FS: One Semicolon, good condition
Blinky the Shark
"While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your face;
Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow charcoal
fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with burning coals."
From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
I was making some General Tsao's chicken, and as it simmered I was
reading about the person and the food.
I think the Post requires registration, so if anyone's interested in the
man and/or the dish, here's the page that the Post article uses a lot as
a source (but note that the quote this post is about is not from this
link):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A59302-2002Apr16
--
Blinky RLU 297263
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html
David
Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not needed.
> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your
> face; Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow
> charcoal fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with
> burning coals."
Not to mention a couple of commas. An interspersion of quotation marks
wouldn't be out of place, though.
> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
Ah, well, what do you expect from a United States' of America newspaper?
--
David - toro-danyo atcost uku fullstop co fullstop uk
http://www.toro-danyo.uku.co.uk/
Blinky the Shark
> In article <slrnemctca....@thurston.blinkynet.net>, Blinky the
> Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not needed.
>
>> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your
>> face; Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow
>> charcoal fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with
>> burning coals."
>
> Not to mention a couple of commas. An interspersion of quotation marks
> wouldn't be out of place, though.
>
>> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
>
> Ah, well, what do you expect from a United States' of America newspaper?
Correct American English.
David
Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
> David wrote:
> > In article <slrnemctca....@thurston.blinkynet.net>, Blinky
> > the Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
> >> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not needed.
> >
> >> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your
> >> face; Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow
> >> charcoal fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with
> >> burning coals."
> >
> > Not to mention a couple of commas. An interspersion of quotation
> > marks wouldn't be out of place, though.
> >
> >> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
> >
> > Ah, well, what do you expect from a United States' of America
> > newspaper?
> Correct American English.
How naive!
Dr Peter Young
> In article <slrnemdeu8....@thurston.blinkynet.net>, Blinky the
> Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>> David wrote:
>> > In article <slrnemctca....@thurston.blinkynet.net>, Blinky
>> > the Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>> >> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not needed.
>> >
>> >> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your
>> >> face; Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow
>> >> charcoal fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with
>> >> burning coals."
>> >
>> > Not to mention a couple of commas. An interspersion of quotation
>> > marks wouldn't be out of place, though.
>> >
>> >> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
>> >
>> > Ah, well, what do you expect from a United States' of America
>> > newspaper?
>
>> Correct American English.
>
> How naive!
<pedantic>
Naif, unless Blinky is female.
</pedantic>
Peter.
--
Peter \ / zfc Ho \ Prestbury, Cheltenham, Glos. GL52
Anne \/ __ __ \ England.
and / / \ | | |\ | / _ \ http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk
family / \__/ \_/ | \| \__/ \______________ pny...@ormail.co.uk.
®óñ© © ² * ¹°°³
<nos...@nomaps.amnops.invalid> wrote and included this (or some of
this):
>In article <slrnemdeu8....@thurston.blinkynet.net>, Blinky the
>Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>> David wrote:
>> > In article <slrnemctca....@thurston.blinkynet.net>, Blinky
>> > the Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>> >> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not needed.
>> >
>> >> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your
>> >> face; Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow
>> >> charcoal fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with
>> >> burning coals."
>> >
>> > Not to mention a couple of commas. An interspersion of quotation
>> > marks wouldn't be out of place, though.
>> >
>> >> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
>> >
>> > Ah, well, what do you expect from a United States' of America
>> > newspaper?
>
>> Correct American English.
Proper English is bad enough.
Spoil = Mar
Spoil = Pamper
--
®óñ© © ² * ¹°°³
HVS
Cleave = to split
Cleave = to adhere/stick fast
Fast = unmoving/moored
Fast = moving quickly
--
Cheers,
Harvey
David
> > In article <slrnemdeu8....@thurston.blinkynet.net>, Blinky
> > the Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
> >> David wrote:
> >> > In article <slrnemctca....@thurston.blinkynet.net>,
> >> > Blinky the Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
> >> >> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not needed.
