Questions regarding the rules for the formation of sentences
20
votes
3answers
2k views
Why do newspaper headlines use strange syntax rules?
Newspaper/news article headlines usually have different syntax rules, for example
No copula. North Korea trip 'successful'
Past events written in present. Qantas cancels flight out of frozen ...
7
votes
6answers
954 views
Using -ed vs. -ing in the “needs washed” construction
I'm from Central Pennsylvania, and apparently, we have a strange language construct in this area. I was recently talking about how "my car needs washed" to a friend from NJ, and she told me that my ...
37
votes
11answers
1k views
Central Pennsylvanian English speakers: what are the limitations on the “needs washed” construction?
In the Central Pennsylvania dialect of English (and possibly elsewhere), the following construction is possible:
This car needs washed. (=needs to be washed)
The room needs cleaned. (=needs ...
19
votes
5answers
2k views
Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction “it's”?
I heard this lyric in a song the other day and it just sounded so wrong that I assumed it must be incorrect grammar, but I can't find any specific prohibition that applies.
That's what it's.
...
13
votes
4answers
1k views
English questions and negation with *do* in syntax
A former lecturer of mine once explained why, from a syntactic point of view, the English rule that negation and questions are formed with the auxiliary do follows from other syntactic facts about ...
13
votes
9answers
812 views
What rules make “Remember me, who am your friend” grammatical?
An acquaintance recalled this specific example from an English textbook, but it is jarring to my native ear. Is this an example of prescriptive grammarians gone wild?
5
votes
4answers
6k views
Should an adverb go before or after a verb?
For example:
The word rarely turns up outside of those contexts.
The word turns up rarely outside of those contexts.
Which one is correct and why?
2
votes
2answers
580 views
Use of “do” in affirmative statements [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do you use “Did + 1st form” instead of “2nd form”
When is do used in affirmative sentences? For example:
I do think that this is going to be...
Is it only ...
5
votes
3answers
682 views
Could you help me to do a syntax analysis of this sentence?
The more I use Froyo the more new stuff I discover.
Does it mean:
I more use Froyo, I discover more new stuff.
22
votes
4answers
1k views
How do the rules of English inform understanding of one of our language's most disputed sentences?
Yes, historical context is important, but forget it for a moment. Taken at face value, what does the text mean?
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right ...
7
votes
6answers
800 views
Superlative + noun + “possible”: why does the adjective come after the noun?
Does someone happen to have an explanation or theory for why in phrases like "the best method possible" the word 'possible' comes after the noun?
5
votes
1answer
864 views
Symbol, punctuation, or abbreviation that indicates a “paraphrase”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the proper use of [square brackets] in quotes?
This question is born of practical necessity - one that I encountered while quoting a reference in "another" Stack ...
12
votes
2answers
2k views
Is “Me neither” incorrect?
I've heard that "me neither" is incorrect. Instead one should say "neither do I." People definitely say "me neither" conversationally, but is it technically incorrect?
6
votes
2answers
389 views
Is Wayne's World's (NOT) a modern invention?
Older users of this site may recall the 'Bill & Ted' 'Wayne's World' series of movies of the early 1990s. They were mindless but fairly amusing and their eponymous characters spoke in a unique ...
6
votes
4answers
378 views
There is no headache strong enough, that a good coffee won't relieve
I heard this phrase today and I'm pretty sure that there is something wrong with it. I do not know if it is the grammar or the syntax or the meaning of the words. Can you please tell me what the ...
3
votes
3answers
855 views
2
votes
2answers
281 views
Reason for Subject-Verb Inversion: Only in cases where A is B, shall the Company do X [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Sentences using: [something] + have + they
subject-auxiliary inversions not associated with questions
In the following, why does subject-verb inversion occur? Is it ...
2
votes
1answer
350 views
Proper usage/origin of the generic phrase “[action phrase] does not a [noun] make” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why is “xxxx doth not a yyyy make” considered valid English?
I occasionally come across a sentence formulated in a manner similar to the following:
...
7
votes
3answers
3k views
Is it incorrect to say, 'Give me it'?
Is it incorrect to say, 'Give me it' ? I am told that it is and one should always say, 'Give it me'?
6
votes
5answers
1k views
Using the word 'Only'
I am confused about using the word only. I often hear it being used in many contexts that sound wrong to me - but I'm not sure if it's me or them.
Let me give some examples:
A: Where were you ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Why is “zero” plural? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Correct plural form of a zero quantified noun
I could have:
Zero books
One book
Two books
Why is zero in plural form?
Edit
Per Merriam-Webster:
Plural (adj): of, ...
2
votes
5answers
542 views
How do I say 'people insist on' in the passive voice?
If I have 'read guides where people insist that...' then how do I use that in the passive voice?
'In guides I have read, it is insisted that...'?
'In guides I have read, it is insisted upon that..'?
...
15
votes
4answers
564 views
Should Kyle be corrected, and if he doesn't, why?
In a recent blog entry, Jeff Atwood quotes his sysadmin Kyle:
"Should the developers have access to the production environment, and if they do, to what extent?"
My understanding is that this ...
4
votes
4answers
971 views
using “the”+adj without a noun
Is the following sentence good/legal/understood English?
Meditation melts the coarse and solidifies the subtle.
If it isn't, how can this be otherwise expressed, in a neat and concise way?
3
votes
1answer
705 views
Order of preposition in US and UK English
In Britain we'd say
He had a black hat on.
Speakers of American English are more likely to say*
He had on a black hat.
The latter just seems wrong to me. Is my intuition correct or are ...
3
votes
2answers
223 views
What defines a correlative?
I have come across a number of expressions (both...and..., if...then...) which are named as "correlative" in different grammars (namely Quirk et al.).
The question: What makes an expression a ...
2
votes
3answers
136 views
should one invert syntax for the verb “do” in a comparison?
Which sounds better:
When Canadians do initiate conversations, they tend to be more reserved than Americans do.
When Canadians do initiate conversations, they tend to be more reserved than do ...
1
vote
2answers
735 views
Not so much as [something] as [something else]
Consider the sentence:
"She sees him not so much as her uncle as her friend."
Is this sentence correct? I feel something is missing, or perhaps I am disturbed by the extra 'as'. Compare with:
...
1
vote
2answers
258 views
Isn’t the expression, "I'm not inclined to be a supporter of Newt Gingrich's having served under him for four years” confusing?
I found the following line in today’s (December 4) Time magazine article titled, Coburn Speaks Up:
“On "Fox News Sunday," Sooner State Sen. tells Chris Wallace he would have trouble supporting ...
1
vote
1answer
556 views
Is it incorrect to place the adverb after the verb? “Handsomely win” v. “Win handsomely”
I have seen both forms in usage.
0
votes
4answers
75 views
“something inescapably points if …” or “if something inescapably points to …”?
At the same time, they are reluctant to accept the conclusions toward which such proof inescapably points if they do not "sense" the uniformity themselves.
The position of the word if in this ...
0
votes
2answers
750 views
I was confused about “to be + past participle"
Why does the following sentence use "to be reinforced" rather than "was reinforced"
The fact that organisms evidently inherit the capacity to be reinforced by certain kinds of
event does not ...
