Rooster_Ties Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 FYI, I done found this here article here: HERE. Forces of 'barbaric illiteracy' too strong New book serves as witty eulogy for punctuation Monday, April 19, 2004 Posted: 2:31 PM EDT (1831 GMT) BRIGHTON, England (AP) -- Lynne Truss fears the English language could be in its death throes. Proper, written English, that is -- the kind with correctly placed apostrophes, elegantly positioned semicolons, commas in all the right places and in none of the wrong ones. It's being shoved aside, she thinks, by an electronic onslaught of uncapitalized, unpunctuated, ill-thought-out Internet verbiage. Truss, a longtime writer and editor, is sure that trying to halt the decline would be hopeless, but she wants her new book, "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" to at least serve as a warm and funny eulogy to a little-heralded but crucial piece of the language: punctuation. Despite tackling a subject that's so dry that it's put generations of schoolchildren to sleep, the book has won critics' praise for its humor and readability and it's been a surprise hit in Britain, selling more than half a million copies. Truss also received the book of the year prize at the recent British Book Awards ceremonies -- an honor bestowed by a panel of 400 publishers, wholesalers and booksellers, and the public. "Eats, Shoots & Leaves," whose title comes from a corny punctuation joke about a panda in a bar, is a lighthearted, affectionate tribute to the system of jots, dots and dashes that make written language intelligible. "Sticklers unite," Truss urges in the book's introduction. "You have nothing to lose but your sense of proportion, and arguably you didn't have a lot of that to begin with." Relaxing in a sleek hotel lobby in her hometown of Brighton, on England's south coast, Truss, 48, seems to relish the part of linguistic nit-picker. She has bobbed blond hair and a warm smile, and displays a sharp, self-deprecating wit. She insists she's more surprised than anyone by the book's success. Truss -- so modest she apologizes (needlessly) for being a poor interview subject -- says she was well into writing last year before she felt sure the topic was substantial enough for a book. Evidence for punctuation's demise She eventually concluded proper usage of punctuation was coming to a cataclysmic end, making this exactly the right time to honor it. "It's just a wonderful moment to appreciate it before it goes, like going to see Venice before it sinks," she said. "I sort of feel, well, what a great system and how beautiful and elegant it is, and to have it just dropped and cast aside when there's nothing being offered in its place just seems quite barbaric." She blames the decline on the failure of schools to teach the basic rules, and on the explosion of communication technologies that have allowed punctuation ignoramuses everywhere to deluge others with their poorly organized thoughts. "People who don't know their apostrophe from their elbow are positively invited to disseminate their writings to anyone on the planet stupid enough to double-click and scroll," she writes. In the always hurrying modern world, Truss says, few slow down enough to take care over details that used to be the sign of a thoughtful writer. She sees evidence for punctuation's demise everywhere. Her book is filled with examples -- some funny, some just plain atrocious -- of punctuation abused, ignored and misplaced. "I saw a sign for 'Book's' with an apostrophe in it and something deep inside me snapped," she writes. "Despair was the initial impetus for this book." She's willing to forgive the greengrocers who advertise "apple's" and "orange,s" but saves particular venom for those publishing on a grander scale and those who should know better. Apostrophe abuse Truss lambasts Britain's National Union of Teachers for a letter in which it refers to "childrens' education," the British Broadcasting Corp. for promising "nouns and apostrophe's" in a grammar lesson on its Web site and the government for a passport application form that asked for the full name of "the person who's details are given in Section 02." All three apostrophes are misused. She's also furious about the apostrophe Warner Bros. omitted from the title of the Sandra Bullock-Hugh Grant comedy "Two Weeks Notice," (make that "Two Weeks' Notice," insists Truss), saying anyone who spends big money on a promotional campaign can afford a proofreader. "How much more abuse must the apostrophe endure?" she pleads in the book. Some examples amuse rather than exasperate. Truss takes a road sign that warns "Children Drive Slowly" as a declarative sentence describing young drivers' lack of speed, and notes that the sign "No Dogs Please" is flat-out wrong. "Many dogs do please, as a matter of fact; they rather make a point of it," she writes. Truss' book has clearly hit a nerve among readers fretful over what she sees as a wider decline in literacy. The book, released in the United States April 13, has been at the top of British best-seller lists since December and has sold a massive 580,000 copies here. Language-loving critics have raved about it. The Daily Telegraph newspaper called it "witty, clear-headed and altogether enchanting. ... It makes you love punctuation; you want to conserve what is still left and perhaps even call for more of it." Impressive stuff for a book whose initial success made