A YetiGuide® : How To Post In Proper English

Gansan · 17th July 2010, 22:03

Another misuse I have noticed is "hardly", which is substituted for "hard". A classmate of mine in college once failed miserably in a mid term exam paper. When the professor asked him what happened, he stammered "Sir, I studied hardly but still failed". The professor quipped with a smile "If you study hard you will never fail; however if you hardly study, you are bound to fail"!

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 17th July 2010, 22:07

But Thad, using double negative to emphasize is an Americanism, right?

mallumowgli · 17th July 2010, 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gansan

Another misuse I have noticed is "hardly", which is substituted for "hard". A classmate of mine in college once failed miserably in a mid term exam paper. When the professor asked him what happened, he stammered "Sir, I studied hardly but still failed". The professor quipped with a smile "If you study hard you will never fail; however if you hardly study, you are bound to fail"!

Even Kapil Dev used it once, probably in the only series in which he commentated in English!!

Thad E Ginathom · 17th July 2010, 23:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

But Thad, using double negative to emphasize is an Americanism, right?

I suspect that it began in UK, in some local dialect like Cockney.

If I'd ever said it at home, my parents would have beaten me!

Gansan, I like the professor's quip!

mallumowgli · 18th July 2010, 00:05

Sorry for the late post - but after reading Samurai's post 2/3 times chuckling each time, I think it wont be fair on my part if dont record my appreciation (A double negative here?). Great story telling ability.

Praveen

Sheel · 20th July 2010, 23:17

If someone could let me know the differences between 'rammed' and 'slammed'...
Thanks

SilentEngine · 21st July 2010, 01:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheel

If someone could let me know the differences between 'rammed' and 'slammed'...
Thanks

Slammed: A forceful impact that makes a loud noise.
I slammed the door shut.

Rammed:
A forceful impact mainly with the purpose of breaking in or stopping something.
The army rammed the castle repeatedly.

To stuff something in.
I rammed the cloths into the bag.

I think 'rammed' must have had its origins from ram (male sheep). If you have seen how a ram attacks you will get an idea.

Gansan · 21st July 2010, 07:06

Two more commonly noticed wrong usages:

The first is "I can't be able to"! It should be either "I will be able to" or "I will not be able to".

The second is pertaining to the word "Little". Some people say "I have little hope it will happen" when they actually mean they have a small hope that the event will take place! But the usage means they have no hope at all!
The correct usage will be "I have a little hope".

Thad E Ginathom · 21st July 2010, 14:35

... except that an English person would not say that! They might say something like, "I have some hope".

The easiest way to solve the problem of your first example is, simply, "I can't"! If it is necessary to bring the future tense into it, then, "I will not (won't) be able to" is fine.

Could care less --- I'm sure we've mentioned this before --- what the writer usually means is Could not care less. The logic of this is related to Sam's second to none. I think this mistake comes from America.

anku94 · 21st July 2010, 15:39

I was replying to a topic concerning the government's plans to amend the Consumer Protection Act when I was struck with a confusion.

The topic went something like 'Govt. mulls over amendments to CPA'

Which of the following, if any, would be correct ?

=> Let's hope the government more than mulls over it.
=> Let's hope the government does more than mull over it.

Sheel · 21st July 2010, 16:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilentEngine

Slammed: A forceful impact that makes a loud noise.
I slammed the door shut.

Rammed:
A forceful impact mainly with the purpose of breaking in or stopping something.
The army rammed the castle repeatedly.

Something like--

I slammed the brakes hard but still rammed the car ahead of me?

Gansan · 21st July 2010, 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by anku94

I was replying to a topic concerning the government's plans to amend the Consumer Protection Act when I was struck with a confusion.

The topic went something like 'Govt. mulls over amendments to CPA'

Which of the following, if any, would be correct ?

=> Let's hope the government more than mulls over it.
=> Let's hope the government does more than mull over it.

The second one, if you wish to imply that the Govt not merely mulls over, but acts upon it.

Thad E Ginathom · 21st July 2010, 17:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheel

Something like--

I slammed the brakes hard but still rammed the car ahead of me?

You were driving far too close then!

Not quite. We might slam on the brakes, but we would not slam them. The most common thing that we slam is a door!

How about bringing the slammer into this! Slang for prison, because, I guess, they slam the door on you.

vnabhi · 21st July 2010, 17:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

How about bringing the slammer into this! Slang for prison, because, I guess, they slam the door on you.

Hee hee. How about an 'Alabama Slammer' in the slammer? Remember Tom Cruise mixing that potion in the movie 'Cocktail'?

mobike008 · 22nd July 2010, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

You were driving far too close then!

Not quite. We might slam on the brakes, but we would not slam them. The most common thing that we slam is a door!

How about bringing the slammer into this! Slang for prison, because, I guess, they slam the door on you.

Another commonly used term using that word is :- I slammed my head against a " almost anything can be included here" to solve this problem

17th July 2010, 22:03	#1321
Gansan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 4,571 Thanked: 5,700 Times	Another misuse I have noticed is "hardly", which is substituted for "hard". A classmate of mine in college once failed miserably in a mid term exam paper. When the professor asked him what happened, he stammered "Sir, I studied hardly but still failed". The professor quipped with a smile "If you study hard you will never fail; however if you hardly study, you are bound to fail"!
	() Thanks

17th July 2010, 22:07	#1322
BaCkSeAtDrIVeR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kochi Posts: 2,541 Thanked: 755 Times	But Thad, using double negative to emphasize is an Americanism, right?
	() Thanks

18th July 2010, 00:05	#1325
mallumowgli Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Palakkad/Coimbatore Posts: 1,227 Thanked: 1,084 Times	Sorry for the late post - but after reading Samurai's post 2/3 times chuckling each time, I think it wont be fair on my part if dont record my appreciation (A double negative here?). Great story telling ability. Praveen
	() Thanks

20th July 2010, 23:17	#1326
Sheel Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Purnea (Bihar) Posts: 9,854 Thanked: 14,879 Times View My Garage	If someone could let me know the differences between 'rammed' and 'slammed'... Thanks
	() Thanks

21st July 2010, 07:06	#1328
Gansan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 4,571 Thanked: 5,700 Times	Two more commonly noticed wrong usages: The first is "I can't be able to"! It should be either "I will be able to" or "I will not be able to". The second is pertaining to the word "Little". Some people say "I have little hope it will happen" when they actually mean they have a small hope that the event will take place! But the usage means they have no hope at all! The correct usage will be "I have a little hope".
	() Thanks

21st July 2010, 14:35	#1329
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,223 Thanked: 28,356 Times	... except that an English person would not say that! They might say something like, "I have some hope". The easiest way to solve the problem of your first example is, simply, "I can't"! If it is necessary to bring the future tense into it, then, "I will not (won't) be able to" is fine. Could care less --- I'm sure we've mentioned this before --- what the writer usually means is Could not care less. The logic of this is related to Sam's second to none. I think this mistake comes from America.
	() Thanks

21st July 2010, 15:39	#1330
anku94 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 249 Thanked: 352 Times	I was replying to a topic concerning the government's plans to amend the Consumer Protection Act when I was struck with a confusion. The topic went something like 'Govt. mulls over amendments to CPA' Which of the following, if any, would be correct ? => Let's hope the government more than mulls over it. => Let's hope the government does more than mull over it.
	() Thanks