4 ms·

> Grammar is optional. Grammar is mandatory. Following a specific style guide is optional. I really, really wish more people understood the difference between

by msla 6y ago

> Grammar is optional. Grammar is mandatory. Following a specific style guide is optional. I really, really wish more people understood the difference between grammar, which is how a language works, and style, which is how a specific organization or person has decreed that language must be used or else they will become very, very cross with you.

dsr_ 6y ago
English flexible very. Grammar optional. Convey much thinkings philosophy attitude deliberate dissonance. Education class wealth signifiers == code switching; academic pretense. Audience knowledge crucial. one style !fits all.
- cbozeman 6y ago
  I understood the ideas you're trying to convey, but the annoyance I experienced with the conveyance was palpable. :)
  - dsr_ 6y ago
    Then I'm afraid I got my meaning across entirely clearly.
- identity0 6y ago
  This is why grammar is not optional. I have no clue what you said or are trying to convey. Yeah english is flexible, but that doesn't mean you can just drop articles and sentence structure.
  - thelastwave 6y ago
    Leading to the question of whether "understanding" is the responsibility of the speaker or the listener. In a world where every other fact is contended, it's unlikely there will be agreement about that either.
- msla 6y ago
  Without grammar, you have words being used completely at random. Using words the way you are, with reduced syntactic structure, is still using grammar, even if you use more punctuation instead of words; that said, the difference between punctuation & word is somewhat blurred even in formal writing. > Audience knowledge crucial. one style !fits all. And this is the essence of style.
- partyboat1586 6y ago
  This reminds me of that episode of the office.
- theandrewbailey 6y ago
  You broke my compiler! > English flexible very. Syntax error: verb required. > Grammar optional. Syntax error: verb required. > Convey much thinkings philosophy attitude deliberate dissonance. Syntax error: clause contains too many nouns. > Education class wealth signifiers == code switching; academic pretense. Syntax error: verb required. Punctuation not recognized: "==". > Audience knowledge crucial. Syntax error: verb required. > one style ! Syntax error: verb required. Warning: sentence is uncapitalized. Warning: space exists between last word and final punctuation (french mode not enabled). > fits all. Syntax error: subject required. Warning: sentence is uncapitalized.
  - dsr_ 6y ago
    Your compiler was broken; I didn't break it: Verbs are not always required: "Why?" "Because." "Dude!" "Kinda?" "Just no." Contains too many nouns is not a thing. Your compiler should have errored on a mismatch between discrete and continuous quantities (much thinkings should either be many thoughts or much thinking) and then on a compound noun without hyphenation. Creative punctuation is normal; really, we've only standardized on punctuation since the mid-1700s or so. Capitalization is, again, stylistic: e.e. cummings, notably, was against it. So was Archie. And you broke on == and !fits, but the context of reading Hacker News ought to equip your parser with adequate sidechains.

by msla 6y ago

dsr_ 6y ago

English flexible very. Grammar optional. Convey much thinkings philosophy attitude deliberate dissonance. Education class wealth signifiers == code switching; academic pretense. Audience knowledge crucial. one style !fits all.

cbozeman 6y ago
I understood the ideas you're trying to convey, but the annoyance I experienced with the conveyance was palpable. :)
- dsr_ 6y ago
  Then I'm afraid I got my meaning across entirely clearly.
identity0 6y ago
This is why grammar is not optional. I have no clue what you said or are trying to convey. Yeah english is flexible, but that doesn't mean you can just drop articles and sentence structure.
- thelastwave 6y ago
  Leading to the question of whether "understanding" is the responsibility of the speaker or the listener. In a world where every other fact is contended, it's unlikely there will be agreement about that either.
msla 6y ago
Without grammar, you have words being used completely at random. Using words the way you are, with reduced syntactic structure, is still using grammar, even if you use more punctuation instead of words; that said, the difference between punctuation & word is somewhat blurred even in formal writing. > Audience knowledge crucial. one style !fits all. And this is the essence of style.
partyboat1586 6y ago
This reminds me of that episode of the office.
theandrewbailey 6y ago
You broke my compiler! > English flexible very. Syntax error: verb required. > Grammar optional. Syntax error: verb required. > Convey much thinkings philosophy attitude deliberate dissonance. Syntax error: clause contains too many nouns. > Education class wealth signifiers == code switching; academic pretense. Syntax error: verb required. Punctuation not recognized: "==". > Audience knowledge crucial. Syntax error: verb required. > one style ! Syntax error: verb required. Warning: sentence is uncapitalized. Warning: space exists between last word and final punctuation (french mode not enabled). > fits all. Syntax error: subject required. Warning: sentence is uncapitalized.
- dsr_ 6y ago
  Your compiler was broken; I didn't break it: Verbs are not always required: "Why?" "Because." "Dude!" "Kinda?" "Just no." Contains too many nouns is not a thing. Your compiler should have errored on a mismatch between discrete and continuous quantities (much thinkings should either be many thoughts or much thinking) and then on a compound noun without hyphenation. Creative punctuation is normal; really, we've only standardized on punctuation since the mid-1700s or so. Capitalization is, again, stylistic: e.e. cummings, notably, was against it. So was Archie. And you broke on == and !fits, but the context of reading Hacker News ought to equip your parser with adequate sidechains.