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Jewish World Review
May 18, 2009
/ 24 Iyar 5769
Some common grammar queries axed and answered
By
Dave Barry
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
It is with great verisimilitude that we present another installation of "Ask Mister Language Person," the column that answers your common questions about grammar, punctuation and unwanted body hair. This is the ONLY language column to receive the coveted Lifetime Bathroom Pass from the American Society of University Professors Who Are Never in Their Offices.
We will commence the onset of today's column by beginning with our first question, which concerns a basic rule of business grammar:
Q. What is the proper way to begin a formal letter?
A. The proper beginning, or "salutatorian," for a formal business letter is: "Dear Mr. or Ms. Bob Johnson as the Case May Be." This should be followed by a small dab of imported mustard.
Q. What if the person's name is not "Bob Johnson"?
A. Then he or she will just have to change it.
Q. What is the correct way to conclude a formal business letter to a cable television company?
A. "I Spit on Your Billing Department."
Q. Like millions of Americans, I cannot grasp the extremely subtle difference between the words "your" and "you're."
A. Top grammar scientists are often confused by these two words, which are technically known as "bivalves," or words that appear to be identical and have hinged shells. The best way to tell them apart is to remember that "you're" is a contraction, which is a type of word used during childbirth, as in: "Hang on, Marlene, here comes you're baby!" Whereas "your" is, grammatically, a prosthetic infarction, which means a word that is used to score a debating point in an Internet chat room, as in: "Your a looser, you morron!"
Q. What is the correct usage of the word "compunction"?
A. It may be used as a medical term ("a compunction of the left exterior vestibule") or in the name of a rock band ("DeWayne Hurlmont and the Compunctions of Soul").
Q. Speaking of music, does it make you suspicious that "Barry Manilow" and "Busta Rhymes," in addition to sounding EXACTLY alike, have "conveniently" never once appeared onstage together?
A. It is time to end the charade.
Q. While viewing ESPN's Sept. 18 broadcast of the Indiana-Kentucky football game, did you hear an example of language usage so excellent that it caused you to spew beer from your nose?
A. Yes. The color commentator referred to a former coach as "a living legend when he was still alive."
Q. Can you give some other examples of powerful language, sent in by alert readers?
A. Certainly:
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Trudy McDaniel sent in the instructions for putting together an Ikea desk, which state: "It is advisory to be two people during assembly."
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Doug Gordon sent in the instructions for a set of Tama brand drums, containing this warning: "Stay away from the drum set if an earthquake occurs."
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Dave Zarrow reports that he saw a sign making this appealing offer: "I Lost 40 Lbs. in Two Months! Call for Free Samples!"
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Sandra Bowers sent in a story from the Akron Beacon Journal headlined, "Police Find Man Dead to Death in Motel."
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Paul Morrill sent in a story from the Santa Cruz County Sentinel, concerning a man who was arrested when he attacked some sea lions "because they constantly defected on his boat."
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Jeanne Reed sent in a bulletin from Weatherby Health Care, a physician-placement firm, with this headline: "Born and Raised in the Midwest, This Very Talented Surgeon Is Looking for His Nitch Back Home."
Q. You hate it when a surgeon loses his nitch.
A. Let's hope he didn't leave it inside a patient.
GOT A QUESTION FOR MISTER LANGUAGE PERSON? He truly does not care.
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Comment by clicking here.
Previously:
Grads, the world is your oyster and it's shut
It's Barbie's world the rest of us just live here
35 years later, it's a flight of the conned chords
Trout fishing makes me blooping crazy
Duct-tape daredevils
When it comes to buying, my wife shops and I drop
I've found a guy who can write this column better me
After all these years, still not ready for my closeup
Let's watch out for those conjugal phrases
A trip to North Dakota puts me on the map
Kicking and hugging
This dad has a severe case of wedding belle blues
Thanks to the British, I've suffered another art attack
My vocabulary is just teeming with synergy
A brief emergency
It's time for me to come clean about my dirty ways
A ruff and ready playmate
Sticking it to bad drivers
The gravity of skiing
Warning: DO NOT READ WHILE SLEEPING!
