Search results for 'tag:Irony tag:Commas' matching tags 'Irony' and 'Commas'

Re: language /grammar help in a text

Mister Micawber — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:47:18 GMT

.

"Slapstick comedy, ... are now less popular in Britain." should it be IS?-- Yes

"Many novels, films, stage plays etc. uses irony.."-- plays, etc., use

"These were both used a lot in the popular series of Carry On films which began in the 1960s."

to

These were both used a lot in the popular series of Carry On films that began in the 1960s. - correct?-- No, just a comma before 'which'.

Re: HER DIARY/ HIS DIARY

Avangi — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:14:04 GMT

Hi.

In view of the "but" phrase in the first paragraph, I'd be inclined to say, "I thought he might be upset by*** etc." (optional)

I'd delete "that" after "suggested."

I don't think you "keep absent." I'd suggest "but he seemed quiet and absent," OR "but he kept quiet and seemed absent."

comma splice after "I loved him." Use two sentences, or a conjunction, or some other device.

Some would discourage the semicolon after "behavior," but it's okay by me.

Not sure I'd use a comma in "I love you, too." You use so few commas, it seems out of place, or out of style.

Probably a dash after "as if I had lost him." Most likely the sentence as is would be considered ungrammatical.

I think "absent" is rare. I wouldn't use it twice in such a short span.

In your last paragraph, the first sentence is too bloody long. Well, maybe not too long. It expresses a series of three or four different actions (or thoughts) taking place over a period of time. Let the reader catch his breath.

You have three "I decided's" in the last paragraph - a little monotonous.

Also, I'd suggest beginning a new paragraph with the second "I decided."

Running the "but he had fallen asleep" into the previous sentence spoils the drama. You need some kind of a break or bridge between.

English is your native language, Right? Good stuff! The diary thing shows that your really do have a sense of drama - and irony. - A.

*** Edit. I'm not sure what to advise here. "At" would go with the adjective and "by" would go with the passive verb. It depends how you look at it. I guess that means you may use either "at" or "by."

Language correction, please help.

Kamira — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:55:32 GMT

Hello everyone. Thank you so much for looking. I am currently studying English as my second language, and I just recieved a task from my teacher. I am currently in the process of finding errors in a text, and I am wondering about the phrases inside the brackets. The thing bothering me is the = inside. Is it wrong to do so? If yes, why? Thanks in advance.

Popular humour may sometimes rely in double entendre (=using a phrase that can be understood in two ways, one of witch is usually sexual) or on innuendo (=making an indirect suggestion of something rude). These were both used a lot in the popular series of Carry On films who began in the 1960s."

Re: barely

Dawnstorm — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:48:18 GMT

Hi.

From the perspective of a non-native speaker who's used to translate a lot (between German and English), I have a few things to add:

While "somehow" and "barely" are not equivalents, neither semantic nor pragmatic, there are situations where cultural differences might make them look similar. For example:

"How are you? I hear you lost your job." - "Thanks. I'll manage somehow."

Notice that "somehow" hear does not mean "barely". It merely means that the speaker is not divulging any plans. S/he may not have any; s/he may be unwilling to share them. Taken English pragmatics, however, it is strongly implied that "managing" will not be easy. A perpetual optimist might talk out of conviction, but many people would use the phrase to relief the enquirer of responsibility to help, or to avoid talking about an unpleasant subject. Note that s/he could say:

"Thanks. I'll manage. I'll manage barely, but I'll manage."

The difference between the two replies could be mostly a pragmatic one. You express different feelings, different attitudes towards the communication in question etc. (you'd need additional cues such as situational context, intonation, relationship of speakers... to be certain of the meaning.)

If learners aren't aware of English pragmatics (rules of pilotness, information control etc.) and focus only on semantics/grammar, they may have problems telling the two concepts apart, because (a) the implied meaning of using the word "somehow" (not of the word itself, but of its usage) may be similar to the explicit meaning of the word "barely", and (b) and because the learner's mother tongue might have a different set of pragmatics which makes them misunderstand the situation (irony often falls flat, for example).

In the above text, "somehow" and "barely" are not similar in any way; as the others have pointed out, it changes the meaning. However, I'm not yet done.

Notice that the sentence "We become able to express ourselves somehow," is syntactically ambiguos:

1. We somehow become able to express ourselves.

OR

2. We become able to somehow express ourselves.

If I had only the sentence, I'd go for interpretation 2. For interpretation 1 I'd expect either the word order I gave in the interpretation, or a comma before "somehow". Still, I don't think interpretation 2 is entirely impossible.

