I need a punctuation/grammar icon...

Jan. 26th, 2009 at 5:51 PM

I find that I am a dinosaur. I did not know the Chicago Manual of Style now approved one space between sentences. Can I train my fingers?

Woe is I. That's probably why I can't get published. Too out of touch, far too proper. As Winston Churchill said (quoted on today's calendar page), "Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put." *snort*

At least I know I'm smarter than a 5th Grader. I answered all the questions on last night's show with no problem (I can't speak as well for the contestants).

And because looking up Winston Churchill quotes is fun:

"Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public."

Current Mood: dorky

Comments

( 19 comments — Leave a comment )

x_bluerose_x

Jan. 27th, 2009 02:13 am (UTC)

I didn't know about the space thing either until my editors told me. :)

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wildrider

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:13 am (UTC)

None of those I've submitted to have gotten THAT far...

Tough part is, I can't stop my fingers from typing period space space - been doing it for some thirty years or so, after all. *g*

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x_bluerose_x

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:15 am (UTC)

Yup, it's a hard habit to break. Been doing it twenty years myself. UGH

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wildrider

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:19 am (UTC)

See

sillymagpie's suggestion below. Might as well make use of technology! *LOL!*

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cornerofmadness

Jan. 27th, 2009 02:29 am (UTC)

oh good then I'm right in line since i doubt I've ever put two spaces in.

I have a grammar one in my icon list

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wildrider

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:15 am (UTC)

I have to think about a good one.

I suppose I can give up the double space (had to for my reviews, already), but I will never stop my quest to prevent the incorrect apostrophe use! *waves cane*

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cornerofmadness

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:30 am (UTC)

oh god I am SO awful with that. I mean I KNOW they don't belong in places i put them.I type too fast and don't edit as carefully as I should before i send crap out. hangs head in shame

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wildrider

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:32 am (UTC)

*grin* Well, my spelling/malapropism can join your apostrophes in the Hall of Shame...

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cornerofmadness

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:56 am (UTC)

snort. Okay I love the kitty on the lotus (or is that his dog? I can never tell with that artist)

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wildrider

Jan. 27th, 2009 01:42 pm (UTC)

I can always tell the difference between Mooch (the cat) and Earl (the dog). Mooch's ears stand up in points, for one... *g*

It's Mooch.

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cornerofmadness

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:28 pm (UTC)

ah i see, easier to tell when they're together

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sillymagpie

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:18 am (UTC)

I'm not even going to try to retrain my fingers. When I'm done with a document, I do a search on double spaces and replace them with single spaces until no double spaces are left.

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wildrider

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:18 am (UTC)

Ah, that's the way. *g*

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framefolly

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:25 am (UTC)

It took me a few months, but I did it.

But my school papers already were on the short side *whines*

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wildrider

Jan. 27th, 2009 03:31 am (UTC)

I did have to learn how to at least pull the double spaces from my reviews, so I guess I could learn to do it for my manuscripts, too...

Writing short was never a problem (I had to start pulling the extra spaces because I kept running over my character-length limit!). *g*

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nutmeg3

Jan. 27th, 2009 05:20 am (UTC)

I have the bestest grammar icon. *g* And I hate to break it to you, but it's been single-space for donkey's years. *g*

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wildrider

Jan. 27th, 2009 01:44 pm (UTC)

Hee! I love it!

Yeah, probably. I've been fighting against encroaching Internetisms for ages, so the official ruling no doubt slipped by me (and my Manual of Style is from, what, the middle ages? Probably '83 or so... *g*).

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