I don't think "sounding like a douche" is amongst any of the definitions of proper linguistic form...
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I don't think "sounding like a douche" is amongst any of the definitions of proper linguistic form...
> the second sounds fucking stupid and is hard to say
> without sounding like a total douche
Type 'an historic' into google and you will see. I agree
that 'a historic' sounds more correct, but stats say that
1/3 of uses on the net are 'an historic'. It has found its
way into news broadcasts, newspapers, and many other
respected forms of print. You never notice it though, if
you aren't specifically looking for it... or you're just a
nitpicker.
That is no surprise. More than 1/3 of the English speaking population is mentally challenged.
Haven't read the rest of the thread. But semicolon is really not necessary to write good grammar and most people that uses it use it in the wrong way. It is supposed to be used when puncuation is to strong but comma causes comma splice. Usually you can remove that need by adding a coordinating conjunction or just rephrasing. Personally I stay away from it since I'm really not sure when it fits since I'm not used to reading texts with it within.
Evidently you're not too keen on commas either...
> More than 1/3 of the English speaking population is mentally challenged.
So if 1/3 of 'a historic' enthusiasts are mental, that brings it even :D
I was always taught that ; is a substitute for a conjuntion. Should only be
used if the words following the ; make a complete and related sentence.
EXAMPLE: 'The lord is my shepherd; I shall not want'.
The 'supercomma' theory is beyond me.
Actually, I've heard that's it's used more like a period (of course, I'm just going off of what I heard from the ACT people)
Yes, a semicolon is used to join two independent clauses that have some relation to each other. For example, it is alright to say 'The lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.' but not 'The lord is my shepherd; old cheese tastes the best.'
Am ; I ; Doing ; It ; Right?
;
;
;
;
;
;;
;
;
;
;;;
;;
;
;
the latter is still correct, but in that case you (if you had half a brain or just didn't want people to think that you are a complete joke as a writer) still wouldn't say: The lord is my shepherd. Old cheese tastes the best.
As for semicolons coming up in the literature, their use is very widespread and they are often used in place of periods, and as it pertains to common usage it is correct to use them interchangeably with periods (I don't know what some grammar handbook says and frankly I don't care).
Semicolons are not supercommas. I don't even know what that means.