Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

"Team XXXX regretfully accepts."

That's what I want to hear. Or, in the words of Brendan McLeod, who has now passed on this tradition to me, "Team 1058 accepts graciously." It gets a reaction from the crowd and is supposedly more correct than "graciously accepts."

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

It's not the order that matters, it's using the word at all.

Gracious: 1. Characterized by kindness and warm courtesy. 2. Characterized by tact and propriety.

Would you say: "Team 1058 accepts with much tact and propriety"? Exactly how tactful is it to walk around declaring how very tactful you are? How is it particularly gracious to declare just how very gracious you are?

It's the same problem you'd have if you went around telling everyone you knew about how great you are because you're so humble. It's a contradiction in terms. The whole point of this nigh unto 5 year old thread is that if you declare you're "graciously accepting" you're most definitely not being very gracious.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Holy thread revival batman!

I am still waiting for somebody to say
"TONIGHT, WE DINE ON EINSTEIN!"
**and the crowd goes wild**

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I'm sure somewhere in this long thread someone suggested this, but here goes...

Wouldn't it be better to say " Team xxxx accepts your gracious offer to join your alliance." This compliments the asking team for being gracious, and provides a humble stance for your own team in that it says 'we are not worthy to join you, but your graciousness has welcomed accepted us"

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

inconceivable, or you bet your bippie, or surely you jest, or Ill take FRC alliances for 500 Alex, or come on down, or that would be the cats meow, or wait what who me:D

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Maybe we could say we gratefully accept?

-Duke

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Cue Libby Kamen making fun of me botching my own team number not once, but twice, during alliance selection at the 2007 VCU regional.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

On this note, "Join me, and together, we can rule the court as alliance captain and alliance member" as an invitation.

Obviously based on this quote "Join me, and together, we can rule the galaxy as father and son!"

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

"I take it the odds are stacked against us and the situation is grim."

...you could say that...

"You know, if Spock were here, he'd say I was an irrational illogical human being for taking on a mission like that...sounds like fun!"

Needless to say, they wouldn't let me do it. (Kudos to whomever gets the reference.)

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

No wonder you feel contempt for the word, you are looking at it wrong. "Ir" does not modify "regardless", it modifies "respective", as in "irrespective". Irregardless is a portmanteau formed from these two commonly accepted words.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I am so glad this thread is back. It inspired me to instate a new rule at every FTC event I emceed... No one is allowed to "graciously accept." I said at every qualifying event that the most creative way to accept at the state championship would win a special prize.

FTC Florida Championship 2012 alliance selection rules

The 2012 FL FTC Championship Alliance Selection, with special prize

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I think the reference you're looking for is the musical "1776". And I think it was New York that abstained.... Please don't ask how I know or remember that....

Anyway, I'd suggest proposing/accepting alliances in haiku.

Team 1-1-2-4
Asks for Team x-x-y-y
To ally with them

...

Team x-x-y-y
Graciously accepts your offer
Let's get ready to play

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I not so humbly submit to you the greatest acceptance speech of all time...
Patrick imitating Hulk Hogan to accept for the Robonauts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbBx-bqUBhQ
On a serious note, I think having a little fun with acceptance is a good thing. Especially if that fun is elaborately planned out and involves props.
EDIT: YES. Your team should do this, film it, and post it.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

You would post these videos. Why is someone saying "Krunch Time"? You need to stop confusing the FTC teams...

:P (sarcasm) lol

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

If you're accepting, just walk up, shake their hand, and stand next to them.
If you're declining, just walk up, stare at them until it becomes uncomfortable (or everyone starts laughing), then walk back.

...no?

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

So I suppose you have no issue with the Palinism "refudiate?" That, too, is a blend of two words, though not as commonplace as irregardless.

Not related, I love arguing over the intricacies of the English language. Semantics are so much fun!:]

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

That would be "The Stig method" of alliance selection:p

Yes, refudiate is an awesome word.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

At the South Florida Regional I went around to all of the pits and made a simple suggestion for either inviting or accepting an alliance: Be fun and creative. I told all teams that whoever came up with the best acceptance or invitation, I would let them wear my umbrella hat for the rest of eliminations.