> >> >
> >> >> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in
> >> >> your face; Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like
> >> >> a slow charcoal fire, until you feel as though your belly is
> >> >> filled with burning coals."
> >> >
> >> > Not to mention a couple of commas. An interspersion of quotation
> >> > marks wouldn't be out of place, though.
> >> >
> >> >> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
> >> >
> >> > Ah, well, what do you expect from a United States' of America
> >> > newspaper?
> >
> >> Correct American English.
> >
> > How naive!
> <pedantic>
> Naif, unless Blinky is female.
> </pedantic>
How naive of you! Perhaps as an aspiring pedant, you might consider
purchasing a good English dictionary rather than using that old French
one.
Wendy Gray
> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not needed.
>
> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your face;
> Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow charcoal
> fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with burning coals."
Reminds me of a joke I found funny when I was a little girl.
If the B empty put :
If the B . putting :
Perhaps the author had similar thoughts.
--
Wendy Gray, expat Yorkshirewoman
Tervuren .be
Wendy Gray
> David wrote:
>> In article <slrnemctca....@thurston.blinkynet.net>, Blinky the
>> Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>>> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not needed.
>>
>>> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your
>>> face; Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow
>>> charcoal fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with
>>> burning coals."
>>
>> Not to mention a couple of commas. An interspersion of quotation marks
>> wouldn't be out of place, though.
>>
>>> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
>>
>> Ah, well, what do you expect from a United States' of America newspaper?
>
> Correct American English.
>
We frequently do.
Dr Peter Young
I think I'll continue to use my antiquated English (language, not
dictionary). One of my Father's favourite obscure words was
"mumpsimus". Go seek!
David
Ah, well, if he'd had a good English dictionary, he wouldn't have
considered it an obscure word.
Beware of pedants baring gaffs!
Robin Bignall
wrote:
Fast = don't eat your veggies (or owt else).
--
Robin
Herts, England
Mark Wallace
Ah, this brings to mind that incredible Indian film "Ramadanbo",
featuring that marvellous actor Singupta Stallone -- Gods, but what
emotions the wonderful phrase "Please to be leaving me alone" evoke.
Wendy Gray
Fast = lady of easy virtue
Wendy Gray
Or even "Beware of Geeks bearing GIFs".
David
Or even "timeo Danaos et dona ferentes" - if you want to go just a mite
further back -, not that either have much bearing on the exchange.
I blame Pavlov.
David
"She's a fast"? No, don't work, do it? You'll have to be a bit quicker,
Wendy.
Peter Duncanson
wrote:
Loose (woman) = (lady) of easy virtue - particularly when tight.
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.possessive.its.has.no.apostrophe)
Wendy Gray
Where did the surplus 'a' come from?
Try "She's fast!".
Wendy Gray
I think he dropped a few clangers because he was barking mad.
David
"She's lady of easy virtue"? No, don't work, do it? You'll have to be a
bit sharper than that, Wendy.
Mark Wallace
> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not needed.
>
> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your face;
> Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow charcoal
> fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with burning coals."
>
> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
>
> I was making some General Tsao's chicken, and as it simmered I was
> reading about the person and the food.
>
> I think the Post requires registration, so if anyone's interested in the
> man and/or the dish, here's the page that the Post article uses a lot as
> a source (but note that the quote this post is about is not from this
> link):
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A59302-2002Apr16
I hate to be a party pooper, but that semi-colon is perfectly legal,
because one of the functions of the semi-colon is to distinguish a break
in a sentence that uses a succession of commas -- but a colon would have
been muchly preferable.
Mark Wallace
So you don' wanna da fok on da table?
Mark Wallace
Or a bit quicker.
Blinky the Shark
What about that "while", up there, that makes the part up to the
semicolon dependent? Without it, I'd have no objection.
