" the more accurate of the possible prepositions.


I would wager a good deal of money that more than 99 out of every hundred sentences written in English are ended with a period.

Unnecessary complication like that makes things unreadable. It's like the "Da Vinci Code".

I would wager a good deal of money that more than 99 out of every hundred sentences written in English are ended with a period.

Unnecessary complication like that makes things unreadable. It's like the "Da Vinci Code".
It's not an unnecessary complication if it's the point of the sentence, though, which, given the ambiguous nature of the initial phrase, I initially assumed it to be.

However, despite its literary standards, people bought the Da Vinci Code anyway, whether or not they read it. I'd settle for that. :D

The only thing that angers me is inappropriate use of apostrophes. It makes people look like idiots.

"DVD's $15"

The DVD is? (Actually that one might work.) The DVD owns $15?

WTF?

I would wager a good deal of money that more than 99 out of every hundred sentences written in English are ended with a period.

Unnecessary complication like that makes things unreadable. It's like the "Da Vinci Code".

Would you really? You'd state that every sentence written in English ends with a full stop (or period, if you prefer)?

Incredible!

The only question is, have I made my point?

Dieses ist die Zeit etwas, Deutsches zu erlernen zu beginnen! :)

Well! I say. However, it's perfectly fine. After the camel uprising, puncuation will be replaced with sticks.

And a cookie will go to whoever gets the reference *whack!*

You teach. Do you like to see your students start off a paragraph with "So,"?

This is hardly an essay or research paper. It's not even the newspapers, which are, by the way, these days a morass of poor punctuation, spelling and grammar.

Dieses ist die Zeit etwas, Deutsches zu erlernen zu beginnen! :)
:p

So, like yesterday, I was like shopping at the mall, and like I saw these like prettiest shoes, sort of. I like though to myself, like, I MUUUUST, like have them, or I like will just die! So then, I like remember I sort of forgot my like money at like home. So silly me, huh? :rolleyes:

*kills self for talking like this*

This is hardly an essay or research paper. It's not even the newspapers, which are, by the way, these days a morass of poor punctuation, spelling and grammar.
And I'm not a grammar fundamentalist. Shoot, I'm not even one of the faithful most of the time. I fully accept that writing here is more like speech than anything else. I'm just curious about the habit.

I hate when people use improper spelling and grammar!
To be correct your post should read: I hate IT when people use improper spelling and grammar.

Get some grammar lessons please.

I thought sentences ended with smileys ;)

"So" is a variant on the vocal pause. People need time to get their thoughts together when they speak and "so" can be drawn out as long as necessary for that to occur. It's less obvious than "ahhh" and "ummm".

"So" is a variant on the vocal pause. People need time to get their thoughts together when they speak and "so" can be drawn out as long as necessary for that to occur. It's less obvious than "ahhh" and "ummm".
Oooo kaaay . . .

And I'm not a grammar fundamentalist. Shoot, I'm not even one of the faithful most of the time. I fully accept that writing here is more like speech than anything else. I'm just curious about the habit.


I would think it's a carryover from informal conversation in this particular medium; haven't you ever been present when someone changed the topic of conversation or ended a silent pause by saying something akin to, "So, how about those Knicks?" Or, "So, what should we talk about now?"

"So" is a variant on the vocal pause. People need time to get their thoughts together when they speak and "so" can be drawn out as long as necessary for that to occur. It's less obvious than "ahhh" and "ummm".

That too.

That too.
OT but those wiggly ears sure are cute!

By 'period' you mean full stop yeh?

Liasia']By 'period' you mean full stop yeh?
I mean period. The punctuation mark that ends a declaritive sentence is a period.

I mean period. The punctuation mark that ends a declaritive sentence is a period.
You mean a full stop. Trust me.

Liasia']You mean a full stop. Trust me.
A full stop where I come from is something you either do when landing an airplane, or when confronted with the appropriate traffic sign or signal. We don't mix grammar with locomotion.

A full stop where I come from is something you either do when landing an airplane, or when confronted with the appropriate traffic sign or signal. We don't mix grammar with locomotion.
A dash- another word for running. You broke your rule:eek:

A full stop where I come from is something you either do when landing an airplane, or when confronted with the appropriate traffic sign or signal. We don't mix grammar with locomotion.


The period and the full stop are precisely the same punctuation mark.
Full stop is what it is called in English speaking countries, as opposed to in American English.

Why are so many starting with "So,"? Even speech has become polluted with this attention getter. Can't we just say what we want to say? It's like, you know, annoying.

I'd say get rid of vocal pauses altogether. Not just "so", but "like", and "you know" as well. This is a text forum. If you don't have time to say what you want to say, it's no one's fault but your own.

"A sentence is ended with a period" is best.

However, is this not an incomplete statement concerning the ends of sentences?

After careful consideration...

Yes, it is!

Full stop is what it is called in English speaking countries, as opposed to in American English.

Ergo, America is not an English speaking country?

We don't mix grammar with locomotion.