Some teams took up the challenge, video here.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

So who won? I dont remember.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

The winner was 2383, The Ninjaneers, at 3:00. A skinny guy with about the biggest wrench he could carry says, "We'd love to help you bust some nuts."

Blair's reply was equally priceless.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

How about this:

Team XXXX is pleased to accept your invitation and is ready to rumble. I think that would be the best way to respond for this years game.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

How about: "Team xxxx is READY TO RUMBLE!"

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Just said that hahaha.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

3929 decided to use something different than "graciously accept" this year....:D

Our mascot is a dragon and we are sponsored by Boeing and the Air Force


http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL...XJs82Yk#t=737s

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

When we are invited to an alliance, our team, 3929- the Atomic Dragons, always says, "Team 3929 is ready to fly". I dont know how we came up with this, but it has become a tradition.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

In my experience, GRT always accepts with "the burning passion of a thousand suns." Or something like that.

On a more serious note, only try to be funny if you really are funny. No one will get some weird inside joke. Even if you can't technically "graciously accept," it is still a polite way to accept an invitation to join an alliance.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Since our robot will be a big D player at Central Valley, in the event we get picked:

"Team 256 is ready to RAM into our opponents"!

Nah. That was lame. :p But I'll think of something!

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I let audience laughter be the judge.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

"FIRST team xxxx gladly acceptes"

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Five years ago last month, Post#1 in this same thread:

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Poor form or not, it has become Team 341 tradition for a mentor who is getting married to have the invitations' response cards have two check boxes:

[ ] Graciously Accepts
[ ] Regretfully Declines

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I never understood "Regretfully declines" (unless your robot is broken). I mean, usually you're declining for strategy reasons; sure, you might regret it later, but right then?

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

we regret making the picking team feel bad... it's like getting an invitation to a friend's party, but you can't attend because ur having ur own party (and u think ur party might be better).

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

How cute! I wouldnt have thought of that!

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

That is awesome.

3847's alliance captain decided to "invite teams on a magical journey of exploration and discovery" at Dallas-West. The MC remembered it for being different and used it in our award announcement as well.

Hopefully the revival of this thread will get more creative invites and acceptances. Alliance selection is boring with out them.

I also think the standard option should be "respectfully declines" and not "regretfully declines".

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Probably the funniest acceptance I have heard this year came from the representative from 217 at Detroit while accepting an invitation from 51. I believe the representative said something along the lines of "Team 217 is happy to be your wingman."

As long as accptances/declines are not mean or disrespectful I think teams should come up with their own creative way of accepting/declining. It makes alliance selections a little more interesting.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

This is a thread bump. A new thread was created asking a question, recently. The OP was told to do a search and the new thread was closed.

This thread explores the topic, has some good posts, and is rated 4 stars. It is a good read on the topic and is one of the only ones that I've found, if not the only one. When you do a search, other threads come up but this is the one devoted to the discussion.

It's perfectly fine to come up with a different response and a creative one. That is discussed in this thread that I've bumped. Enjoy the read.

Jane

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

This thread is good too.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

We've noticed that too so our spokesperson will say "We accept your gracious invitation? :)

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

We Governators came to the same conclusion about saying "We graciously accept" in an alliance selection. We translated it to "We accept your invitation. You're welcome." Needless to say we had quite a laugh about that. We decided that the best way (if not trying to stand out and be incredibly unique) would be something along the lines of "Team xxxx gratefully accepts your gracious invitation" with a few words changeable in there, for one because our rep found that to be a little too much of a tongue twister.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

After hearing selections in Ventura, I feel the need to reignite this thread. I cringe every time I hear it. Props to 973 for doing it right.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Ah, old threads. Why cant we just leave them be?


So in 2014 we accepted our invite at the EWU district event by saying "we gratefully accept." Got some laughs out of that.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Ill try to be more tact once I get that #blue #banner

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

How 'bout what we did:

"Not to sound old-fashioned, but tote-ally."

