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Capitalization matters!

Started by 1995hoo, December 10, 2018, 10:34:31 AM

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1995hoo

We need Inigo Montoya to tell CNN this headline does not say what they think it does.

"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.


abefroman329

My favorite example is still "helping your Uncle Jack off a horse" vs. "helping your uncle jack off a horse."

Also, maybe "hummer" is an acceptable use of the term in the military, as "jeep" was once upon a time.

hbelkins

If LeBron could afford a Hummer while he was in high school, someone was running seriously afoul of amateurism guidelines. I thought he was a poor kid who got rich by going straight to the NBA.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

abefroman329

I wonder if Elon Musk doesn't respect the Securities and Exchanges Commission or the Southeastern Conference.  Or both.

Paulinator66


kphoger

If I'm reading a news article and I come to an obvious capitalization, grammar, or punctuation error, then I immediately lose respect for the author and interest in learning his or her side of the issue.  I figure that, if you expect me to respect you as a competent and intelligent source of information, then you should either...
(a) know how the printed English language works, or
(b) hire an editor who does.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

kphoger

Quote from: Paulinator66 on December 10, 2018, 03:50:44 PM
My favorite example of this

Now we've moved to the topic of punctuation instead of capitalization, but my favorite is...

A woman without her man is nothing.
A woman:  without her, man is nothing.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

kalvado

Meanwhile, capitalization of Apple inc. exceeded $1 trillion at some point...

GaryV

Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 04:14:38 PM
If I'm reading a news article and I come to an obvious capitalization, grammar, or punctuation error, then I immediately lose respect for the author and interest in learning his or her side of the issue.  I figure that, if you expect me to respect you as a competent and intelligent source of information, then you should either...
(a) know how the printed English language works, or
(b) hire an editor who does.

I've often wondered if anyone at the newspaper actually reads their newspaper before the print it.

hotdogPi

Quote from: GaryV on December 10, 2018, 04:53:57 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 04:14:38 PM
If I'm reading a news article and I come to an obvious capitalization, grammar, or punctuation error, then I immediately lose respect for the author and interest in learning his or her side of the issue.  I figure that, if you expect me to respect you as a competent and intelligent source of information, then you should either...
(a) know how the printed English language works, or
(b) hire an editor who does.

I've often wondered if anyone at the newspaper actually reads their newspaper before the print it.

Apparently not.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

kalvado

Quote from: 1 on December 10, 2018, 05:17:01 PM
Quote from: GaryV on December 10, 2018, 04:53:57 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 04:14:38 PM
If I'm reading a news article and I come to an obvious capitalization, grammar, or punctuation error, then I immediately lose respect for the author and interest in learning his or her side of the issue.  I figure that, if you expect me to respect you as a competent and intelligent source of information, then you should either...
(a) know how the printed English language works, or
(b) hire an editor who does.

I've often wondered if anyone at the newspaper actually reads their newspaper before the print it.

Apparently not.
It helps to re-read the post AFTER hitting "submit" button.
We do have an edit option here..

abefroman329

Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 04:16:36 PM
Quote from: Paulinator66 on December 10, 2018, 03:50:44 PM
My favorite example of this

Now we've moved to the topic of punctuation instead of capitalization, but my favorite is...

A woman without her man is nothing.
A woman:  without her, man is nothing.
There's a few good examples of when the Oxford comma can be useful.

formulanone

#12
Quote from: 1 on December 10, 2018, 05:17:01 PM
Quote from: GaryV on December 10, 2018, 04:53:57 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 04:14:38 PM
If I'm reading a news article and I come to an obvious capitalization, grammar, or punctuation error, then I immediately lose respect for the author and interest in learning his or her side of the issue.  I figure that, if you expect me to respect you as a competent and intelligent source of information, then you should either...
(a) know how the printed English language works, or
(b) hire an editor who does.

I've often wondered if anyone at the newspaper actually reads their newspaper before the print it.

Apparently not.

When we are paid to post in threads, then we can nitpick each other. Unless I forgot to check one of the lesser-known options during the registration process...

Anyhow, don't think too hard about the average free article you find on the internet. They probably churned it out to receive $5, spent an hour typing it, an "editor" checked to make sure it didn't say "GODZILLA'S TITS LEAK PEPSI", there wasn't anyone naked in the images, and then they all moved onto the next task.

kalvado

Quote from: formulanone on December 10, 2018, 05:38:31 PM
Anyhow, don't think too hard about the average free article you find on the internet. They probably churned it out to receive $5, spent an hour typing it, an "editor" checked to make sure it didn't say "GODZILLA'S TITS LEAK PEPSI" there wasn't anyone naked in the images, and then they all moved onto the next task.
An hour spent on an $5 article? You're optimistic...