I had fun, fun, fun till someone took my Vega away
Attack on language from Shaq to shark
Defusing the turkey bomb
Driving While Stupid
I'm living in a perpetual state of confusion
Traveling with little ones is just plane crazy
It's time to unmask a more traditional Halloween
U.S. needs to shoot for a better class of criminals
Mountain man training involves some trash talk
Ten rules for making the world a much better place
A slide down memory lane reminds me I got burned
This latest research is enough to drive you nuts
Wrestling with night critters gives me butterflies
Silly songs get this old teapot into some hot water
Kids better wise up, or they're doomed to repeat
Overweight? I'm in training for the next Ice Age
The bleu plate special proves just ducky on this trip
Just weighting for the day I can build a better body
Better to light a single gift candle than to curse your wife
These camping tips will make for some happy trails I'm shooting the rapids with eyes wide shut
People's bad grammar is enough to make me sic
Toilet water as a weapon? That idea really stinks
The carefree days of summer begin with the ants in my pants
Heartland's moovers & shakers are an udder disgrace
I've found a guy who can do this better than I can
If you really love Dad, give him a big box of nothing
Graduates, the world is your oyster and it's shut
How to look good in a swimsuit no ifs, ands or butts
Trip proves I'm the king of my own castle
The writer vs. the writher beats the Hil & Obama fight
Complain about gridlock? That's just a dead end
New phone tactics help me develop new hangups
For faithful readers, a course in Journalism $1.01
How to speak English very much better
When it comes to laundry, men are all washed up
This houseguest is ready to throw in the towel
Fixing your home can truly be a bonding experience The lies about this mammal just drive me batty
In spin cycle of love, hard to be delicate
It's just not the time to thumb our nose at bagels
Latest fitness Rx for men is a yawn
My daughter's party, I'll cry if I want to
Sanguine ride on rabid transportation
One experiment worth repeating
Nothing like a good trip to help me see the light
The lord of the dance doesn't have anything on me
Invention clearly worth the brewhaha
Safe on the slopes
Why-oh-why-oh-why-oh…
A gross national columnist
Mr. Language Person: Weird word
I (cough) was a teenage smoker!
Frogs hop into the headlines
Great American turkeys
Mr. Fixit strikes again
Einstein Gap: It's all relative
Lost in space
The Trojan Twinkie Caper
MR. LANGUAGE PERSON: WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE!
Feeding your worst fears
Sock it to 'em, sartorially
The rubber band man
Does public art make sense?
Needling the birthday boy
On calamities (in the sky and on your head)
Modern medical mysteries
Bored games
Dave's Field of Nightmares
Lewis and Clark stepped here!
The ultimate water gun
Poetic license, with no rhyme or reason
Great moments in science
This won't hurt a bit
One giant leap for frogkind
My visit to Nether-Netherland
Smile and say cheese
Shooting carps in Wisconsin
The perfect storm
Stickup in aisle 3
Please don't feed the tourists
Land of the Frozen Earwax
The birth of wail
Honk if you're married and can't cope with anger
Rabbit ears get poor reception
Percentage of frogs in food jumps
Night of the living roach
Mr. Language Person: Some words of wisdomality
Mind your P's and Q's and teas
Loose lips sink sequels
NOW WE'RE COOKIN'!
The right to Bear clubs
Science: It's just not fair
Road warrior specials
Where's the beef? (Low fat)
There is nothing like a male (guys)
MOTIVATE! THEN FAIL! NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
Rooting for the midgets of the Midway
Revolt of the rodents
He can drive any truck named Tonka
All bets are off
How do you spell S-A-T?
Sour grapes and mud
Pro golf: A game of non-stop boredom
Guard-dog vigilance is nothing to sniff at
Warm and fuzzy Cold War memories
The funny side of Beowulf
HOLY HEAT WAVE, BATMAN!
Abs-olute madness
Beware of brainy bugs
I'm in a sorry state
The frog plague: The inside story
If she had a hammer….
Keeping an eye on crime
Camping and Lewis and Clark
When in Iowa, don't forget to duck
Junior takes the wheel
Growing old with Dave
Sites for sore eyes
Beware of sheep droppings
Ireland, land of bad Elvis
Mr. Peabrain's misadventures
When they're out to get you, keep cool
Mothers of invention
Kill 'em with kindness
© 2006, The Miami Herald Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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