Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[tikay]

".....And so, (Tank says the word "and" should never be capitalised) on to movie myths & mistakes......."

Correct - in that, as a rule of thumb, properly constructed sentences, written by posh people, should not begin with "and".

[Jon MW]

".....And so, (Tank says the word "and" should never be capitalised) on to movie myths & mistakes......."

Correct - in that, as a rule of thumb, properly constructed sentences, written by posh people, should not begin with "and".

'as a rule of thumb' - you mean like 'generally speaking' - like 'usually' - but not always.

So in conclusion, sentences can begin with 'And'.

[RED-DOG]

Yesterday, I went in to "Sharnford Tractors" to buy some chain saw oil. While I was there, I noticed a nice ride on lawnmower that they had taken in as a part ex on a new one.

Because it is now the end of the mowing season, they had the second had one marked up at a very attractive price. I knew that I really ought to buy it as my old mower is on it's last legs, (I have to repair it every time I use it) Somehow though, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

In the end, I made a ridiculously low offer, which, much to my shock and surprise, they accepted.

Now I have a nice bright shiny mower in my shed, and the old, knackered one is outside under a tarp.

I'm sure that this is the reason I couldn't sleep last night. I feel as guilty as someone who has just left his wife for a younger woman.

[tikay]

".....And so, (Tank says the word "and" should never be capitalised) on to movie myths & mistakes......."

Correct - in that, as a rule of thumb, properly constructed sentences, written by posh people, should not begin with "and".

'as a rule of thumb' - you mean like 'generally speaking' - like 'usually' - but not always.

So in conclusion, sentences can begin with 'And'.

They can begin with anything at all. That's not to say they should.

If I were an Employer, viewing a CV from a Job Applicant for a job which included written communication, & he began a sentence with "And", I'd not read any further, I'd just bin the application.

Her Majesty the Queen-Ness NEVER begins sentences with "And".

And there you have it.

[tikay]

Yesterday, I went in to "Sharnford Tractors" to buy some chain saw oil. While I was there, I noticed a nice ride on lawnmower that they had taken in as a part ex on a new one.

Because it is now the end of the mowing season, they had the second had one marked up at a very attractive price. I knew that I really ought to buy it as my old mower is on it's last legs, (I have to repair it every time I use it) Somehow though, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

In the end, I made a ridiculously low offer, which, much to my shock and surprise, they accepted.

Now I have a nice bright shiny mower in my shed, and the old, knackered one is outside under a tarp.

I'm sure that this is the reason I couldn't sleep last night. I feel as guilty as someone who has just left his wife for a younger woman.

Traitor!

I love that old mower, & the way you have to fettle it every time you use it. You caress it like a woman, you drool over it, you complain about it, but love it.

Old Faithful will now wreak some dreadful revenge upon you.

[RED-DOG]

Would it be acceptable to begin like this?

.... and so, yada yada...

[RED-DOG]

Yesterday, I went in to "Sharnford Tractors" to buy some chain saw oil. While I was there, I noticed a nice ride on lawnmower that they had taken in as a part ex on a new one.

Because it is now the end of the mowing season, they had the second had one marked up at a very attractive price. I knew that I really ought to buy it as my old mower is on it's last legs, (I have to repair it every time I use it) Somehow though, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

In the end, I made a ridiculously low offer, which, much to my shock and surprise, they accepted.

Now I have a nice bright shiny mower in my shed, and the old, knackered one is outside under a tarp.

I'm sure that this is the reason I couldn't sleep last night. I feel as guilty as someone who has just left his wife for a younger woman.

Traitor!

I love that old mower, & the way you have to fettle it every time you use it. You caress it like a woman, you drool over it, you complain about it, but love it.

Old Faithful will now wreak some dreadful revenge upon you.

I know. Don't make it worse. It was just a spur of the moment thing, it meant nothing to me.

[Jon MW]

".....And so, (Tank says the word "and" should never be capitalised) on to movie myths & mistakes......."

Correct - in that, as a rule of thumb, properly constructed sentences, written by posh people, should not begin with "and".

'as a rule of thumb' - you mean like 'generally speaking' - like 'usually' - but not always.