Mark Wallace
The "while" is what would make me insist on a colon, but it's still a
legal use of the semi-colon -- remember that the semi-colon is not used
only for avoiding comma splices; it has other uses that have nothing to
do with independency.
Whether or not the person who wrote the piece knew that is another
matter entirely, so I'll happily continue to think of him as being an
idiot who doesn't know what he's doing. He just lucked out, this time.
David
> Or a bit quicker.
We've already done that one: it didn't work.
Blinky the Shark
I was taught that the semicolon was in essence a coordinating
conjunction, thus the problem with it and the dependency in the
quotation. I guess that has changed. I certainly understand using it
to separage comma-separated series, but I don't see how
"[comma-separated series dependent clause with comma-separated series]
[independent clause]" is such a case.
Blinky the Shark
Crissakes! Make that "[dependent clause with comma-separated
series][independent clause]". Grrrrrr.
John Flynn
Do I have to? I've already entered the original version into the official
proceedings for today.
<exasperated sigh>
Okay, okay, I'll fill out an amendment request form. Expect it to appear
in the next issue if I can get the four signatures in time.[1]
[1] Ink is preferable, I know, but needs must...
--
johnF
"Nature is a system so complex that no creation of the human mind will ever
plumb its depths completely."
-- _The Mendelian Revolution_, Peter J Bowler
Mark Wallace
Ah, you're confusing previosity with appropriatism.
That is: It's all in the timing, Bub.
Mark Wallace
I'll generously ignore the error that I would not have noticed if you
hadn't pointed it out in a later posting (see what a nice guy I am?)
Another function of the semi-colon, that has more or less always been a
function of the semi-colon, is to indicate a particular division in a
sentence that contains a lot of commas which each indicate a
not-so-particular division.
I don't think I could explain it in a more confusing manner, so I'm
quite proud of myself, right now.
But I still think that your guy used the semi-colon without knowing
this, so your complaint is highly appropriate, even though it is
completely inappropriate.
David
What does ancient Chinese neckwear have to do with it?
Blinky the Shark
> Blinky the Shark wrote:
>
>> Blinky the Shark wrote:
>>
>>> I was taught that the semicolon was in essence a coordinating
>>> conjunction, thus the problem with it and the dependency in the
>>> quotation. I guess that has changed. I certainly understand using
>>> it to separage comma-separated series, but I don't see how
>>> "[comma-separated series dependent clause with comma-separated series]
>>> [independent clause]" is such a case.
>>
>> Crissakes! Make that "[dependent clause with comma-separated
>> series][independent clause]". Grrrrrr.
>
> Do I have to? I've already entered the original version into the official
> proceedings for today.
>
><exasperated sigh>
>
> Okay, okay, I'll fill out an amendment request form. Expect it to appear
> in the next issue if I can get the four signatures in time.[1]
Would mine count?
> [1] Ink is preferable, I know, but needs must...
No problem -- I live next door to a nice family of squids.
Dr Peter Young
And I want two sheet on de bed.
David
> > David wrote:
> >> In article <15224f8b...@belgacom.net>, Wendy Gray
> >> <news...@tiscali.be> wrote:
> >>> On 24 Nov 2006 Robin Bignall wrote:
> >>
> >>>> On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 11:58:44 GMT, HVS <harve...@ntlworld.com>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
> >>>>>>>>> Ah, well, what do you expect from a United States' of
> >>>>>>>>> America newspaper?
> >>>>>>>> Correct American English.
> >>>>>> Proper English is bad enough.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Spoil = Mar Spoil = Pamper
> >>>>> Cleave = to split Cleave = to adhere/stick fast
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Fast = unmoving/moored Fast = moving quickly
> >>>> Fast = don't eat your veggies (or owt else).
> >>
> >>> Fast = lady of easy virtue
> >>
> >> "She's a fast"? No, don't work, do it? You'll have to be a bit
> >> quicker, Wendy.
> >
> > So you don' wanna da fok on da table?