its author more nervous than excited. Great reviews Truss, whose idea for the volume came from a BBC radio series she did on punctuation, "Cutting a Dash," says she originally thought it would be the sort of book people bought nitpicking relatives for Christmas. And even after they did so in enormous numbers, she fretted that all the copies were meant for a few famous sticklers who would return the extras to stores on December 26. They didn't. "I think that was when I relaxed, sort of about mid-January, when we realized that people were still buying it," she said. The book's blockbuster success also surprised editors at Profile Books, the small company that published it. Kate Griffin, of Profile, said she groaned when managing director Andrew Franklin first told her they would be releasing a book on punctuation. "When he said it would be fun, I didn't understand. But when I read her first chapter, I thought it was marvelous," Griffin recalled. Great reviews just before the book's November release drove advance sales and Profile immediately began boosting its initial print run of 15,000 copies, she said. Truss spent most of her career as an editor and journalist, writing three comic novels on the side that sold poorly. She expected "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" to be a modest seller, too, and says she's been stunned by the way it's caught on. Still, she says, there's little chance it will make a difference. "The forces toward barbaric illiteracy, I dare say, are much too strong ... for a few people," she sighs. "I don't think we're going to stop the rot." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted April 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 (edited) Link: How grammatically sound are you? NOTE: Don't cut-n-paste the HTML results into your post to this thread. It won't work. You have to right-click on the .gif, just like any other pic you'd want to post to a thread. Also, don't forget to cut-n-past the text of the results too (they aren't included in the pic). Me?? I was... You are a GRAMMAR GOD! If your mission in life is not already to preserve the English tongue, it should be. Congratulations and thank you! And FYI, I expect couw to beat most of us here in the U.S. Edited April 20, 2004 by Rooster_Ties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 Link: How grammatically sound are you? NOTE: Don't cut-n-paste the HTML results into your post to this thread. It won't work. You have to right-click on the .gif, just like any other pic you'd want to post to a thread. Also, don't forget to cut-n-past the text of the results too (they aren't included in the pic). Me?? I was... You are a GRAMMAR GOD! If your mission in life is not already to preserve the English tongue, it should be. Congratulations and thank you! And FYI, I expect couw to beat most of us here in the U.S. Glad, and a bit surprised, to report that I am, too (or is that also?). Some of those were tough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Skid Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 Fun quiz, Rooster. There were a few I wasn't sure about, but I still got a GOD rating. I assume that rating means 100% correct? #5. Just between __________, the corpse is hidden in the garage. That was an easy one! Anybody remember that April Wine song? Star Trek fans should find #11 pretty easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted April 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 (edited) There were a few I wasn't sure about, but I still got a GOD rating. I assume that rating means 100% correct?? I would say probably not only "100% correct" gets the GOD rating. I was unsure about a few too, so I imagine that the GOD rating is something like 85% or higher (would be my guess). Edited April 20, 2004 by Rooster_Ties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 Now this is pretty ridiculous: Everybody here knows I'm a God or a King or whatever, but a Grammar God? HELLNO! ubu PS: would have preferred her, anyway: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garthsj Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 (edited) <img src="http://images.quizilla.com/B/BaalObsidian/1080162080_cturesgod3.jpg" border="0" alt="Grammar God!"><br>You are a <b>GRAMMAR GOD</b>! <br><br>If your mission in life is not already to<br>preserve the English tongue, it should be.<br>Congratulations and thank you! <br><br><a href="http://quizilla.com/users/BaalObsidian/quizzes/How%20grammatically%20sound%20are%20you%3F/"> <font size="-1">How grammatically sound are you?</font></a><BR> <font size="-3">brought to you by <a href="http://quizilla.com">Quizilla</a> Sorry.. I can't get the HTML to work..... Edited April 20, 2004 by garthsj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted April 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 (edited) Sorry.. I can't get the HTML to work..... You might write well, but you can't read for shit!! NOTE: Don't cut-n-paste the HTML results into your post to this thread. It won't work. You have to right-click on the .gif, just like any other pic you'd want to post to a thread. Also, don't forget to cut-n-past the text of the results too (they aren't included in the pic). Edited April 20, 2004 by Rooster_Ties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 I also earned GRAMMER GOD status although I don't believe it for a second. I then went back and entered answers completely