On Wed, 27 Mar 2002, Hoyt wrote: > In the context, "you" implied me, personally, but now I realize that your > grammar skills aren't adequate for me to assume _anything_ about what you > write; "you" could have meant Mandrake, or the mail list readers or 'yo > momma. That's an excellent example of the miscommunication that occurs here.
First, I am a native English speaker. Second, the use of the comma makes no difference. Sometimes when one speaks it's not clear that there is or isn't a comma there, but there are certain rules one has to follow when writing the sentence. > But gosh, Dave, then why did Fr�d�ric appear to "get it"? Maybe he didn't > and simple reponded in a polite way. Who really knows? He engineered a quick > end to the conversation between he and I and that's all that was necessary. Actually, I pointed out how "First" might be condescending, so it was in your favor, but most probably he meant nothing by the comment. I agree that the use of "you" and/or "we" could have been misconstued, but don't get so upset. Anyway, I still stick to my belief that when someone uses "First" in such a way the implied "Second" is "to stop complaining". I didn't mean to say that you were complaining so much as pointing out that's what the sentence means, both in English, and Fench, and possibly other Romance languages. In any case, this is really getting off-topic now, unless someone with an English degree wants to settle it once and for all ;) -- Sincerely, David Walluck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
