Ken, what was wrong with the grammar thread? I was reading and posting with the thought that it would be where people could post the odd "nice to know" things that aren't taught in schools anymore (what I posted certainly fit that criteria--it used to be taught with phonics).

I did not see it as any kind of "grammar policing" of the forum, and it certainly is less controversial than some other threads--at least that's how I read it.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 25, 2002

Answers

Basically I couldn't answer the question on how it qualified to be on a homesteading-related forum, so I deleted my own thread. Plus, I didn't want people to get the impression my editing would be extended to their grammar usage. (I do occasionally correct misspellings in thread titles since that is the only searchable feature to find threads within categories.)

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 25, 2002.

You mean there was a grammar thread? I missed it? Not even a chance to get pedantic? Aw gee shucks! Did anyone by any chance keep a copy of it they could email me?

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 25, 2002.

sheepishly raises hand...ditto ^ a copy please.

-- LurkyLu (lurkylu@yahoo.com), January 25, 2002.

I still wish we had spelling check here...

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), January 25, 2002.

Well if we country homesteaders can't has a grammar thread, at least we does have one about why not.

-- Rick (WV) (Rick_122@hotmail.com), January 25, 2002.

Well, I still want to know when to use apostrophes - according to my daughter (17), I don't use them correctly.

As to how it relates to homesteading - that's easy: makes us look less like the yokels some folks might assume we are!

Polly; who wrote her first research paper at the age of 41 (and would die happy if she never had to write another one!)

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), January 25, 2002.

Windows 98 has a spellcheck feature, I just do not know where to find it, do you?

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), January 25, 2002.

Don't know about Windows 98 itself, but most word processing programs have spell check. For longer posts I prepare them in Word, then cut and paste into the forum using the right mouse key.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 25, 2002.

The spell checker in Win98 is the little open book icon at the bottom right of word pages, just highlight the words in your document that has been red underlined and then click on the open book icon and it gives you a series of word choices to choose from. CBC radio one had an interesting exchange on the use of apostrophes, you might check their archives, it was just a few days ago.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), January 25, 2002.

BC is that in the forum itself or paste and copy like Ken said? I can't seem to see any book.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), January 25, 2002.

"It's" with an apostrophe is the contraction "It is". The apostrophe takes the place of the "i" in is. (It's a long way to Tipperary, for example.)

"Its" without an apostrophe is the possessive of it. (The bug bit its tail, for instance.)

For possessives made from words which end in "s", the apostrophe is put after the final "s", and there is no additional "s" added. (One boy's homework; Three boys' homework.

My mama was an English prof -- I cain't hep myse'f!

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), January 25, 2002.

Thank you, Snoozy. A wonderful and simple explanation.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), January 25, 2002.

Homesteading requires constant learning of survival skills. Good grammar is a survival skill. Building good sentences is just as important as building good fences.

-- paul (primrose@centex.net), January 26, 2002.

Thanks, Snoozy! (Eeek! Did I put the comma in the right place?!)

-- Polly >^..^< (tigger@moultrie.com), January 26, 2002.

Sorry, but I ma going to confuse you guys. Its DOES have an apostrophe in it. When the bug bit "it's" tail, it should have an apostrophe because it is the bug's tail, therefore having ownership, which is represented by the apostrophe...

It's = it is It's = singular ownership Its' = multiple owners

I'm not sure its' is actually correct, I am just using to show where the apostophe would be located if more than one person owned something.

Laura

-- Laura (lauramleek@yahoo.com), January 27, 2002.

Sorry Laura you are WRONG its in ownership has no (') it is does.

-- julie (jbritt@ceva.net), January 27, 2002.

You have obviously missed the last of my post where is said that I simply used it as an example. Now I will spell it out for you, since you find the need to be so rude.

If Greg owned a beehive, it would be stated as Greg's beehive. Notice Greg is one person, the ' is before the s

If a group owned the hive it would be Monticello school districts' hive. notice the ' is AFTER the s

I was simply using "its" for continuity but I should have known someone would jump on it...

Hope everyone has a nice weekeend...

-- Laura (lauramleek@yahoo.com), January 27, 2002.

I have a spellcheck called "Webster's" :-)!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), January 27, 2002.

If a group owned the hive it would be Monticello school districts' hive. notice the ' is AFTER the s

Actually, that is one district, so it would be the district's beehive.

Now, if both Smith and Weston school districts owned the hive, it would be both districts' hive.

Not to be rude..... ;)

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), January 27, 2002.

The only problem I see is that I don't get to use a power tool when I build sentences...ok, I guess the computer might be called a power tool, but gee, where's the sawdust?

-- Anne (Healthytouch101@wildmail.com), January 27, 2002.

Hey Paul, there are 3 Monticello school districts...:-}

-- Laura (lauramleek@yahoo.com), January 28, 2002.

In the case of the plural possessive, eg, "3 boys' homework", the salient point is that the word ends in an 's' and it is cumbersome to have the extra 's' on it, as it would be in "boys's" (<-- bad, wrong, don't do!) The salient point about its (possessive) and it's (contraction of it is) is that it is the exception to the rule, and it is a standardized convention so that there is no confusion. Laura, if there is one thing I know about English grammar, it's this. Like I said, my mama was an English professor.

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), January 28, 2002.

Ha! I guess I should have said, The salient point about THEM is THEY ARE the exceptions to the rule.

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), January 28, 2002.