at random. Result? GRAMMER GOD! Looks like we're being taken for a ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 no, I was god (heyyyyy) and changed all the answers at random to come out as a complete and utter BASTARDIZATION of the English tongue! I would like to know all the correct answers though, as I am sure I did make some mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMX Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 I'm a Grammer God? That's unpossible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 from the article I gather that the crix of the bisquit... well ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 My results? I guess that is good. . . was hoping I'd be: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vibes Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 Star Trek fans should find #11 pretty easy. The correct way to say that, I've been told, is "go boldly," rather than "boldly go." I can remember one of my high school English teachers complaining that Star Trek had caused millions of people to use adverbs incorrectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 ... GRAMMER GOD ... ... GRAMMER GOD! ... ... Now you see, there starts your barbaric illiteracy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garthsj Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 (edited) Sorry.. I can't get the HTML to work..... You might write well, but you can't read for shit!! NOTE: Don't cut-n-paste the HTML results into your post to this thread. It won't work. You have to right-click on the .gif, just like any other pic you'd want to post to a thread. Also, don't forget to cut-n-past the text of the results too (they aren't included in the pic). No... the problem is that I am a Mac user.. and everyone knows that we know nothing about "right-clicking"... Also, you are right .. I have never learned to read ... I write "writing," not "reading" ... (old vaudeville joke..) ta-dum! Edited April 20, 2004 by garthsj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 I managed "Grammar God" as well. Which tells me that you only have to hit 50% to reach that level... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 Another "Grammar God" here! or is it...., Here is another "Grammar God"? B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Skid Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 Star Trek fans should find #11 pretty easy. The correct way to say that, I've been told, is "go boldly," rather than "boldly go." I can remember one of my high school English teachers complaining that Star Trek had caused millions of people to use adverbs incorrectly. I should have known better than to rely on popular culture for my rules of grammar. It's kind of like a black fly in my chardonnay -- ironic, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 One of my pet peeves is apostrophe abuse. Much of it happens regarding the word "its". The ONLY time an apostrophe should be used in this case is when it's a contraction of "it is". Never when it's posessive. Seems like about everything that ends with an "S" gets an apostrophe around these here parts. "Open Sunday's" ,"Book's For Sale",etc. Also, there seems to be an epidemic of misspelling the word "definitely". It's not spelled "definately". I don't get real excited about misspellings and related things around here- most often we know what someone means, and no one likes a whiney know-it-all. I'm a terrible typist- 99% of my edits here are for spelling and grammar mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 (edited) ... GRAMMER GOD ... ... GRAMMER GOD! ... ... Now you see, there starts your barbaric illiteracy! Umm... I don't know what you mean. I'm a grammer. Someone who grams. I take great delight in gramming. There's no greater joy than gramming or being grammed. Ideally, I try to gram at least four times a day. (A frequency NOT recommended for the beginner!) OK! I was at work and in a hurry! I've never grammed in my life! My humiliation is complete. -_- Edited April 20, 2004 by Chaney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERIGAN Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 I assume this is good, correct? You are a complete and utter BASTARDIZATION of the English tongue! Unless this is your third language, there is absolutely no excuse for your ignorance. You shame us with your speech. Go back and finish your schooling, bastard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 I assume this is good, correct? nyet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainyDay Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 <img src="http://images.quizilla.com/B/BaalObsidian/1080162080_cturesgod3.jpg" border="0" alt="Grammar God!"><br>You are a <b>GRAMMAR GOD</b>! <br><br>If your mission in life is not already to<br>preserve the English tongue, it should be.<br>Congratulations and thank you! <br><br><a href="http://quizilla.com/users/BaalObsidian/quizzes/How%20grammatically%20sound%20are%20you%3F/"> <font size="-1">How grammatically sound are you?</font></a><BR> <font size="-3">brought to you by <a href="http://quizilla.com">Quizilla</a></font> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainyDay Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 I may be a Grammar God but I still can't figure out how to cut and paste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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