> And I want two sheet on de bed.
Ho-ho! Velly funny! Evely one crap hands now!
Mark Wallace
You are obviously uneducated in chaos theory. I recommend that you take
a course in Dr Seuss, before embarrassing yourself further.
David
I always thought Dr Seuss was particularly a United States of America
thing and to be avoided like the plage by all right(pondian) thinking
folk.
John Flynn
> [...] to be avoided like the plage [...]
But... I *do* like to be beside the seaside!
--
johnF
"I hope, one day, to feature in your sig....."
-- Rob Saville, APIHNA, 17 Feb 2000
Mark Wallace
Don't be absurd! Absurdity is a very Rightpondian thing!
No... wait... I mean /DO/ be absurd! I mean... Hold on...
Oh, bugger it.
John M Ward
Mark Wallace <mwal...@dse.nl> wrote:
[lots snipped, to aid readability]
> So you don' wanna da fok on da table?
Ah *always* have da fork on da table, and da knaaf, and da spoon.
--
John M Ward, posting from the Apihna Arms' Comfy Chair
My "Fun with English" web page can now be found at:
www.john-ward.org.uk/personal/john/english
Mark Wallace
> In article <eka106$pa9$2...@aioe.server.aioe.org>,
> Mark Wallace <mwal...@dse.nl> wrote:
>
> [lots snipped, to aid readability]
>
>> So you don' wanna da fok on da table?
>
> Ah *always* have da fork on da table, and da knaaf, and da spoon.
But doesa you wife, she know?
John M Ward
Mark Wallace <mwal...@dse.nl> wrote:
> John M Ward wrote:
> > In article <eka106$pa9$2...@aioe.server.aioe.org>,
> > Mark Wallace <mwal...@dse.nl> wrote:
> >
> > [lots snipped, to aid readability]
> >
> >> So you don' wanna da fok on da table?
> >
> > Ah *always* have da fork on da table, and da knaaf, and da spoon.
>
> But doesa you wife, she know?
Eh? Who dat, den?
David
> > [...] to be avoided like the plage [...]
> But... I *do* like to be beside the seaside!
Hah! I knew that would ring a bell somewhere!
Mack A. Damia
<nos...@nomaps.amnops.invalid> wrote:
>In article <Xns98878138...@198.186.190.150>,
> John Flynn <joh...@lineone.net> wrote:
>> David wrote:
>
>> > [...] to be avoided like the plage [...]
>
>> But... I *do* like to be beside the seaside!
>
>Hah! I knew that would ring a bell somewhere!
<*salivating*>
--
mad
David
David
> Oh, bugger it.
Now, don't go getting all upset on me, Mark. I'm quite prepared to
admit that Dr Seuss' side of the pond isn't really as bad as I made
out. In fact, Seuss' side is painless....
But I wouldn't go so far as to aggree with Flynn's sentiments; I
definitely *do not* like to be beside the Seuss' side!
Mack A. Damia
<nos...@nomaps.amnops.invalid> wrote:
>In article <7khjm2pasf20aib5e...@4ax.com>,
> Mack A. Damia <mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 16:49:19 +0000 (GMT), David
>> <nos...@nomaps.amnops.invalid> wrote:
>
>> >In article <Xns98878138...@198.186.190.150>,
>> > John Flynn <joh...@lineone.net> wrote:
>> >> David wrote:
>> >
>> >> > [...] to be avoided like the plage [...]
>> >
>> >> But... I *do* like to be beside the seaside!
>> >
>> >Hah! I knew that would ring a bell somewhere!
>
>> <*salivating*>
>
>Ah, yes: La bell dame sans merci...
You knew my ex?
--
mad
Dr Peter Young
> In article <7khjm2pasf20aib5e...@4ax.com>,
> Mack A. Damia <mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 16:49:19 +0000 (GMT), David
>> <nos...@nomaps.amnops.invalid> wrote:
>
>> >In article <Xns98878138...@198.186.190.150>,
>> > John Flynn <joh...@lineone.net> wrote:
>> >> David wrote:
>> >
>> >> > [...] to be avoided like the plage [...]
