Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

Half of GP is professionalism, and that should be expressed in your posts on the forum. This is something that I know I can improve on and I'm sure I'm not alone.

Thanks Jane!!!!!!!!!!1

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

Maybe the selection for "Alumni" in the "Team Role" section of profiles on this website should be changed

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

LOL:) After you take care of that, please pull a few million license plate frames (advertising expensive university/college educations) off of US cars and replace them with more appropriate ones.

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

A slightly more expensive solution for my family was to graduate three of us from the same university...

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

Alumni would be the plural of alumnum, the neuter form. If I recall correctly this would be the form used for a mixed group. So most universities are OK. There are a few single sex schools around that should be more careful, especially if they have a Classics department.

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

And I am pretty sure that the plural form of aluminum is "6-pack"

-dave



/

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

But think of the savings on license plate frames!
You're correct, BUT I pick my words carefully.

My Websters 8th Collegiate defines Use as "the act or practice of employing something" for example "I use words carefully"
Same book calls Usage "Firmly established and generally accepted practice or procedure". For example "word usage"

For all practical purposes, these two words have the same meaning - but when you get to splitting hairs, in my context Usage was the better use.

Oh, how I love to split hairs...:D

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

Already ate some crow for this one; but a second helping of crow always helps the lesson stick. :) Maybe I'll cling to the "You are correct" part of your post. ;)

What seems completely wrong to me (except for Mark's family) is the use of a plural form.

If a person wants to use their car to advertise that they graduated from an institution, then they would want to announce that they are one graduate. Many people don't seem realize that there is no such thing as "an alumni".

Blake
PS: Aluminum... LOL

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

Quote stolen from a tshirt...
"Bank of Dad, In business ever since I can remember."

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

Classic!!! :D

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

For me, the biggest 'turn-off' in using "they" as a gender-neutral term is that "they" is plural. Example (emphasis mine):

If a person wants to use their car to advertise that they graduated from an institution, then they would want to announce that they are one graduate.


The change from singular to plural, then back to singular, is troubling to me as a literalist. From my experience, engineers are nothing if not literal.
I'd prefer "one" or "his or her" to "they;" even though "his or her" is a bit more cumbersome, it is more proper (if only in my eyes).

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

No, that was Diet Coke. THIS is Classic -->


:D

-dave



..

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

I knew that was coming, when I wrote my post...:)

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

Point taken - However, on this one I do have allies as far back the 1300s according to this source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/they

I am reminded of the apocryphal "... up with which I will not put!" tale described here: http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/langu...es/001715.html

Blake

Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
 

This thread came in handy today!

A co-worker, in the cubicle across from me, announced randomly about midway through the morning, "I sure wish I could remember how to tell when to use affect or effect."

At which point I said,
:)

(He was quite impressed!)