tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post1958305624000708058..comments2024-03-03T04:40:39.492-05:00Comments on Fire Megan McArdle: Your Narcissist is Showingbradhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06907349163323395529noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-68381137442656507962009-02-25T13:18:00.000-05:002009-02-25T13:18:00.000-05:00blivet,There are too many schools to break it down...blivet,<BR/>There are too many schools to break it down into a simple set of criteria, at least for English. It's not like French, where it's a word if the Academie Francaise says it is and nothing else. In general, it's things like history, origin and formality that are considered. Slang and misuse - think of words like "cool" to mean "good" - are considered generally acceptable informalities when spoken, though not when written.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-57569349505110286712009-02-25T12:21:00.000-05:002009-02-25T12:21:00.000-05:00Alright, already, altogether it's a fucking word.Alright, already, altogether it's a fucking word.NutellaonToasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09524357022370926931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-49073833523009131612009-02-25T11:23:00.000-05:002009-02-25T11:23:00.000-05:00What makes something a real word according to gram...What makes something a real word according to grammarians and linguists? How does "okay" not qualify?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-57084811347460665952009-02-25T11:13:00.000-05:002009-02-25T11:13:00.000-05:00Ugh. Look, when I was working on the linguistics ...Ugh. Look, when I was working on the linguistics portion of my degree, the word nerds would literally argue for hours over "alright" and "all right."<BR/><BR/>NoT - whenever something is described as "common usage" or "informal usage" that means it is technically not a real word, but has become acceptable informally due to regular usage. The word "alright" began appearing around the late 1800s. Most editors of formal publications will correct it, but at informal writing, it's considered okay - another word that is technically not a word, but nobody lets their head explode when the see or hear it, for some reason.<BR/><BR/>Everybody's right, really. "Alright" wouldn't be considered a word by grammarians and strict linguists, but common usage has made it acceptable to employ on a regular basis without anyone ripping out their red pens to correct it unless it's their job to do so.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-35392778115312478232009-02-25T01:49:00.000-05:002009-02-25T01:49:00.000-05:00Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?http://dicti...Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?<BR/><BR/>http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/alright<BR/><BR/>Sit down!NutellaonToasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09524357022370926931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-5676256392219549032009-02-24T17:01:00.000-05:002009-02-24T17:01:00.000-05:00Megan's latest tiny personal tidbit:Even with no c...Megan's latest tiny personal tidbit:<BR/><BR/><I>Even with no crushing credit card debt, we, too, are eating at home.</I>Dhalgrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11231917525040301770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-50540622634929644892009-02-23T19:50:00.000-05:002009-02-23T19:50:00.000-05:00If "alright" is a word, then "maybe" is a sentence...If "alright" is a word, then "maybe" is a sentence.spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01770056727940292951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-65672554437963223372009-02-22T20:52:00.000-05:002009-02-22T20:52:00.000-05:00Umm, we can each, judging from the presence of the...Umm, we can each, judging from the presence of the little "dustbin of history" in the comments to my posts, delete comments from our own posts, but brad, as founding editor, should be able to delete from all posts & comments. I think. Although there is usually a line that reads "comment deleted by author," if a comment is deleted. <BR/><BR/>(See my most recent post, where something was deleted, though not by me. I think the commenter, if using a Google ID, can delete their own comments.)<BR/><BR/>Too damn bad Bugger™ doesn't explain any of this anywhere easily available, but makes you go searching in their stupid "help" fora.M. Bouffanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04519088858760760560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-89304630865910754192009-02-22T15:37:00.000-05:002009-02-22T15:37:00.000-05:00Alright.Alright.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-32574120111860285502009-02-22T12:50:00.000-05:002009-02-22T12:50:00.000-05:00I didn't delete any comments, never have except fo...I didn't delete any comments, never have except for spam, but I did delete the r from "your purport".<BR/>I'm the only one who can delete comments, too, so I dunno what happened.bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06907349163323395529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-76906430981379799642009-02-22T12:21:00.000-05:002009-02-22T12:21:00.000-05:00No one deleted any comments that I know of, and un...No one deleted any comments that I know of, and unless someone else edited this post without my knowledge, "You purport" is how it's written.<BR/><BR/>And no shit I'm overreacting. That's kind of the fucking point.<BR/><BR/>Finally, people who are mistakenly under the impression that "alright" isn't a word, should just SHUT UP AND DIE!<BR/><BR/>Man, you guys are destroying years of therapy here.NutellaonToasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09524357022370926931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-50937289204165720492009-02-22T11:07:00.000-05:002009-02-22T11:07:00.000-05:00People who type "alright" shouldn't complain about...<I>People who type "alright" shouldn't complain about the grammatical failings of others.</I><BR/><BR/>They also should not delete the comments of people who point out that "YOUR PURRORT" is also a grammatical failing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-82320654426950725952009-02-22T10:33:00.000-05:002009-02-22T10:33:00.000-05:00People who type "alright" shouldn't complain about...People who type "alright" shouldn't complain about the grammatical failings of others.spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01770056727940292951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-11586699879278530742009-02-22T07:28:00.000-05:002009-02-22T07:28:00.000-05:00You need lower case after a semi-colon.There is no...You need lower case after a semi-colon.<BR/><BR/>There is nothing wrong with single-word sentences and I think you are starting to lose it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-39057043379116274742009-02-21T22:05:00.000-05:002009-02-21T22:05:00.000-05:00Uh, right, I know grades aren't everything. But M...Uh, right, I know grades aren't everything. But Megan is talking about grading stupid people easier, not the merits of hard work.<BR/><BR/>...<BR/><BR/>You can use maybe, but you should fucking punctuate it properly--or at least attempt to.<BR/><BR/>Maybe; But shouldn't it look like this?NutellaonToasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09524357022370926931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-30528427408373841652009-02-21T19:14:00.000-05:002009-02-21T19:14:00.000-05:00I think you're overreacting to "Maybe." It's a bl...I think you're overreacting to "Maybe." It's a blog. Some informality is fine.<BR/><BR/>But the whole premise of her analysis--what "employers" will think--seems bizarre. Do "employers" look at your transcript? Don't they just look at your degree? <BR/><BR/>I've been a writer (ie, a private contractor) from the very start, so I wouldn't know. But seriously. When you apply for a job, do they ask about your grades?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-48669618884485770442009-02-21T18:27:00.000-05:002009-02-21T18:27:00.000-05:00Way back in the 60s when I was in high school, my ...Way back in the 60s when I was in high school, my dad's job included travel to college campuses and interviewing engineers, etc for jobs at the big oil company he worked for. I remember him telling about a guy who had pretty mediocre grades but he got them while taking a full load and working ~30 hrs a week. My dad was going to make this guy an offer because he obviously worked REAL hard. Grades aren't everything.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com