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Assume v. Presume

gomezz said:
Bear in mind that typesetting rules were designed to make the typesetter's job easier. Now that is hardly a consideration then the rules will change to suit the modern world where people format their own output for the screen and few are obsessive enough try and makes things fit and look the way it was before.

After all we would not make the modern London cabby still be legally bound to carry a bale of hay for their horse ... Oh wait, yes we do! ;)
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Aren't we talking pedantry here? Sorry!


Let's not forget the minus sign, either, which is not a hyphen, endash or emdash, but sits centred on the math axis at a different height to all of them. :rolleyes:
 
Regarding the current news re grammar tests in schools, here are 10 questions on the BBC web site (with answers):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22512744

If you want to have a go, you will need a pencil and paper to note down your answers. The likes of Angela Rippon and Alexi Sayle tried it on The One Show, and criticised some of the questions - I have not looked at it myself (will do when I am less tired) so I reserve judgement. A decent mark appears to be 7 or 8 (out of 10).
 
Shame at least one of their answers is wrong, or at least widely debated.

What do people think of things like "I've not" versus "I haven't" ?
 
In my limited experience, people who use "I've not" instead of "I haven't" usually follow this with another negative, as in "I've not done nuffink officer" indicating something of a shortfall in their English grammar education.
 
Black Hole said:
Regarding the current news re grammar tests in schools, here are 10 questions on the BBC web site (with answers):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22512744

If you want to have a go, you will need a pencil and paper to note down your answers. The likes of Angela Rippon and Alexi Sayle tried it on The One Show, and criticised some of the questions - I have not looked at it myself (will do when I am less tired) so I reserve judgement. A decent mark appears to be 7 or 8 (out of 10).
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Quite a less of they are debatable.
 
Trev said:
In my limited experience, people who use "I've not" instead of "I haven't" usually follow this with another negative, as in "I've not done nuffink officer" indicating something of a shortfall in their English grammar education.
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Up here it seems to be used with the double negative.

"I've not done my homework yet."

Also constructs like

"I've got to go now, tea's in t'oven"

when I would prefer "I have to go..."

Mike0001 said:
Quite a less of they are debatable.
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That's the one I noticed in particular.
 
RobH1 said:
So different from other forums where comments or replies are poorly constructed, misspelt, lack or misuse punctuation and use words incorrectly.
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This was a line I wrote (post #37 Americanisms) to which BH replied "LOL"

Now after following this thread, I find I have to re-read/edit my posts in case I appear educationally inferior. If I posted in Cumbrian dialect the way like wot the locals speak, then Trev's post # 309 would apply. Considering the number of southerners' moving here though, I can't help thinking they believe they are coming for the "northern gites"!

@ Mike0001 , southern does not deserve a capital;)

Re the BBC test, I scored 6/10 at 8am- not too shabby I thought.
 
af123 said:
What do people think of things like "I've not" versus "I haven't" ?
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T'one is t'same as t'other Shirley? Which I would use depends on context and aesthetics (and probably dialect).

BTW, from what I can gather from the likes of Herriot and Uncle Mort:

"happen" = possibly/probably
"doubt" = likely rather than unlikely
"owt and nowt" = something and nothing (the iPad spelling gestapo wanted an apostrophe before the t)
 
af123 said:
Shame at least one of their answers is wrong, or at least widely debated.
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Which? I got 7 questions right (ie I agreed with the "correct" answer), didn't spot the implications of Q3 at first or second read through, and failed to answer Q8 and Q10 because I have never studied the subject to know what the words mean.
 
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