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

We simply said "Heck Yeah!" It was hilarious to say the least.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

We usually "humbly accept," however this year we may "gleefully and gratefully accept," if given the opportunity.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I usually say "let's krawl together".. since our team is called KnightKrawler. :D

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Anyone going to accept in period language appropriate for Stronghold? Extra credit for anyone who actually accepts in Middle English or Middle French.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

wé cwémlic gecéosan!

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Fun fact if you get onto the field doing backflips and twists and such you can "Gracefully Accept"
I know its not the same but its close...

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Our team usually "accepts your gracious offer"

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

This sentence really doesn't make sense to me. There is nothing gracious about team A offering team B an invitation to join their alliance. If I showed someone my NCAA bracket with team X winning it all, it would be nonsensical for them to say "how gracious of you for selecting team X."

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Thats totally different. Calling an offer gracious is correct. They dont have to give you that offer.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

It certainly doesn't make sense if you consider yourself entitled to a spot on that alliance.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

But they have to give someone the offer, just like my NCAA bracket has to have a winner.

EDIT: I really should have just stayed out of this conversation, I truly care very little about how teams accept invitations.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Would you not like an NBA or NFL draft pick to say thank you to the team that picked them?

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

After hearing an FTA explain why you should never use "graciously accept", we began saying, "Team 2959 would love to unleash the beast with you". (We refer to our mascot and robot as "The Beast".) At Lansing, our field captain used a play on what the MC said about our captain though. (Something about comets... I don't remember.) I'm a fan of "punny" ones, honestly. Have fun with whatever you choose to say!

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Alliance Selections have been a lie!

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Let me pose a question here:

What's the big deal?

The fun thing about language is that if everyone knows what you mean, it doesn't actually matter what you say, and I think there are better uses of our time than language/grammar-policing alliance selections. If you want to use "graciously accept", more power to you. If you don't, then don't.

So long as you don't trip over your own words like last year at RIDE and mash together "graciously" and "gratefully" forming something like "grashfully", which ends up sounding like "gracefully" with a lisp.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

On the other hand, many of us are engineers who value precision and accuracy in communication. Words mean things.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I understand that precision and accuracy are important, but there are times and places to enforce (not) wording something a specific way, which I personally reserve for tools, measurements, and the like, and not for general speech.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

No one is trying to "enforce" anything, but for a lot of us nerds, seeing people willfully do/say something wrong, is frankly kind of annoying. We aren't trying to act superior or be pedantic, we are simply asking everyone to consider the words they say and what they mean. Words only have the power and meaning we give them. Using commonly agreed upon definitions keeps our speech robust and accurate and makes sure everyone can understand each other.

An example: the difference between nauseated and nauseous. Consider this situation: someone in the pits forgot to put on deodorant and is standing right next to me. I want to tell them they are nauseous, but when I do, they think I mean they are nauseated, and they are rightly confused.

Of course, it is the responsibility of the speaker to make sure his point is conveyed accurately, but wouldn't it be so much easier if we could all be concise and precise.

Using words sloppily like this isn't the end of the world, but at the end of the day, it makes it that much harder to convey what you want in the way you want to.

I leave you with a relevant xkcd:

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Actually, it does matter.

Here's the problem with that line of thought:

When it leads to the creation of new words with a specific and generally-understood meaning, it can be a good thing.

But when you take an existing useful word and make it ambiguous, it can be a bad thing, especially if that word has no suitable unambiguous replacement.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I panicked as my team representative and said "Thanks, we're in."

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

I graciously accepted a bunch of food this Easter Sunday.
I said "Thank you."
I did not say "I graciously accept this food."
I'd have been shunned for saying that.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

Was the food really that bad?

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

On behalf of my stomach I graciously accept...
Yeah that'll get you a robotics intervention.

Funny you say that. I learned the hard way that it is a good idea to eat before alliance selections. Although it did keep me from being completely devastated when we got eliminated since that meant food.

Re: You Cannot Graciously Accept
 

To graciously accept is a bit of an insult to the inviting team. My OED defines gracious as "kind, indulgent and beneficent to inferiors". That's usually nowhere near what the user intends. I can understand referring to a Robertson screwdriver as a square screwdriver or a twist drill as a drill bit as the words could be construed to mean the same thing.