Because it made ME laugh
Feb. 9th, 2004 02:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anigoOk, it's a bit hard to follow, but it's quite funny - My IM name was "Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day" and my brother in law was arguing the proper grammar of it, so I brought in my teacher friend whose name is "It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant."
Jeff says: hmm.. your nickname has one too many "and"'s in it.
Jeff says: Hey. I wouldn't be me if I didn't point it out.
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: seriously?
Jeff says: Well, I'm not BEING serious, but yeah, it's factual
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: I think it's ok.
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: It all depends on how you read it
Jeff says: if you are grouping harmony and understanding together, I think you have to ampersand it
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: a little peace, harmony and understanding - pause - some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day
Jeff says: otherwise, the last item in a series is always the only one with an "and"
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: so the ampersan should be between understanding and some sunshine you think?
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: maybe a semi colon
Jeff says: TECHNICALLY you should go for commas all the way until the last one, but in this example: "All he cares about is T&A, getting drunk, and rock & roll" is an exception
Jeff says: semicolons denote semi-new thoughts, almost like a period, but you're continuing a list
Jeff says: But you know I"m only saying this all with tongue in cheek humour
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: semi colons can be used when you're in a comma list when you're using commas within the list... We invited George, the minister; larry, the pastor; fred, the caretaker and...
Jeff says: you can use a semicolon that way if you're breaking each item of the list into greater detail, but you aren't doing that either
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: yes, yes, good point
Jeff says: *pulls rod out of own ass*
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: ah, now I've just asked for a second opinion, and I've been told that there are no grammatical rules governing number of 'ands' in a sentence
(and she says to say she's a former teacher - though she doesn't specify in what)
Jeff says: ohhh gotta find something solid to challenge that out
Jeff says: Oh, well teachers are never wrong <- sarcasm
Jeff says: (looking up now)
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. has been added to the conversation.
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: Carey (the teacher) meet Jeff, my brother in law
Jeff says: Still looking for a source to back me up
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: okay here's how it would read, correctly: Wanted: a litte peace, harmony and understanding; some sunshine; a stiff drink; and a good day
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: however that is cumbersome
so I'd leave as is
Jeff says: so what makes peace, harmony and understanding a separate list from sunshine, a stiff drink, and a good day (grammar-wise?)
Jeff says: why is half of it with commas and the other half with semicolons?
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: it is understood, by the use of the word 'and' in 'peace, harmony and understanding' that this first element is a stand-alone element. It has the same weight as sunshine, stiff drink, & good day
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: she's not saying: Wanted: a litte peace, harmony, understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Peace, harmony and understanding are not 3 things
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: they are one
Jeff says: Oh. This is precisely what I thought she was saying.
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: ah, now if you scroll back in the conversation (if you kept it open) i had a pause in the middle there
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Another example: Last night I listened to: Def Leppard, Guns, Roses and AC/DC would be incorrect
Jeff says: Are they one only because it's a cliche to have those three together. Ie: It's an experssion so we are tempted to group them?
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: EXACTLY
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Guns and Roses are one
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: is one
Jeff says: Exactly. The example I gave Gina was using "rock & roll". My point is this: when do we recognize that we're changing our grammar to cater to commonly turned phrases as opposed to reflecting the true meaning of the phrase? Does that make sense?
Jeff Bray says: Guns & Roses and Rock & Roll is a little different because they lose meanign when you separate them Harmony and understanding do not
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: yes, you have a point, but if Gina's specific meaning was that she wants Peace, harmony & understanding, and she sees this as one element, is she not allowed to consider it to be so?
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Maybe she has some fuzzy idea of what Peace, harmony & understanding is and she doesn't want one without the others
Jeff says: True.
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: yay I win!
Jeff says: Then the semicolons would make it clearer, you're right
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: yay! I win again!
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: (it's all about winning!)
Jeff says: Well it came down to how I understood your phrase, but I'm a computer programmer, so my natural tendancy is to force everything into it's simplest form, which is one, continuous, flat list
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: its simplest form you mean
Jeff says: (now THAT was improper use of commas!)
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: and apostrophes
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: okay stop me
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: I'm turning into the grammar nazi
Jeff says: and apostrophes, right you are.
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Life must be boring if everything is one continuous, flat list
Jeff says: To me, the list loses no meaning whatsoever when punctuated as a flat list, but you've hit the point perfectly -> does it lose meaning to Gina as so?
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: yes
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Gina's not very flat
Jeff says: Now does that have anything to do with you being right versus wrong? *laughing*
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: yes
Jeff says: Hahah.
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: I'm right
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: that is all!
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: though if I were to have it so I would have lost this wonderful opportunity to laugh my ass off
Jeff says: me as well
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: if I were to have it so (comma) I woul dhave lost this wonderful opportunity...
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: thank you for clarifying
without that comma I was really lost...
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: so, I can keep it as is?
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: I say yes
Jeff Bray says: I say reduce and simplify *smirk*
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: It is cumbersome. Fortunately, manageability is irrelevant.
