Robert Derman wrote:
Rod Engelsman wrote:
jonathon wrote:
drow wrote:
I propose a joint development with abisource to create a "standard"
Grammar Checker for the open source community.
a) A grammar checking API within OOo is being developed.
b) Roughly half a dozen grammar checkers for OOo are being
developed. One size fits all does not work for grammar
checking. Look at the difference between evidentairy
grammars and noun-class grammars.
Point taken (different languages not only have different grammar
rules, but different ...paradigms?), but I seriously doubt if 1 out of
500 readers here have a damn clue what you're talking about.
or between the grammar of
Ancient Chinese, Koine Greek, and Latin.
... and who really gives a rats rear end about grammar checking DEAD
LANGUAGES anyway??!!
Seriously, Jonathon... in the world of niche users of OOo you stand
alone. So alone that you are barely with yourself.
Rod
If I had to guess I would think that close to half of all OOo users are
using one of the English language versions of OOo. Spellings differ
from one English speaking country to another, but I am not aware of any
significant variations in the basic grammer.
The use of "off of" as in "I am getting off of the train" seems to be
correct in US English (judging by its frequent appearance in apparently
literate journals) but is considered completely illiterate in UK English.
UK: He dived into the pool; US: He dove into the pool. Is that grammar
or spelling?
Momentarily: In UK English this means "for a short time" as in "the
light came on momentarily" = "the light flashed". In US English it means
"in a short time" as in "the train will arrive momentarily" = "it will
come soon". Is that grammar or semantics?
Past tenses: UK: "travelled, cancelled etc." (double l), US: "traveled,
canceled etc" (single l). Grammar or spelling?
Telling the time:
UK: 2:45 is "a quarter to three", or 3:15 would be "a quarter past
three". US: "a quarter of three" for 2:45, or "a quarter after three"
for 3:15. I don't know how Americans feel about the British version but
the US version really grates on us Brits.
Apparently "please wait while the list is being populated" is OK in the
US whereas it's garbage in UK English where it would be "please wait
while the list is populated". To see the US version run "Add/Remove
software" from within the Windows Control Panel.
In the US, you do not just "visit" your aunt, you "visit with" your
aunt. In the UK if you use that expression, you should also mention what
place you are visiting [together] with your aunt. Similarly, "meet with"
is just a sign of a shoddy education in the UK. You can "have a meeting
with" someone but not "meet with" that person.
In the UK it's "she has red hair hasn't she?". In Indian (no, I don't
mean Native American) English it's "she has red hair isn't it?". I've
also seen, mainly in the US, "she has red hair, doesn't she?". The
Indian and US versions are just plain wrong in UK English.
In the UK it's "On Monday she said ..." or "She said on Monday ...". In
the US it's "Monday she said ..." or "She said Monday" both of which are
wrong in the UK. Similarly, "he will come on Monday (UK) versus "he will
come Monday" (US, wrong in the UK).
US: "are you coming with?"; UK: no "with" unless it's "are you coming
with me/us/...?"
I haven't even touched Singaporean English or Australian English and I'm
sure there are other versions too with different grammars, not just
spellings.
No, sorry. One grammar doesn't fit all.
--
Harold Fuchs
London, England
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