What is your pet peeve of the day?

[Major Tom]

My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis.

That is all.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis. That is all.

Tough.

[Major Tom]

[Meadbh]

Sorry MT. Do that all the time. Not a twitterer!

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh Sorry MT. Do that all the time. Not a twitterer!

That post of yours, Meadbh, was fine. I'm not talking about shortened sentences such as the ones you used - I'm talking about the insertion of periods into sentences in such a way as to interrupt the cadence and natural flow of the thought.

This. Is what. I'm talking. About.

It seems to be something that kids under 35 do. I think it's supposed to be hip and cool but as I am well over 35, it is a secret that I cannot possibly ever be allowed in on.

If I were to start a blog, fill it with partial sentences like that, and get a few tattoos, I would be cool. But I'm not going to, so I won't ever be.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom I'm talking about the insertion of periods into sentences in such a way as to interrupt the cadence and natural flow of the thought. This. Is what. I'm talking. About.

Understand Tom.

In my part time work, I sometimes I review technical reports before they go to clients. These are all written by engineers (I am one too). There are two areas that get under my skin and don't ever seem to get corrected on the next reports:

1. Incomplete sentences (like no verb?)

2. Paragraph long sentences with rolling thoughts and no conclusions (rambling without punctuation, etc). (We have a senior Geologist that will fill a page with words, use commas here and there, and never use a period).

I am far from being an English major but seem to be a cut above the group. Then again, some of the stuff I see coming from our clients isn't much better.

[robnplunder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis. That is all.

Acronyms, acronyms, acronyms. FWIIW, similar post as this were already posted in this thread but this one deserves another billing. LOL.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis. That is all.

Not a big Hemmingway fan?

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB Not a big Hemmingway fan?

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I am not a literary person at all. I read reference and editorial content, but not works of fiction (well, hardly ever). Perhaps this explains my rather buttoned-down approach to grammar.

[MichaelB]

No need to be embarrassed. Everyone is different. Hemmingway wrote in short sentences.

[Major Tom]

Understood. I bet his sentences still made sense though. A regular, and not choppy cadence.

[MichaelB]

You are correct. His sentences were short. The harmony was masterful.

[steelyman]

I had a chat yesterday with my pianist about authors. Our current top three.

His were Salinger, Vonnegut, and Fitzgerald.

I agreed, except Steinbeck instead of Vonnegut (who I am not familiar with). But Hemingway got the nod from both of us.

[splitwdw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProspectiveBum I worked with a guy like this. We were in the same building, but I didn't know him personally. Every day he pulled his Jeep up to a handicapped spot in front of the building and strolled on in. He had no discernible handicap. I was always skeptical, but never said anything. I was very grateful that I'd kept my mouth shut when I saw him at a company picnic in shorts and a T-shirt. His shorts gave me a great view of his full prosthetic leg.

I thought that the parking spaces were meant for those with breathing/walking/pain problems. If your coworker can "stroll" without pain then why is he parking in the handicap space? Don't know anyone with a prosthetic leg; are they painful?

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by splitwdw I thought that the parking spaces were meant for those with breathing/walking/pain problems. If your coworker can "stroll" without pain then why is he parking in the handicap space? Don't know anyone with a prosthetic leg; are they painful?

I have a titanium hip implant and don't even know it's there (but it's not anywhere like a whole leg device)! I would guess the plastic leg may not be painful once one has had it for a while. (speculation)

I have no handicap status and don't need it. Maybe the person referenced in the thread is using up the time left on his handicap plaque?

[easysurfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis. That is all.

Happens.

[ProspectiveBum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by splitwdw I thought that the parking spaces were meant for those with breathing/walking/pain problems. If your coworker can "stroll" without pain then why is he parking in the handicap space? Don't know anyone with a prosthetic leg; are they painful?

I never asked. It seems to me that someone missing a limb (even if they've adapted to the loss well) is exactly who those spots were meant for.

Just guessing, but I imagine one might have good and bad days with a condition like that (just like any other physical malady). This was also nearly 20 years ago, and I think the technology on the prosthetics has improved since then, so they're probably lighter and more comfortable these days.

[M Paquette]

Quote:

Originally Posted by splitwdw I thought that the parking spaces were meant for those with breathing/walking/pain problems. If your coworker can "stroll" without pain then why is he parking in the handicap space? Don't know anyone with a prosthetic leg; are they painful?

Based on the experience of a couple of friends, it varies. The type of fitting, how long it's been since the last time the device was fitted, and the distance walked are all factors. One fellow uses a suction fitting that was custom molded as part of an above-knee prosthetic leg with the fancy articulated knee and ankle pieces, and he can hike for hours right now. That's a pretty expensive leg, though, and after a couple of years it may not be as easy to use until a new fitting is molded for him. Another old veteran has an LC Knee prosthetic, which is pretty minimal. It works well enough to get him out of the car and to a grocery cart to lean on, but he won't be marching in any parades.

I'd suggest giving a person that relies on an artificial leg a pass.


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[vince]

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelyman I had a chat yesterday with my pianist about authors. Our current top three. His were Salinger, Vonnegut, and Fitzgerald. I agreed, except Steinbeck instead of Vonnegut (who I am not familiar with). But Hemingway got the nod from both of us.

Kurt Vonnegut has (had) a unique style and slant on American life. His stories can make you laugh at the thought of dying. If, by any chance, you might like to sample his works, get "Welcome to the Monkey House". It's short stories and can be taken in small bites. One of his best works, IMO, in "Slaughterhouse Five" written about his experience as a POW during WWII, where he was in Dresden during the fire bombings. (Now who but Kurt could make you laugh at that experience)?

[steelyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vince Kurt Vonnegut has (had) a unique style and slant on American life. His stories can make you laugh at the thought of dying. If, by any chance, you might like to sample his works, get "Welcome to the Monkey House". It's short stories and can be taken in small bites. One of his best works, IMO, in "Slaughterhouse Five" written about his experience as a POW during WWII, where he was in Dresden during the fire bombings. (Now who but Kurt could make you laugh at that experience)?

Thanks! I'll put Vonnegut on my reading list. I did a multi-year project with a sharp guy from TU (Technical University) Dresden and learned of what the city went through during the war.