We don't mix grammar with menstruation. Your point being?

Ergo, America is not an English speaking country?
Apparently they don't say 'tosser' 'wanker' 'the dog's bollocks' or any number of great phrases. Seriously america, your'e missing out!

Liasia']Apparently they don't say 'tosser' 'wanker' 'the dog's bollocks' or any number of great phrases. Seriously america, your'e missing out!

Yeah, but we have the American accent. That's got to count for something, right?

Liasia']A dash- another word for running. You broke your rule:eek:
There's always an exception to a rule. That's what makes English such a fun language.

Yeah, but we have the American accent. That's got to count for something, right?
I don't think ive ever heard an American in r/l who wasn't shouting or boasting. So I usually just blank it out, to be honest.

There's always an exception to a rule. That's what makes English such a fun language.
I before E except after C. And in a whole load of other words. damn.

Ergo, America is not an English speaking country?


Apparently you missed the subtle distinction I made between "English" and "American English"?

There's always an exception to a rule.

What is the exception to this rule?

Liasia']I don't think ive ever heard an American in r/l who wasn't shouting or boasting. So I usually just blank it out, to be honest.

Forgot to capitalize that possessive pronoun AND insert the proper apostrophe. But we love you anyway.

Liasia']I don't think ive ever heard an American in r/l who wasn't shouting or boasting. So I usually just blank it out, to be honest.

We've done our job...

Forgot to capitalize that possessive pronoun AND insert the proper apostrophe. But we love you anyway.
*implodes in shame* And I may have been generalising a tad;) but that's the image most people associate with Americans. Tourists especially.

Apparently you missed the subtle distinction I made between "English" and "American English"?

No, I was well aware of it, but I believe your distinction was flawed. American English is a subset of English, and not a different language.

Thus, countries wherein American English is spoken are English speaking countries.

Now, if you had drawn a distinction between American English and British English, that would have been an entirely different kettle of fish.

Liasia']*implodes in shame* And I may have been generalising a tad;) but that's the image most people associate with Americans. Tourists especially.


I'm American. Do I generally seem to be shouting or boastful?

Well, except that time when I totally ruled!!!! ;)

No, I was well aware of it, but I believe your distinction was flawed. American English is a subset of English, and not a different language.

Thus, countries wherein American English is spoken are English speaking countries.

Now, if you had drawn a distinction between American English and British English, that would have been an entirely different kettle of fish.

I never said that American English was a separate language, nor did I say it was not English.

I believe the nit you are picking to be very small indeed.

I'm American. Do I generally seem to be shouting or boastful?

Well, except that time when I totally ruled!!!! ;)
Dude I said in r/l. Seriously tho, this American came to visit us and we went through the most affluent part around here and he was like 'those houses are tiny, my house pWns them'. Our house was about 1/8 the size of the one his pWns:rolleyes:

I never said that American English was a separate language, nor did I say it was not English.

Syllogism for you:

Full stop is what it is called in English speaking countries, as opposed to in American English.
The full stop is not called a full stop in the USA.
Thus, the USA is not an English speaking country.

EDIT: nah, scratch that. 'tis flawed.


I believe the nit you are picking to be very small indeed.

Quite possibly, but that just gives the poor wee beastie a sporting chance.

Syllogism for you:

Full stop is what it is called in English speaking countries, as opposed to in American English.
The full stop is not called a full stop in the USA.
Thus, the USA is not an English speaking country.


That's right up there with "All fish live in water, therefore if I buy kippers, it will not rain."

That's right up there with "All fish live in water, therefore if I buy kippers, it will not rain."
And that's false logic how?

That's right up there with "All fish live in water, therefore if I buy kippers, it will not rain."

Yes, it was a half-hearted attempt, and I added an EDIT to my post to retract it before I read you leaping on it.

Version II -

In all English speaking countries this '.' is known as a full stop.
In the USA this '.' is not known as a full stop.
Therefore, the USA is not an English speaking country.

Seems better to me. Now, whether that can be mapped onto the earlier post I took issue with or not is an exercise left for the reader.

You can fit a million atoms on one full stop you know. *nods* On a period, you can only fit 2, because they are inferior to the awesome English punctuation.

I only post one period in my sentences a month

Would you really? You'd state that every sentence written in English ends with a full stop (or period, if you prefer)?

Incredible!

The only question is, have I made my point?


Another of NS General's Great Inventors and Misapprehenders.

It was clearly clear from my post that this is clearly not what I clearly meant.

Jesus Christ!

However, is this not an incomplete statement concerning the ends of sentences?

After careful consideration...

Yes, it is!


Mr. Dan Brown, the fact that introducing unnecessary information complicates the sentence unnecessarily and removes any import or elegance from it has been discussed above.

As was clearly clear from the posts above, the point was clearly not to provide a primer all the terminal punctuation available to English writers.

Clearly, the point was to correct a serious error in an aborted attempt at criticism of English writing.

I only post one period in my sentences a month

Best post of the thread. Bravo.

Why is this thread still going!