Thursday, March 4, 2021

National Grammar Day

I didn’t know until five minutes ago: it’s National Grammar Day.

A day without grammar are without day grammar a.

comments: 5

Anonymous said...

I thought that grammar refers to proper word usage and syntax to word order or arrangement. If so, your last sentence better illustrates a day without syntax. No?

Michael Leddy said...

I think of syntax as governed by grammar. But if not, how about “A day without grammar are without day grammar a.”

Michael Leddy said...

This point has been bothering me all day. It’s better to say that syntax is part of grammar. I’m going to add an are to the sentence in the post to more clearly foreground grammar. Thanks for questioning what I wrote in this post.

Fresca said...

I got wondering what exactly grammar is too--looked it up, and it's the whole shebang.

Commenting here, though, to share this ad for grammar dot com:

"All the grammar you need to succeed in life™."

It cracks me up, that TM. (Should it be outside the period? Applying to the whole sentence? Or, maybe they are only claiming "life™".)

Michael Leddy said...

I always told students who said “My grammar is terrible” that if that were really the case, they wouldn’t be able to put together a sentence. I’ve never heard anyone say they need more.

The Chicago Manual of Style says that trademark names don’t require the use of the trademark sign. Slogans? I don’t know. But yes, that slogan looks ridiculous with ™. Someone should compete: “All the grammar you need to succeed.” (“In life?” Where else?)

In my looking up, I found some generic equivalents for brand names. Chicago recommends using generic names when possible:

Bufferin: buffered aspirin
Ping-Pong: table tennis
Pyrex: heat-resistant glassware
Sharpie: permanent marker

Pass the heat-resistant glassware, please!