Bob (formerly Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day) says: there you go - probelm solved.
Jeff says: hmm.. your nickname has one too many "and"'s in it.
Jeff says: Hey. I wouldn't be me if I didn't point it out.
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: seriously?
Jeff says: Well, I'm not BEING serious, but yeah, it's factual
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: I think it's ok.
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: It all depends on how you read it
Jeff says: if you are grouping harmony and understanding together, I think you have to ampersand it
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: a little peace, harmony and understanding - pause - some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day
Jeff says: otherwise, the last item in a series is always the only one with an "and"
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: so the ampersan should be between understanding and some sunshine you think?
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: maybe a semi colon
Jeff says: TECHNICALLY you should go for commas all the way until the last one, but in this example: "All he cares about is T&A, getting drunk, and rock & roll" is an exception
Jeff says: semicolons denote semi-new thoughts, almost like a period, but you're continuing a list
Jeff says: But you know I"m only saying this all with tongue in cheek humour
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: semi colons can be used when you're in a comma list when you're using commas within the list... We invited George, the minister; larry, the pastor; fred, the caretaker and...
Jeff says: you can use a semicolon that way if you're breaking each item of the list into greater detail, but you aren't doing that either
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: yes, yes, good point
Jeff says: *pulls rod out of own ass*
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: ah, now I've just asked for a second opinion, and I've been told that there are no grammatical rules governing number of 'ands' in a sentence
(and she says to say she's a former teacher - though she doesn't specify in what)
Jeff says: ohhh gotta find something solid to challenge that out
Jeff says: Oh, well teachers are never wrong <- sarcasm
Jeff says: (looking up now)
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. has been added to the conversation.
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: Carey (the teacher) meet Jeff, my brother in law
Jeff says: Still looking for a source to back me up
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: okay here's how it would read, correctly: Wanted: a litte peace, harmony and understanding; some sunshine; a stiff drink; and a good day
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: however that is cumbersome
so I'd leave as is
Jeff says: so what makes peace, harmony and understanding a separate list from sunshine, a stiff drink, and a good day (grammar-wise?)
Jeff says: why is half of it with commas and the other half with semicolons?
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: it is understood, by the use of the word 'and' in 'peace, harmony and understanding' that this first element is a stand-alone element. It has the same weight as sunshine, stiff drink, & good day
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: she's not saying: Wanted: a litte peace, harmony, understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Peace, harmony and understanding are not 3 things
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: they are one
Jeff says: Oh. This is precisely what I thought she was saying.
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: ah, now if you scroll back in the conversation (if you kept it open) i had a pause in the middle there
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Another example: Last night I listened to: Def Leppard, Guns, Roses and AC/DC would be incorrect
Jeff says: Are they one only because it's a cliche to have those three together. Ie: It's an experssion so we are tempted to group them?
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: EXACTLY
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Guns and Roses are one
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: is one
Jeff says: Exactly. The example I gave Gina was using "rock & roll". My point is this: when do we recognize that we're changing our grammar to cater to commonly turned phrases as opposed to reflecting the true meaning of the phrase? Does that make sense?
Jeff Bray says: Guns & Roses and Rock & Roll is a little different because they lose meanign when you separate them Harmony and understanding do not
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: yes, you have a point, but if Gina's specific meaning was that she wants Peace, harmony & understanding, and she sees this as one element, is she not allowed to consider it to be so?
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Maybe she has some fuzzy idea of what Peace, harmony & understanding is and she doesn't want one without the others
Jeff says: True.
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: yay I win!
Jeff says: Then the semicolons would make it clearer, you're right
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: yay! I win again!
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: (it's all about winning!)
Jeff says: Well it came down to how I understood your phrase, but I'm a computer programmer, so my natural tendancy is to force everything into it's simplest form, which is one, continuous, flat list
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: its simplest form you mean
Jeff says: (now THAT was improper use of commas!)
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: and apostrophes
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: okay stop me
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: I'm turning into the grammar nazi
Jeff says: and apostrophes, right you are.
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Life must be boring if everything is one continuous, flat list
Jeff says: To me, the list loses no meaning whatsoever when punctuated as a flat list, but you've hit the point perfectly -> does it lose meaning to Gina as so?
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: yes
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: Gina's not very flat
Jeff says: Now does that have anything to do with you being right versus wrong? *laughing*
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: yes
Jeff says: Hahah.
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: I'm right
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: that is all!
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: though if I were to have it so I would have lost this wonderful opportunity to laugh my ass off
Jeff says: me as well
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: if I were to have it so (comma) I woul dhave lost this wonderful opportunity...
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: thank you for clarifying
without that comma I was really lost...
Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day says: so, I can keep it as is?
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: I say yes
Jeff Bray says: I say reduce and simplify *smirk*
It is offensive. Fortunately, taste is irrelevant. says: It is cumbersome. Fortunately, manageability is irrelevant.
Bob (formerly Wanted: A little peace, harmony and understanding, some sunshine, a stiff drink and a good day) says: there you go - probelm solved.