Comments on: MM: Not Amateur Nouns http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/ Using Grammar and Good Manners to Save the World Sun, 05 Sep 2010 02:36:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: --Deb http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/comment-page-1/#comment-1241 --Deb Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:22:51 +0000 http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/#comment-1241 Glad somebody appreciated the joke ... And, I can't think of bright and sunny examples ALL the time. Honestly, the examples are often the hardest part.... Glad somebody appreciated the joke … And, I can’t think of bright and sunny examples ALL the time. Honestly, the examples are often the hardest part….

]]> By: Julie Roads http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/comment-page-1/#comment-1240 Julie Roads Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:34:20 +0000 http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/#comment-1240 Love the joke at the top...I also end up on the rewrite side of things - and I love Judy's idea of putting in a classic name, like Rover. I've also used 'you' as in 'If you find the letter in this bottle, you should contact the police.' - by the way, that's a rather morbid example you came up with!!! Love the joke at the top…I also end up on the rewrite side of things – and I love Judy’s idea of putting in a classic name, like Rover. I’ve also used ‘you’ as in ‘If you find the letter in this bottle, you should contact the police.’ – by the way, that’s a rather morbid example you came up with!!!

]]> By: Joanne http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/comment-page-1/#comment-1234 Joanne Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:19:06 +0000 http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/#comment-1234 I would rewrite the sentence, too. "If anyone finds the letter in this bottle, contact the police." In the other two, rephrase repeating "the cat" and "the dog." Tough question! <em>Joanne's last blog post..<a href='http://joannedemaio.blogspot.com/2008/09/stevie-nicks-summer-and-sea.html' rel="nofollow">Stevie Nicks, Summer and The Sea</a></em> I would rewrite the sentence, too. “If anyone finds the letter in this bottle, contact the police.” In the other two, rephrase repeating “the cat” and “the dog.” Tough question!

Joanne’s last blog post..Stevie Nicks, Summer and The Sea

]]> By: --Deb http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/comment-page-1/#comment-1233 --Deb Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:48:57 +0000 http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/#comment-1233 Most of the time I'm more or less okay with "he" as a default program. I'm not a rabid feminist by any means! But it certainly would be handy to have a gender-neutral pronoun to use ... the trick would be finding one we could all agree on, and, well, good luck with THAT!! Most of the time I’m more or less okay with “he” as a default program. I’m not a rabid feminist by any means! But it certainly would be handy to have a gender-neutral pronoun to use … the trick would be finding one we could all agree on, and, well, good luck with THAT!!

]]> By: Judy H. http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/comment-page-1/#comment-1232 Judy H. Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:25:49 +0000 http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/#comment-1232 I usually try to rewrite the sentence so I'm not using a pronoun. "If you find the letter in this bottle, please call the police!" "I saw a cat being chased by a squirrel, and the cat looked so embarrassed." "When teaching your dog to sit, make sure Rover is paying attention." But otherwise, I'm with John. <em>Judy H.'s last blog post..<a href='http://adventuresinfostering.blogspot.com/2008/09/kitten-alarm-clock.html' rel="nofollow">Kitten Alarm Clock</a></em> I usually try to rewrite the sentence so I’m not using a pronoun. “If you find the letter in this bottle, please call the police!” “I saw a cat being chased by a squirrel, and the cat looked so embarrassed.” “When teaching your dog to sit, make sure Rover is paying attention.” But otherwise, I’m with John.

Judy H.’s last blog post..Kitten Alarm Clock

]]> By: John Roach http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/comment-page-1/#comment-1231 John Roach Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:07:31 +0000 http://punctualityrules.com/2008/09/15/mm-not-amateur-nouns/#comment-1231 S/he. Just kidding. If I can't avoid the situation entirely by recasting the sentence, I usually alternate between "he" and "she." If you're not personally concerned about sexist language, the whole issue can be irritating, but rule No. 1 in writing is "know your audience," and some can be seriously put off by it. <em>John Roach's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ProWritingTips/~3/391043066/' rel="nofollow">Semicolon: The forgotten mark</a></em> S/he.

Just kidding. If I can’t avoid the situation entirely by recasting the sentence, I usually alternate between “he” and “she.”

If you’re not personally concerned about sexist language, the whole issue can be irritating, but rule No. 1 in writing is “know your audience,” and some can be seriously put off by it.

John Roach’s last blog post..Semicolon: The forgotten mark

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