So in conclusion, sentences can begin with 'And'.

They can begin with anything at all. That's not to say they should.

If I were an Employer, viewing a CV from a Job Applicant for a job which included written communication, & he began a sentence with "And", I'd not read any further, I'd just bin the application.

Her Majesty the Queen-Ness NEVER begins sentences with "And".

And there you have it.

That's because the Queen was taught by people who knew a lot about Latin - not so much about English.

A lot of the 'rules' of grammar that were written down when education started being for the masses, aren't actually rules of English Grammar - they're rules for Latin Grammar, it was just assumed they should be the same.

But that's not always the case.

[kinboshi]

AND the Queen has an annus horribilis. 

[tikay]

".....And so, (Tank says the word "and" should never be capitalised) on to movie myths & mistakes......."

Correct - in that, as a rule of thumb, properly constructed sentences, written by posh people, should not begin with "and".

'as a rule of thumb' - you mean like 'generally speaking' - like 'usually' - but not always.

So in conclusion, sentences can begin with 'And'.

They can begin with anything at all. That's not to say they should.

If I were an Employer, viewing a CV from a Job Applicant for a job which included written communication, & he began a sentence with "And", I'd not read any further, I'd just bin the application.

Her Majesty the Queen-Ness NEVER begins sentences with "And".

And there you have it.

That's because the Queen was taught by people who knew a lot about Latin - not so much about English.

A lot of the 'rules' of grammar that were written down when education started being for the masses, aren't actually rules of English Grammar - they're rules for Latin Grammar, it was just assumed they should be the same.

But that's not always the case.

I said "as a rule of thumb".

Nothing about grammar is written (!) in stone, but there's "best practice" & "bad practice". And people are, & will be, judged by how they write, whether we like it or not.

[AndrewT]

AND the Queen has an annus horribilis. 

She needs to get herself down to Dingdell's clinic.

[tikay]

Would it be acceptable to begin like this?

.... and so, yada yada...

That would be perfectly acceptable, even amongst the hoity-toity. Which includes me.

[kinboshi]

Would it be acceptable to begin like this?

.... and so, yada yada...

That would be perfectly acceptable, even amongst the hoity-toity. Which includes me.

Is it correct to start a sentence with 'Which' in that context?

I would have expected the correct English to use 'which' after a comma rather than a full-stop as it's a conjunction between two related clauses?   I'm talking about the Queen's English of course, not just conversational English that one might use on say a poker forum.

[tikay]

Yesterday, I went in to "Sharnford Tractors" to buy some chain saw oil. While I was there, I noticed a nice ride on lawnmower that they had taken in as a part ex on a new one.

Because it is now the end of the mowing season, they had the second had one marked up at a very attractive price. I knew that I really ought to buy it as my old mower is on it's last legs, (I have to repair it every time I use it) Somehow though, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

In the end, I made a ridiculously low offer, which, much to my shock and surprise, they accepted.

Now I have a nice bright shiny mower in my shed, and the old, knackered one is outside under a tarp.

I'm sure that this is the reason I couldn't sleep last night. I feel as guilty as someone who has just left his wife for a younger woman.

Traitor!

I love that old mower, & the way you have to fettle it every time you use it. You caress it like a woman, you drool over it, you complain about it, but love it.

Old Faithful will now wreak some dreadful revenge upon you.

I know. Don't make it worse. It was just a spur of the moment thing, it meant nothing to me.

Two-timer. Traitor.

You going to send Old Faithful to a Retirement Home for discarded Mowers? Or just let her rust & rot away, sweating (as she will) under that tarp? And to think how well she has served you.

PS - I bet it's a "she", too.

PPS - That ended up as an expensive can of oil!

[tikay]

Would it be acceptable to begin like this?

.... and so, yada yada...

That would be perfectly acceptable, even amongst the hoity-toity. Which includes me.

Is it correct to start a sentence with 'Which' in that context?

I would have expected the correct English to use 'which' after a comma rather than a full-stop as it's a conjunction between two related clauses?   I'm talking about the Queen's English of course, not just conversational English that one might use on say a poker forum.

No idea, to be honest, I have never heard, or thought, about that.

I'll give the matter some thought.