You Cannot Graciously Accept

[MikeDubreuil]

Have you tried Cold Stone's Candy Land creation? It's cake batter ice cream with snickers, M&Ms, and Kit Kats. After having a "gotta have it" of that I would believe anything they told me.

[Adam Y.]

So, it is just MY OPINION that language.. CONCISE language... is very important and that it should be a part of FIRST.
Programmers... don't your mentors strongly encourage you to include comments in your programs for yourself and future programmers who might build on your work? Shouldn't those comments be very clear so that a future programmer doesn't have to lose the time you gained for them by having to go back over your code and figure out what you did because the comments didn't quite make sense?
I will grant you it is a seemingly small error, but if it IS a small error (to Graciously accept)... then it is very easily corrected.
OK I'm laying low for awhile. Having made my point I think I will let it rest... The FIRST organization is gonna kill me when people start reciting epic poems to accept an alliance partnership. ... Hmmm What rhymes with "F.I.R.S.T."

Im sorry but engineering is not the field for conciseness in the english language. I've been told that multiple times by my boss. Once when I asked what a transorb was and the second time in relation to the unit hertz (He was taught with the units cycles/second). Then there is the time I had no idea how to describe what my robots look like. It's one thing to say tri-star but most people would have no idea what I mean by that. If we really wanted to do this the engineering way everyone would hold up pictures.

The back story: I went to Coldstone Creamery with my family [for those of you who don't have it in your area, it's only the BEST ice cream place ever] I had just been discussing with my dad the "graciously accepts/accepts your gracious offer" issue as we're waiting in line, and I happened to look at the tip jar...

Did you actually give them a tip? I don't think there signing qualifies as graceful depending on which definition you use. Note: I have no idea whether or not they sing in all stores.

[Tuma Pacho]

To "accept graciously", as an apology graciously, can mean that what was received is less than expected or originally desired, but accepted anyway in the interest of moving on, or shows accepting the limitations of the situation or of the other party.

"Gracious" here uses the meaning of the word: merciful or compassionate

"I accept graciously the results of this mediation."
"I accepted graciously the disappointing verdict."

I agree, the fact that one is, in the same breath, pointing out this attitude, may be deemed ingracious and so contradictory by some.

[Pavan Dave]

This topic needs to be pinned and/or blasted to all of the teams. I was waiting at IRI on the side for the alliance selection, and I remember some team leaders telling their students to "graciously accept" and it made me a big mad, especially because some of those teams had very Celeb-like members on CD.

[Ryan Dognaux]

Originally Posted by Pavan

it made me a big mad, especially because some of those teams had very Celeb-like members on CD.

Haha that's awesome, they were probably doing it just as a parody on this thread and the whole discussion of "graciously accepting."

I think this is something that's been embeded into FIRST culture. Especially if one team says it at an event, then everyone's going to say it. I don't see this phrase going away anytime soon, but if we ever get drafted, I'll make sure my kids come up with something a bit more creative.

[Herodotus]

We had our representative at IRI wear my Mountain Dew bandoleer with four Dews in it. He said "Team 910 will gladly drink to that" and then handed a Dew to each of our partners.

[AndyB]

I enjoyed the confusion of mumbles followed by the loud "YES!" at IRI.

[jackie Ha]

Originally Posted by Herodotus

We had our representative at IRI wear my Mountain Dew bandoleer with four Dews in it. He said "Team 910 will gladly drink to that" and then handed a Dew to each of our partners.

That was interesting. In my 3 years as being our team captian, I have never had that happen as an alliance acceptance. It was a good thing too because I was really thirsty.

[Dreadfrost]

I cant believe this still gets brought up no matter how many years past. Its simply the other team that is being gracious for offering their alliance spot to you. Therefore one would say:

"Team XXXX accepts your gracious offer."
or
"Thank you for the gracious offer however team XXXX declines."

So once and for all pick one and use it, and lets make SURE this thread isn't repeated again next year.

You know what actually i'd like to see FIRST members to pick up a thesaursus and look up gracious, or go to http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/gracious and pick a different word and use it in Atlanta.

See you all there, and remember ill be listening!!!

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by Dreadfrost

I cant believe this still gets brought up no matter how many years past. Its simply the other team that is being gracious for offering their alliance spot to you. Therefore one would say:

"Team XXXX accepts your gracious offer."
or
"Thank you for the gracious offer however team XXXX declines."

So once and for all pick one and use it, and lets make SURE this thread isn't repeated again next year.

You know what actually i'd like to see FIRST members to pick up a thesaursus and look up gracious, or go to http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/gracious and pick a different word and use it in Atlanta.

See you all there, and remember ill be listening!!!

It will probably be brought up every year. I would estimate that outside of FIRST, 95% of engineers have bad diction when it comes to non-scientific terminology. An FRC student "Graciously Accepting" isn't an anomoly.

By the way, are we resurrecting the contest for the championships this year?

[Alan Anderson]

At IRI last year, against the backdrop of splendid examples of creativity in accepting an alliance captain's invitation, I overheard a couple of veteran students grumbling about the situation. "What's with all the newbies? Didn't anyone tell them what to say? Just go 'we graciously accept' and be done with it!" I decided to find their attitude amusing rather than irritating.

Originally Posted by Dreadfrost

I cant believe this still gets brought up no matter how many years past...lets make SURE this thread isn't repeated again next year.

You do realize that you are the one who brought it up this time? And that you are the one posting this year on a long-dormant thread? It seems that your goal would have been served well by simply not commenting.

[Molten]

Agreed. Besides, for my ME degree I just have to take 1 english class and 1 speech class. I figure this is to make sure that I am able to talk and able to write. If I needed to write really well, they would require more. However, instead I am taking 3 years of solid math. That shows you what an engineer is expected to know. Ask me a math question, and I will get you an answer.(might not be 100% correct) But give me a grammar question and I am clueless. Engineers talk with math first, and grammar second. It is a fact of life. If you want a crowd with good grammar, look into an english based club. However, if you are just wanting a crowd you can learn something and have fun doing it; well, you are in the right place.

[647techangel]

!!!!how bout TEAM 647 REPORTING FOR DUTY HOOAH!!!!

[Madison]

Originally Posted by Molten

Agreed. Besides, for my ME degree I just have to take 1 english class and 1 speech class. I figure this is to make sure that I am able to talk and able to write. If I needed to write really well, they would require more. However, instead I am taking 3 years of solid math. That shows you what an engineer is expected to know. Ask me a math question, and I will get you an answer.(might not be 100% correct) But give me a grammar question and I am clueless. Engineers talk with math first, and grammar second. It is a fact of life. If you want a crowd with good grammar, look into an english based club. However, if you are just wanting a crowd you can learn something and have fun doing it; well, you are in the right place.

I think we all should strive to be better than what is expected of us.

[Molten]

Originally Posted by M. Krass

I think we all should strive to be better than what is expected of us.

Now, the only question is "who decides what is better?"

I personally believe that the quickest/shortest way to convey a thought is the best way. I am a very function over form person. That means that if I must use bad grammar to get my point acrossed, I will. To some, better means being correct. To me, it means being functional.