4 ms·

Why are you ending every sentence with a question mark? It makes you sound unsure?

dang 11y ago
We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10239014 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10239014 and marked it off topic.
xlm1717 11y ago
I've been noticing that as a nasty habit picking up steam on HN. It's usually the commenter talking down to a previous commenter.
- DanBC 11y ago
  marincounty just uses a lot of question marks. Your nasty attack is incorrect, and you should probably apologise.
  - function_seven 11y ago
    I'm sorry, but one can't "just use a lot of question marks" without completely destroying whatever meaning they're trying to get across. I don't give a rat's ass if someone confuses "their" with "there", or "it's" with "its". The meaning is entirely left intact. But ending every single sentence with a question mark is very confusing to the reader. I still have no idea if marincounty is agreeing with the parent, calling them out on those statements, or something in between.
    - DanBC 11y ago
      It helps if you read it in an Australian accent?
      - function_seven 11y ago
        Haha, maybe? I'll give it a try? Yeah, it kinda does!?
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]
    - alexqgb 11y ago
      Confusing it's and its is a minor grammatical error. Generally, making this mistake does nothing to change an expression's meaning. Responding to criticism by inventing hyperbolic scenarios and punctuating them with questions marks is not a minor grammatical error. It is a rhetorical technique that usually, if not always, signals bad faith. marincounty may not be a troll, but he sure writes like one. If he wants to be taken more seriously, he'd be well advised to find a style of engagement that hasn't become synonymous with dubious intent.
totalrobe 11y ago
I call it the "Bill O'Reilly". It's the either-or fallacy, also known as the false dilemma, and commonly employed by internet forum bullies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma
- DanBC 11y ago
  That's a nasty thing to say. marincounty does use too many question marks[1], but does so in every post. EDIT: and grammar discussions are really tedious. [1] I am aware that my punctuation, spelling, and grammar are terrible. I welcome help! My email is in my profile.
- mzs 11y ago
  I do not see marincounty being a bully in that comment, just some odd punctuation. This discussion is derailing from the topic at hand.
  - totalrobe 11y ago
    Guys, I did not say that marincounty was being a bully. Seems like you too are falling prey to the HASTY GENERALIZATION or maybe just a faulty correlation. Just because some bullies use the false dilemma does not mean that marincounty is bully. And agreed, we are definitely derailing from the topic.

dang 11y ago

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10239014 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10239014 and marked it off topic.

xlm1717 11y ago

I've been noticing that as a nasty habit picking up steam on HN. It's usually the commenter talking down to a previous commenter.

DanBC 11y ago
marincounty just uses a lot of question marks. Your nasty attack is incorrect, and you should probably apologise.
- function_seven 11y ago
  I'm sorry, but one can't "just use a lot of question marks" without completely destroying whatever meaning they're trying to get across. I don't give a rat's ass if someone confuses "their" with "there", or "it's" with "its". The meaning is entirely left intact. But ending every single sentence with a question mark is very confusing to the reader. I still have no idea if marincounty is agreeing with the parent, calling them out on those statements, or something in between.
  - DanBC 11y ago
    It helps if you read it in an Australian accent?
    - function_seven 11y ago
      Haha, maybe? I'll give it a try? Yeah, it kinda does!?
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - alexqgb 11y ago
    Confusing it's and its is a minor grammatical error. Generally, making this mistake does nothing to change an expression's meaning. Responding to criticism by inventing hyperbolic scenarios and punctuating them with questions marks is not a minor grammatical error. It is a rhetorical technique that usually, if not always, signals bad faith. marincounty may not be a troll, but he sure writes like one. If he wants to be taken more seriously, he'd be well advised to find a style of engagement that hasn't become synonymous with dubious intent.

totalrobe 11y ago

I call it the "Bill O'Reilly". It's the either-or fallacy, also known as the false dilemma, and commonly employed by internet forum bullies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma

DanBC 11y ago
That's a nasty thing to say. marincounty does use too many question marks[1], but does so in every post. EDIT: and grammar discussions are really tedious. [1] I am aware that my punctuation, spelling, and grammar are terrible. I welcome help! My email is in my profile.
mzs 11y ago
I do not see marincounty being a bully in that comment, just some odd punctuation. This discussion is derailing from the topic at hand.
- totalrobe 11y ago
  Guys, I did not say that marincounty was being a bully. Seems like you too are falling prey to the HASTY GENERALIZATION or maybe just a faulty correlation. Just because some bullies use the false dilemma does not mean that marincounty is bully. And agreed, we are definitely derailing from the topic.