Who's English is the best here?

[yiostheoy]

...

The intent of my map was to show that New England is not a culturally significant entity of itself, it is not culturally unique, and nothing originates there by itself. You can't even prove that the term didn't come out of say, Buffalo, or Port Huron, or Green Bay, or Minneapolis.

If you can, I'll admit I am wrong. For the culture of these cities is as close to that of any in New England as you like. They use the same slang, have the same work ethic, enjoy the same hobbies, have the same world out look and POV, etc. Does the culture have a upper Midwestern flavor? Sure. But until you provide some proof of your unverified statement, we'll just have to agree to disagree. Just because you just think you come from a unique place doesn't give you license to go on a crusade, you don't.

When I think of New England I think of Connecticut but mostly due to Mark Twain's story about the Connecticut Yankee.

All New Englanders seem to have some semblance of the same accent as is Boston or NYC blended somehow.

On the complete other hand the campus of the Univ Of Md at College Park seems to be the most non-accented place in the USA to me.

 

[MisterBeale]

BS.

Everyone that has seen "My Fair Lady," knows this.

Well, I can generally manage well enough with folks "murdering" the English language so long as they do so in a way that leaves their meaning clear and unambiguous. Besides, the vast majority of folks who would do so rarely have something to say that's critical for me to comprehend. There are, of course, exceptions. Donald Trump is one exception, but only because (1) he sought to be POTUS and (2) he won the election. I find it highly problematic that a person in either of those two circumstances -- along with other leadership roles -- communicates with vague and/or ambiguous expressions. And, no, it doesn't matter what they lead; it could be Sunday choir, and I'd feel the same. If one must lead others, one must communicate clearly and unambiguously.

Too bad you were not around for Nixon or LBJ.

They were both lying scoundrels.

Nixon lied about Watergate and LBJ lied about Viet Nam.

Then the only thing that would bother you about Trump is ineptitude and being a simpleton.

Lies would not matter.

He got elected with lies.

Question is can he now deliver anything that he lied about and get re-elected?

Too bad you were not around for Nixon or LBJ. They were both lying scoundrels. Nixon lied about Watergate and LBJ lied about Viet Nam. Then the only thing that would bother you about Trump is ineptitude and being a simpleton.

Ah, no....I am not the sort who'll cotton to presidential lying for any reason, really, but certainly not simply because I'd become "acclimated" to it by dint of others having done so before. As goes that behavior, commonality/familiarity doesn't not equate to, yield or garner my insouciance or indifference toward subsequent instances of it by later POTUSes.

BTW, I was around for Nixon and LBJ, though I wasn't nearly as forthcoming with and founded in my economic, science or political understanding and views as I now am.

OMG, you must have hated Hillary then.

I didn't and don't hate Hillary Clinton. I also didn't vote for her. I'd prefer her to Trump, but I didn't vote for either of them.

See, the thing about Trump's lies, is they are SO obvious, my High School kid can detect them.

Isn't that refreshing? It is so nice when we have a president that the ignorant masses can see the lies of our leaders.

As a professional political scientist, I can tell you, Hillary Clinton was a far more evil and professional liar. Her lies fooled far more or a greater percentage of the population. They easily suckered very intelligent folks.

The fact is, both the Clinton's and the Trump's are friends, they both are tools of the Deep State, and neither are to be trusted.

That said, if you are a progressive/liberal, and you need a list of the Hillary lies, from a progressive/liberal source, I suggest you check out this link, or read Pulitzer prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh's article The Red Line and The Rat Line and square that with what she said about Benghazi.

Nothing from the Wikileaks dump came as a surprise, I had seen it all before.

 

[Pogo]

...

The intent of my map was to show that New England is not a culturally significant entity of itself, it is not culturally unique, and nothing originates there by itself. You can't even prove that the term didn't come out of say, Buffalo, or Port Huron, or Green Bay, or Minneapolis.

If you can, I'll admit I am wrong. For the culture of these cities is as close to that of any in New England as you like. They use the same slang, have the same work ethic, enjoy the same hobbies, have the same world out look and POV, etc. Does the culture have a upper Midwestern flavor? Sure. But until you provide some proof of your unverified statement, we'll just have to agree to disagree. Just because you just think you come from a unique place doesn't give you license to go on a crusade, you don't.