In the context of the paragraph, I tend to favour interpretation 1, though. I think it makes more sense to interpret the "somehow" as marvelling at the speed that children learn to express themselves rather than to draw attention to the way the children express themselves (especially since it's indetermined). I *do* think that, if "somehow" refers to "express" it's closer to "barely" than it is if it refers to "become able". From the perspective of text-composition, if somehow referred to "express ourselves", why would I use the word at all, if not to draw attention to a deficiency? The manner in which the children express themselves seems irrelevant to the sentence, so why draw attention to it with "somehow"? On the other hand, if somehow refers to "become able", the manner of "becoming able" isn't irrelevant. It's exactly what the author considers "wonderful". "Somehow", then, adds emphasis to the feeling of wonder the author feels as a parent watching his/her child learn to speak.

Substituting "barely" for "somehow" cements a wrong interpretation of the text; but it's an understandable mistake. Barely, doesn't work for two reasons: (a) it's inconsistent with what I know about children, and (b) it doesn't make sense that it's wonderful that the child "somehow expresses" himself (I keep thinking of sentences like "Well, he somehow expresses himself, but I wish he'd learn to speak properly. I mean, he's four now. Five soon.").

The difference is rather subtle, so I'd like to know whether native speakers can follow my reasoning, and whether they agree that there's something to that line of thinking.

Re: Incorrect comma usage or style concern?

Aperisic — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 19:36:10 GMT

Juanita is brilliant and Shalimar has a pleasant personality.

Here you just give the attributes of Juanita and Shalimar, who are sisters for example.

Juanita is brilliant, and Shalimar has a pleasant personality.

There must be a reason for a comma. For example someone has just said: "Juanita has a pleasant personality and Shalimar is brilliant." You are sure that the one confused their attributes and you reply: "No, no, no. Juanita is brilliant, and Shalimar has a pleasant personality." If you do not have a reason like this, there is no comma.

"Whether you win this race or lose it doesn't matter as long as you do your best."

You can't use one comma here except "Whether you win this race or lose, it doesn't matter as long as you do your best." (but read ahead).

If you want to you can use two: "Whether you win this race, or lose [it], it doesn't matter as long as you do your best." This is a light of irony, almost a joke. There is a similar joke in "I love you, even though you are my sister." which confuses what "love" really means here :o) (I said that to my sister when she made me mad.)

However, if you read carefully "Whether you win this race or lose it doesn't matter as long as you do your best." it just does not sound proper... "Whether you win or lose this race it doesn't matter as long as you do your best." Only this way both "win" and "lose" are equalized. In "Whether you win this race or lose it doesn't matter as long as you do your best." there is a tiny moment of the said joke. Why "lose" is so distant?

"Whether you win this race or lose it it doesn't matter as long as you do your best." is better. Yet, now you can place one comma, and better you do it because you have "it" doubled, "it it": "Whether you win this race or lose it, it doesn't matter as long as you do your best." which is inversion from "It doesn't matter whether you win this race or lose it as long as you do your best."

Re: Theatrical

Miche — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 15:09:59 GMT

I definitely think that there is irony here. Otherwise "intimately" would not be in inverted commas. "Theatrical" for me is play on words, as suggested above: those people were both connected with theater and were "theatrical", artificial.

Re: British 'spot-on'

MrPedantic — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 23:49:56 GMT

Yes; 'blimey' has become quite fashionable. But only in a certain tone of voice; and it must have inverted commas now.

If someone tells you a startling fact, you lookâstartled: then you say, after a pause, and perhaps with a slightly upgraded accent, 'Blimey!'

In the old 'Blimey' (Michael Caine), the B was noticeably plosive, the mouth was wide, the chin went down, and the tongue was held forward during the vowel. In the new 'Blimey' (Hugh Grant/John Cleese), the lips are pulled slightly inward, the chin goes up, and the tongue is curled in during the vowel.

As for 'tip-top': I would say that this belongs to that class of neo-Wodehousian expressions that seem to be a staple of faintly humorous office banter these days. I seldom hear it; but I wouldn't be surprised to hear it. Again, it would always be used in inverted commas.

Maybe it's a little like clothing. It seems you can wear anything now, from whatever period, as long as it's done with a certain sense of irony and panache. Similarly, it seems you can use any phrase, from any period, as long as you use inverted commas and adopt a faintly humorous tone.

At least, that's how it seems to me. I'd be interested to know how it seems to other BrEs!

MrP