GaryV

Quote from: kalvado on December 10, 2018, 05:30:42 PM
Quote from: 1 on December 10, 2018, 05:17:01 PM
Quote from: GaryV on December 10, 2018, 04:53:57 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 04:14:38 PM
If I'm reading a news article and I come to an obvious capitalization, grammar, or punctuation error, then I immediately lose respect for the author and interest in learning his or her side of the issue.  I figure that, if you expect me to respect you as a competent and intelligent source of information, then you should either...
(a) know how the printed English language works, or
(b) hire an editor who does.

I've often wondered if anyone at the newspaper actually reads their newspaper before the print it.

Apparently not.
It helps to re-read the post AFTER hitting "submit" button.
We do have an edit option here..
I can't make you believe I meant to do that, can I?    :hmmm:

nexus73

wHO sAYS cAPITALIZATION dOESN'T mATTER?

rICK
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

SSOWorld



tHAT is ALL!!!!...

DISCLAIMER: The sign no longer exists
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

formulanone

#17
Quote from: kalvado on December 10, 2018, 05:57:26 PM
Quote from: formulanone on December 10, 2018, 05:38:31 PM
Anyhow, don't think too hard about the average free article you find on the internet. They probably churned it out to receive $5, spent an hour typing it, an "editor" checked to make sure it didn't say "GODZILLA'S TITS LEAK PEPSI", there wasn't anyone naked in the images, and then they all moved onto the next task.
An hour spent on an $5 article? You're optimistic...

I'm sorry, I don't have the Manual of Half-Assed News Articles in front of me.

What's the going rate? Probably crap per hour, like most work-from-home jobs. Or would they spend 10 minutes on it because they're making too much money to waste time on it? I know there's professional and semi-pro writers who make a good living, or write out stuff in between other lines of work, and many others who probably spam out news outlets with some real crud, because the Epsilon-educated audience doesn't care.

kphoger

Quote from: formulanone on December 10, 2018, 05:38:31 PM
Quote from: 1 on December 10, 2018, 05:17:01 PM
Quote from: GaryV on December 10, 2018, 04:53:57 PM
Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 04:14:38 PM
If I'm reading a news article and I come to an obvious capitalization, grammar, or punctuation error, then I immediately lose respect for the author and interest in learning his or her side of the issue.  I figure that, if you expect me to respect you as a competent and intelligent source of information, then you should either...
(a) know how the printed English language works, or
(b) hire an editor who does.

I've often wondered if anyone at the newspaper actually reads their newspaper before the print it.

Apparently not.

When we are paid to post in threads, then we can nitpick each other. Unless I forgot to check one of the lesser-known options during the registration process...

This.

A casual web forum is not a national news outlet.




Quote from: abefroman329 on December 10, 2018, 05:33:40 PM
There's a few good examples of when the Oxford comma can be useful.

I am a firm believer in the Oxford comma.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

wanderer2575

I too am a firm believer in and practitioner of the Oxford comma.

Because I'm in the payroll profession, this is my favorite example:  The lack of an Oxford comma in a section of Maine labor law led to a circuit court's decision as to whether drivers delivering perishable foods are exempt from overtime pay.

http://loweringthebar.net/2017/03/the-oxford-comma-use-it.html

formulanone

Quote from: wanderer2575 on December 10, 2018, 08:25:01 PM
I too am a firm believer in and practitioner of the Oxford comma.

Because I'm in the payroll profession, this is my favorite example:  The lack of an Oxford comma in a section of Maine labor law led to a circuit court's decision as to whether drivers delivering perishable foods are exempt from overtime pay.

http://loweringthebar.net/2017/03/the-oxford-comma-use-it.html


I think you posted that site two weeks ago (different article), and I confess I've spent far too much time enjoying it! :D

Eth

Quote from: abefroman329 on December 10, 2018, 03:35:51 PM
I wonder if Elon Musk doesn't respect the Securities and Exchanges Commission or the Southeastern Conference.  Or both.

Elon hasn't even played an SEC team since 2011, which sounds like pretty clear disrespect to me.

wxfree

Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 04:16:36 PM
Quote from: Paulinator66 on December 10, 2018, 03:50:44 PM
My favorite example of this

Now we've moved to the topic of punctuation instead of capitalization, but my favorite is...

A woman without her man is nothing.
A woman:  without her, man is nothing.

Lionel Hutz
Works on contingency
No money down

Oh, sorry, they left off the punctuation.

Lionel Hutz
Works on contingency?
No, money down!



It's one of the more cromulent examples of the importance of punctuation.
I'd like to buy a vowel, Alex.  What is E?

abefroman329

Quote from: kphoger on December 10, 2018, 07:53:36 PMI am a firm believer in the Oxford comma.
We've used the same graphic designer for our birth announcements and Christmas cards. Both times, I've sent her text that includes an Oxford comma, and both times, she's returned a proof without an Oxford comma. Must be a design thing.

1995hoo

"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.



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