When I think of New England I think of Connecticut but mostly due to Mark Twain's story about the Connecticut Yankee.

All New Englanders seem to have some semblance of the same accent as is Boston or NYC blended somehow.

On the complete other hand the campus of the Univ Of Md at College Park seems to be the most non-accented place in the USA to me.

Whelp --- that's not true either though not surprising inasmuch as you seem to think "the South" is a single accent too. Nor is it surprising your expertise comes from reading Connecticut Yankee as opposed to IRL experience.

Linguistically Connecticut is far more New York than New England.

 

[usmbguest5318]

BS.

Everyone that has seen "My Fair Lady," knows this.

Well, I can generally manage well enough with folks "murdering" the English language so long as they do so in a way that leaves their meaning clear and unambiguous. Besides, the vast majority of folks who would do so rarely have something to say that's critical for me to comprehend. There are, of course, exceptions. Donald Trump is one exception, but only because (1) he sought to be POTUS and (2) he won the election. I find it highly problematic that a person in either of those two circumstances -- along with other leadership roles -- communicates with vague and/or ambiguous expressions. And, no, it doesn't matter what they lead; it could be Sunday choir, and I'd feel the same. If one must lead others, one must communicate clearly and unambiguously.

Too bad you were not around for Nixon or LBJ.

They were both lying scoundrels.

Nixon lied about Watergate and LBJ lied about Viet Nam.

Then the only thing that would bother you about Trump is ineptitude and being a simpleton.

Lies would not matter.

He got elected with lies.

Question is can he now deliver anything that he lied about and get re-elected?

Too bad you were not around for Nixon or LBJ. They were both lying scoundrels. Nixon lied about Watergate and LBJ lied about Viet Nam. Then the only thing that would bother you about Trump is ineptitude and being a simpleton.

Ah, no....I am not the sort who'll cotton to presidential lying for any reason, really, but certainly not simply because I'd become "acclimated" to it by dint of others having done so before. As goes that behavior, commonality/familiarity doesn't not equate to, yield or garner my insouciance or indifference toward subsequent instances of it by later POTUSes.

BTW, I was around for Nixon and LBJ, though I wasn't nearly as forthcoming with and founded in my economic, science or political understanding and views as I now am.

OMG, you must have hated Hillary then.

I didn't and don't hate Hillary Clinton. I also didn't vote for her. I'd prefer her to Trump, but I didn't vote for either of them.

I won't pretend to be an expert on Gilgamesh, but as far as I know, Shin-Leqi-Unninni wrote the thing. The tablets expressly identify him as the author. Was he a compiler of stories from an oral tradition more so than the original creator of prose? Perhaps so. I don't know.

 

[usmbguest5318]

Well, I can generally manage well enough with folks "murdering" the English language so long as they do so in a way that leaves their meaning clear and unambiguous. Besides, the vast majority of folks who would do so rarely have something to say that's critical for me to comprehend. There are, of course, exceptions. Donald Trump is one exception, but only because (1) he sought to be POTUS and (2) he won the election. I find it highly problematic that a person in either of those two circumstances -- along with other leadership roles -- communicates with vague and/or ambiguous expressions. And, no, it doesn't matter what they lead; it could be Sunday choir, and I'd feel the same. If one must lead others, one must communicate clearly and unambiguously.

Too bad you were not around for Nixon or LBJ.

They were both lying scoundrels.

Nixon lied about Watergate and LBJ lied about Viet Nam.

Then the only thing that would bother you about Trump is ineptitude and being a simpleton.

Lies would not matter.

He got elected with lies.

Question is can he now deliver anything that he lied about and get re-elected?

Too bad you were not around for Nixon or LBJ. They were both lying scoundrels. Nixon lied about Watergate and LBJ lied about Viet Nam. Then the only thing that would bother you about Trump is ineptitude and being a simpleton.

Ah, no....I am not the sort who'll cotton to presidential lying for any reason, really, but certainly not simply because I'd become "acclimated" to it by dint of others having done so before. As goes that behavior, commonality/familiarity doesn't not equate to, yield or garner my insouciance or indifference toward subsequent instances of it by later POTUSes.

