No, they're called em dashes (because em sounds like the letter m, and em dashes are longer than en dashes). Also, I don't believe the comma is necessary before the "but" if it's not connecting two independent clauses. I suppose pedantry according to arbitrary rules is the point of this thread though, so have at it.Things2do wrote:. . . [stuff] . . .
Things2do wrote: I do not believe in the sequence of letters "a-n" as a word in the English language. That's also on my Userpage.
Ok...Okay, I'm curious . . . why don't you believe in the word "an"? It makes for better phonetics (if you use the word "a" before a vowel sound, you have two distinct vowel sounds, which is prone to get a consonant sound in between them anyway unless you separate the words clearly in your speech).Things2do wrote:I do not believe in the sequence of letters "a-n" as a word in the English language. That's also on my Userpage.linzhiyan wrote:I ain't complainin' 'bout the "ain't", but shouldn't it be "an" independent clause instead of "a"?Things2do wrote:Ain't the clause in parenthesis a independent clause, anyway?
I'm not sure, I just know I've done it since I was in first grade, if not before, and I had a good reason then...UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote:Okay, I'm curious . . . why don't you believe in the word "an"? It makes for better phonetics (if you use the word "a" before a vowel sound, you have two distinct vowel sounds, which is prone to get a consonant sound in between them anyway unless you separate the words clearly in your speech).Things2do wrote:I do not believe in the sequence of letters "a-n" as a word in the English language. That's also on my Userpage.linzhiyan wrote:I ain't complainin' 'bout the "ain't", but shouldn't it be "an" independent clause instead of "a"?
Ah. I'm not good with the names of the things... And, the comma after the "but" is a matter of preference.UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote:No, they're called em dashes (because em sounds like the letter m, and em dashes are longer than en dashes). Also, I don't believe the comma is necessary before the "but" if it's not connecting two independent clauses. I suppose pedantry according to arbitrary rules is the point of this thread though, so have at it. :PThings2do wrote:. . . [stuff] . . .
See Wiki
Lol, y'all with your perfect English. I wish I was half as good.Things2do wrote:I'm not sure, I just know I've done it since I was in first grade, if not before, and I had a good reason then...UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote:Okay, I'm curious . . . why don't you believe in the word "an"? It makes for better phonetics (if you use the word "a" before a vowel sound, you have two distinct vowel sounds, which is prone to get a consonant sound in between them anyway unless you separate the words clearly in your speech).Things2do wrote:I do not believe in the sequence of letters "a-n" as a word in the English language. That's also on my Userpage.Ah. I'm not good with the names of the things... And, the comma after the "but" is a matter of preference.UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote:No, they're called em dashes (because em sounds like the letter m, and em dashes are longer than en dashes). Also, I don't believe the comma is necessary before the "but" if it's not connecting two independent clauses. I suppose pedantry according to arbitrary rules is the point of this thread though, so have at it.Things2do wrote:. . . [stuff] . . .
Would any of y'all like to proofread my English essay...?? 
Replace "perfect English" with "English that conforms to arbitrary rules that someone made up a long time ago"linzhiyan wrote:Lol, y'all with your perfect English. I wish I was half as good.Things2do wrote:I'm not sure, I just know I've done it since I was in first grade, if not before, and I had a good reason then...UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote: Okay, I'm curious . . . why don't you believe in the word "an"? It makes for better phonetics (if you use the word "a" before a vowel sound, you have two distinct vowel sounds, which is prone to get a consonant sound in between them anyway unless you separate the words clearly in your speech).Ah. I'm not good with the names of the things... And, the comma after the "but" is a matter of preference.UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote: No, they're called em dashes (because em sounds like the letter m, and em dashes are longer than en dashes). Also, I don't believe the comma is necessary before the "but" if it's not connecting two independent clauses. I suppose pedantry according to arbitrary rules is the point of this thread though, so have at it.
If anyone here wants to proofread my essay on The Catcher in the Rye just lmk and i'll send itUTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote:Replace "perfect English" with "English that conforms to arbitrary rules that someone made up a long time ago"linzhiyan wrote:Lol, y'all with your perfect English. I wish I was half as good.Things2do wrote: I'm not sure, I just know I've done it since I was in first grade, if not before, and I had a good reason then...Ah. I'm not good with the names of the things... And, the comma after the "but" is a matter of preference.
And we're using different rules, too... Your ellipses are different than mine...UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote:Replace "perfect English" with "English that conforms to arbitrary rules that someone made up a long time ago" ;)linzhiyan wrote:Lol, y'all with your perfect English. I wish I was half as good. :lol: Would any of y'all like to proofread my English essay...?? :)Things2do wrote: I'm not sure, I just know I've done it since I was in first grade, if not before, and I had a good reason then...Ah. I'm not good with the names of the things... And, the comma after the "but" is a matter of preference.
See Wiki
Oh, yay, I finally get to correctly correct someoneThings2do wrote:And we're using different rules, too... Your ellipses are different than mine...UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote:Replace "perfect English" with "English that conforms to arbitrary rules that someone made up a long time ago"linzhiyan wrote:
Lol, y'all with your perfect English. I wish I was half as good.
Also, is it strange that I like trying to make grammar checking services make a mistake? I haven't gotten one yet, but I did get a message saying that the paragraph I typed would be easily understood by some college graduates...
"At least one new post has been made to this topic. You may wish to review your post in light of this.": What's a "Imk"?
)Actually, I use different types of ellipses depending on which seems easier to type at the moment (... vs . . . vs …—the first is three periods, the second is three periods separated by spaces, and the third is an ellipsis character, which Linux generates quite easily—Compose+.+.—but I think for other operating systems it* involves memorizing some Unicode numbers). It really changes with my mood. It's strange.Things2do wrote:And we're using different rules, too... Your ellipses are different than mine...UTF-8 U+6211 U+662F wrote:Replace "perfect English" with "English that conforms to arbitrary rules that someone made up a long time ago"linzhiyan wrote:
Lol, y'all with your perfect English. I wish I was half as good.
Also, is it strange that I like trying to make grammar checking services make a mistake? I haven't gotten one yet, but I did get a message saying that the paragraph I typed would be easily understood by some college graduates...
"At least one new post has been made to this topic. You may wish to review your post in light of this.": Whats a "Imk"?