>> >
>> >> But... I *do* like to be beside the seaside!
>> >
>> >Hah! I knew that would ring a bell somewhere!
>
>> <*salivating*>
>
> Ah, yes: La bell dame sans merci...
<Michael Flanders>
The beautiful woman who never says "Thank you".
</Michael Flanders>
Wendy Gray
> In article <ce58628b...@belgacom.net>, Wendy Gray
> <news...@tiscali.be> wrote:
>> On 25 Nov 2006 David wrote:
>
>> > In article <15224f8b...@belgacom.net>, Wendy Gray
>> > <news...@tiscali.be> wrote:
>> >> On 24 Nov 2006 Robin Bignall wrote:
>> >
>> >> > On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 11:58:44 GMT, HVS <harve...@ntlworld.com>
>> >> > wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >>On 24 Nov 2006, ®óñ© © ² * ¹°°³ wrote
>> >> >>
>> >> >>> On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 09:36:18 +0000 (GMT), David
>> >> >>><nos...@nomaps.amnops.invalid> wrote and included this (or some
>> >> >>>of this):
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>> In article <slrnemdeu8....@thurston.blinkynet.net>,
>> >> >>>> Blinky the Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>> >> >>>>> David wrote:
>> >> >>>>>> In article <slrnemctca....@thurston.blinkynet.net>,
>> >> >>>>>> Blinky the Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>> >> >>>>>>> Anybody need a semicolon? Looks like this one's not
>> >> >>>>>>> needed.
>> >> >>>>>>
>> >> >>>>>>> "While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth,
>> >> >>>>>>> in your face; Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside
>> >> >>>>>>> you, like a slow charcoal fire, until you feel as though
>> >> >>>>>>> your belly is filled with burning coals."
>> >> >>>>>>
>> >> >>>>>> Not to mention a couple of commas. An interspersion of
>> >> >>>>>> quotation marks wouldn't be out of place, though.
>> >> >>>>>>
>> >> >>>>>>> From the Washington Post, for heaven's sake.
>> >> >>>>>>
>> >> >>>>>> Ah, well, what do you expect from a United States' of
>> >> >>>>>> America newspaper?
>> >> >>>>
>> >> >>>>> Correct American English.
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> Proper English is bad enough.
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> Spoil = Mar Spoil = Pamper
>> >> >>
>> >> >>Cleave = to split Cleave = to adhere/stick fast
>> >> >>
>> >> >>Fast = unmoving/moored Fast = moving quickly
>> >> >
>> >> > Fast = don't eat your veggies (or owt else).
>> >
>> >> Fast = lady of easy virtue
>> >
>> > "She's a fast"? No, don't work, do it? You'll have to be a bit
>> > quicker, Wendy.
>> >
>> Where did the surplus 'a' come from?
>
>> Try "She's fast!".
>
> "She's lady of easy virtue"? No, don't work, do it? You'll have to be a
> bit sharper than that, Wendy.
>
To be blunt, then, when replacing an adjective with a noun, you have
to use 'a'.
For example "He's not gentlemanly" = "He's not a gentleman"
Now who left all those Nastertiums scattered around?
--
Wendy Gray, expat Yorkshirewoman
Tervuren .be
David
You've learnt something; Good!
> Now who left all those Nastertiums scattered around?
The inconstant gardener?
Mark Wallace
David wrote:
So we're not vamanossing a la playa?
That's probably wise, given the weather. The lack of bikini-clad babes
makes it a bit pointless.
John Flynn
[snip]
> Now who left all those Nastertiums scattered around?
Talking of such, check out this chap's review of "Qntal" (when I looked,
it was the last review on that page):
<http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A2AKW9QZNB0330/>
--
johnF