BTW, I was around for Nixon and LBJ, though I wasn't nearly as forthcoming with and founded in my economic, science or political understanding and views as I now am.

OMG, you must have hated Hillary then.

I didn't and don't hate Hillary Clinton. I also didn't vote for her. I'd prefer her to Trump, but I didn't vote for either of them.

See, the thing about Trump's lies, is they are SO obvious, my High School kid can detect them.

Isn't that refreshing? It is so nice when we have a president that the ignorant masses can see the lies of our leaders.

As a professional political scientist, I can tell you, Hillary Clinton was a far more evil and professional liar. Her lies fooled far more or a greater percentage of the population. They easily suckered very intelligent folks.

The fact is, both the Clinton's and the Trump's are friends, they both are tools of the Deep State, and neither are to be trusted.

That said, if you are a progressive/liberal, and you need a list of the Hillary lies, from a progressive/liberal source, I suggest you check out this link, or read Pulitzer prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh's article The Red Line and The Rat Line and square that with what she said about Benghazi.

Nothing from the Wikileaks dump came as a surprise, I had seen it all before.

See, the thing about Trump's lies, is they are SO obvious, my High School kid can detect them. Isn't that refreshing?

Hell, no!

 

[MisterBeale]

Let's see if this works --- this is a great dialect map of North America with text link behind it.

​

You have to click the link for full-size map and background.

Thank you. I will tuck that away.

Very useful for when the nation disintegrates.

 

[Pogo]

Let's see if this works --- this is a great dialect map of North America with text link behind it.

​

You have to click the link for full-size map and background.

Thank you. I will tuck that away.

Very useful for when the nation disintegrates.

I'd think your original map is far more applicable to that. When the nation disintegrates it won't be from dialectal diversities. And they will survive that disintegration anyway.

 

[MisterBeale]

Let's see if this works --- this is a great dialect map of North America with text link behind it.

​

You have to click the link for full-size map and background.

Thank you. I will tuck that away.

Very useful for when the nation disintegrates.

I'd think your original map is far more applicable to that. When the nation disintegrates it won't be from dialectal diversities. And they will survive that disintegration anyway.

True, but language is the prime mover of culture, it is always nice to know where the major dividing lines and cleavages are.

If humanity survives that fall, of course folks will still be here.

After Rome fell, something else took it's place. After the Soviet Empire collapsed, something else came after.

After Pax Americana fails, something else will come next.

 

[Pogo]

Let's see if this works --- this is a great dialect map of North America with text link behind it.

​

You have to click the link for full-size map and background.

Thank you. I will tuck that away.

Very useful for when the nation disintegrates.

I'd think your original map is far more applicable to that. When the nation disintegrates it won't be from dialectal diversities. And they will survive that disintegration anyway.

True, but language is the prime mover of culture, it is always nice to know where the major dividing lines and cleavages are.

If humanity survives that fall, of course folks will still be here.

After Rome fell, something else took it's place. After the Soviet Empire collapsed, something else came after.

After Pax Americana fails, something else will come next.

And my point is, after the USSR collapsed, Russians were still speaking Russian, in the same dialects they had the year before. Nothing changed in it.

I would disagree that "language is the prime mover of culture" and posit that on the contrary language is subservient to culture. It is but a single ingredient of it and survives (or degrades) at the pleasure and whim of culture.

 

[yiostheoy]

...

If humanity survives that fall, of course folks will still be here.

After Rome fell, something else took it's place. After the Soviet Empire collapsed, something else came after.

After Pax Americana fails, something else will come next.

Well we have been lucky so far for the past 100 years of Pax Americana.

It started during WW1.

It peaked during WW2.

It stumbled during Korea (where MacA let his forces become split by the Chinese) and Viet Nam (where we did not belong in the first place).

The Northern Hemisphere almost ceased to exist during the Cuban/Turkish missile crisis (most people don't add the Turkish part -- this is why Khrushchev was pissed off in the first place).

