Hi Dave, You are of course correct, and I certainly share your frustration with faulty grammar and spelling. I hear it constantly, not only from those around me, but also on the television news. I even read it in the paper! (Shouldn't professional journalists know better?) However, I think the better part of valor is to teach by example, rather than by scolding. Put another way, anyone who recognizes a problem with someone else's spelling or grammar is probably better off holding their tongue. (That's a joke, BTW.) Peace, Sarah ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Nereson" <davner@kaosol.net> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 1:19 AM Subject: OT, 3rd grade grammar & spelling for adults > its vs. it's > > "Its" refers to things that belong to 'it'. > "It's" is a contraction (a shortening) for "it is." > > I my, mine > you your, yours > he his, his > she her, hers > it its, its (NOT it's) !!!!! > we our, ours > you (plural) your, yours > they their, theirs > > This is my piano. It is mine. > This is your piano. It is yours. > This is his piano. It is his. > This is her piano. It is hers. > This piano belongs to the school. It is ITS piano. (Not "it's"). It is > its. (It belongs to it -- the school). > This is our piano. It is ours. > This is their piano. It is theirs. Not to be confused with "there", which > refers to a place, as in "over there", or with "they're", which > means "they are", as in "They're coming over tonight." > > The dog. Its bark. Its tail. > The cat. Its whiskers. Its meow. > The piano. Its pitch, its lid, its keys, its action. ITS ! NOT it's > !!! > > "It's" means "it is". The apostrophe takes the place of the 'i' that is > left out of 'is'. > > It's (it is) very hot today. It's (it is) no mean feat. It's (it is) a big > job to rebuild a piano. > > 'your' vs. 'you're': > 'Your' is for things that belong to you. Your tools, your piano, your > house. > 'You're' is for when you're really saying "you are." "You're going to raise > pitch." "You're crazy." > > 'Accordion' is with -ion, not -ian. > It's "mahogany", (remember "hog") not "mahagony"; "lauan" paneling, not > "luaun" or whatever else. > > Bridle straps, not bridal straps. It's bridles, like on a horse -- straps > that connect things. Not "bridal"-- that has to do with brides, weddings. > > And for R. Breckne: Allow me to introduce the word "than". This piano is > longer THAN that one. This job is no harder THAN that one. It is more > blessed to give THAN to receive. "Then" refers to a period in time. "I was > a lot younger back then." "Then you do the fine tuning after the pitch > raise." (But: "I am older than you are." "This piano has a > thinner-sounding tone than that one.") > > for everyone: it's 'wippen', not 'whippen'. That was settled years ago. > There was a Journal article. > > I know it's "square" to care about spelling, grammar -- we don't want to > appear too educated or anything, and certainly not intellectual, god forbid, > or professional or high class. Thing is, this isn't college or even high > school material -- it's from elementary school. > > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC