Serious Grammarians Only!

[WilyWestbrook0]

If it wasn't for that professor, I wouldn't have went to graduate school.

Replace with 'gone' :)

http://wvde.state.wv.us/tt/2002/gram...artip0004.html

[Buyinggameused]

Right. Though this post is more about the original poster, and not my grammatical skills.

[mintman2]

Language is not solely about grammatical correctness, it's about conveying ideas. In your example using the word "ones", the term ones is actually "slang" for a one dollar bill, just like if one were to say "I have five fives" or "I have five tens" or how about "I have five singles". Are you going to argue that since typically the word single means 1 that it can't be pluralized even when used as a noun ? How about when a baseball player gets five singles ? How can he have five of something that is only one ? EASY, because it's being used as a noun. In your example the word "one" is a noun so of course it can be pluralized. If you asked me what bills I had in my pocket I would say something like "I have a ten, a five, and a one". "ONE "FIVE" and "TEN" aren't being used to describe something, rather they ARE the thing and can be pluralized.

How about expediency in conveying one's ideas ? Which is more natural ? Saying "I have five one dollar bills" ? Or "I have five ones" ? BOTH are perfectly accceptable but the second example gets the idea across much quicker and with less effort. Many many many of our words have evolved into what they today simply because they're easier to say than the previous version.


I agree with what many others have said. Just because you can say something without using a particular word doesn't make it improper to say it differently using the word. You, as a potential english professor, should know better than anyone that many words can be used in several different ways and the rules regarding their usage changes depending on what part of speech they're being used in at the time.

[RedGoneWILD]

Language is not solely about grammatical correctness, it's about conveying ideas. In your example using the word "ones", the term ones is actually "slang" for a one dollar bill, just like if one were to say "I have five fives" or "I have five tens" or how about "I have five singles". Are you going to argue that since typically the word single means 1 that it can't be pluralized even when used as a noun ? How about when a baseball player gets five singles ? How can he have five of something that is only one ? EASY, because it's being used as a noun. In your example the word "one" is a noun so of course it can be pluralized. If you asked me what bills I had in my pocket I would say something like "I have a ten, a five, and a one". "ONE "FIVE" and "TEN" aren't being used to describe something, rather they ARE the thing and can be pluralized.

How about expediency in conveying one's ideas ? Which is more natural ? Saying "I have five one dollar bills" ? Or "I have five ones" ? BOTH are perfectly accceptable but the second example gets the idea across much quicker and with less effort. Many many many of our words have evolved into what they today simply because they're easier to say than the previous version.


I agree with what many others have said. Just because you can say something without using a particular word doesn't make it improper to say it differently using the word. You, as a potential english professor, should know better than anyone that many words can be used in several different ways and the rules regarding their usage changes depending on what part of speech they're being used in at the time.

damn....props on that

[Yanksfan396]

Mint... you describe the elegance and interpretation of the english language, yet you completely ignored the title of the thread. I said grammarians--not linguists. If you want to talk about language in its cultural context, create your own thread. I know "one" can be a noun, but it is unique in that it is technically incorrect, in the views of many, to be plural.


P.S. "ways" is also a weak word.

[Yanksfan396]

Also, I found a calenday quote where Virginia Woolf argues the same concept.

[Star_Cards]

Mint... you describe the elegance and interpretation of the english language, yet you completely ignored the title of the thread. I said grammarians--not linguists. If you want to talk about language in its cultural context, create your own thread. I know "one" can be a noun, but it is unique in that it is technically incorrect, in the views of many, to be plural.


P.S. "ways" is also a weak word.

I think his post was quite informative within this thread. A

Besides, with the text message culture the way it is today, you'll be tasked with much more valuable lessons to teach than if someone uses the word "ones", "that", or "ways" :) In four years every phrase may be reduced to an Acronym.

[mintman2]

Mint... you describe the elegance and interpretation of the english language, yet you completely ignored the title of the thread. I said grammarians--not linguists. If you want to talk about language in its cultural context, create your own thread. I know "one" can be a noun, but it is unique in that it is technically incorrect, in the views of many, to be plural.


P.S. "ways" is also a weak word.

So we're going to pick apart people's grammar and choice of words and ignore the underlying thought trying to be conveyed ? That's cool by me ! Let's talk grammar.........

1) After "Mint" you should use a comma, not three dots.

2) "describe" should be "describeD" since it's something already done.

3) "grammarians" should be followed with a comma not a couple dashes. If you choose to use dashes at least put in a couple of spaces between the dashes and the words.

4) Using a comma after "context" is completely unnecessary and I'm guessing incorrect usage.

5) Talk about weak. Hows about using (did that just for you ) "If you would care to" or "If you would like to" instead of "If you want to talk about". It's a step up from "if you wanna" but not prof worthy. Wouldn't you agree ?

6) edit: whoops, this was a repeat.


And lastly, I just simply disagree with you. The word "one" used in the context of being a synonym for the word "bill" or "dollar" or "greenback" can be pluralized.

Maybe we just need a new word ? Like more than one mouse isn't mouses but rather mice. Maybe we need something like that for the plural of one. I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest "onesies" be used as the plural of "one". :)

[mintman2]

In four years every phrase may be reduced to an Acronym.

LOL

Expediency and simplicity are not always good things.

[mintman2]

BTW

Are you looking for 08 A&G black minis ? I busted a case and a half of the 08 so I have a bunch of black borders and toher cards from the set. I like your Mae West card and the Hanley patch.

ALAN