The USA needs to do something radical about its interest on its national debt. A radical monetization of those debt instruments back to the rich is going to be unavoidable, followed by some kind of hyper inflation most likely. This is the only danger I see on the horizon for the USA -- financial disaster.

 

[xotoxi]

Let's see if this works --- this is a great dialect map of North America with text link behind it.

​

You have to click the link for full-size map and background.

Holy Mary, Mother of Christ! This will be a fun map to look at when I am not on my phone!

 

[xotoxi]

On the complete other hand the campus of the Univ Of Md at College Park seems to be the most non-accented place in the USA to me.

Even a non-accented place has an accent.

The only place with no accent is a monistary where the monks have taken a vow of silence.

 

[yiostheoy]

Let's see if this works --- this is a great dialect map of North America with text link behind it.

​

You have to click the link for full-size map and background.

Holy Mary, Mother of Christ! This will be a fun map to look at when I am not on my phone!

Greater Appalachia will probably amuse you.

I must have been thinking of the Mid Atlantic Tidewater with respect to the Univ of Md.

 

[boedicca]

I will throw my proverbial hat into the ring. In addition to my discerning perception, impeccable good taste, and extensive vocabulary, I am quite adept at spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Excellent use of the Oxford comma.

It pleases me beyond description that someone recognized the Oxford Comma!

 

[boedicca]

I will throw my proverbial hat into the ring. In addition to my discerning perception, impeccable good taste, and extensive vocabulary, I am quite adept at spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Excellent use of the Oxford comma.

I also normally put a comma before the final conjunctive "and", "or", etc.

Doing so might save you millions of dollars.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/16/us/oxford-comma-lawsuit.html?_r=0

Let's eat Grandma!

Eats, Shoots, and Leaves!

 

[xotoxi]

I will throw my proverbial hat into the ring. In addition to my discerning perception, impeccable good taste, and extensive vocabulary, I am quite adept at spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Excellent use of the Oxford comma.

It pleases me beyond description that someone recognized the Oxford Comma!

Which means that we both are losers.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

 

[boedicca]

I will throw my proverbial hat into the ring. In addition to my discerning perception, impeccable good taste, and extensive vocabulary, I am quite adept at spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Excellent use of the Oxford comma.

I also normally put a comma before the final conjunctive "and", "or", etc.

Doing so might save you millions of dollars.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/16/us/oxford-comma-lawsuit.html?_r=0

What a frivolous lawsuit. SMH.

Aren't most lawsuits frivolous?

 

[boedicca]

Excellent use of the Oxford comma.

I also normally put a comma before the final conjunctive "and", "or", etc.

Doing so might save you millions of dollars.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/16/us/oxford-comma-lawsuit.html?_r=0

What a frivolous lawsuit. SMH.

SMH ??

Sh!t my hueovos ??

I also don't know what "SMH" means as he's used it. I suspect my text-happy kids know what it means.

"Shaking My Head"

 

[boedicca]

I'll second that nomination, since this is not a pure parliamentarian Robert's Rules Of Order process.

Xelor is giving you a hard run for your money though.

He too follows the Oxford comma.

I use the Oxford comma when it adds clarity. When it doesn't, as it does not in simple sequences, I don't use it.

Clarity is the prime test of all writing.

Since reading the writing is offset in space and time and the reader cannot ask the writer for further clarification, clarity is therefore the most crucial test of any word, sentence, punctuation, or rule.

The fact that you know that as proven by your mentioning it makes you one of the best and most knowledgeable writers here.

We try to teach this to kids in college but they don't often get it.

I use punctuation to help convey to the reader EXACTLY the way I want them to read it.

I find posts that do not have punctuation, and do not have capital letters at the beginning of sentences, are very distracting and usually I cannot follow them.

Indeed. One of the most annoying abuses is the misuse of the noble, yet humble, apostrophe.

 

[boedicca]

I will throw my proverbial hat into the ring. In addition to my discerning perception, impeccable good taste, and extensive vocabulary, I am quite adept at spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Excellent use of the Oxford comma.

It pleases me beyond description that someone recognized the Oxford Comma!

Which means that we both are losers.

View attachment 121359

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

Au contraire, we are the winningest of winning winners!