Mr. Codrea, Please! Please stop starting every other sentence with the word “And.” That is lazy journalism. [More]Actually, only four sentences out of the entire piece begin that way.
And actually:
‘There is a persistent belief that it is improper to begin a sentence with and, but this prohibition has been cheerfully ignored by standard authors from Anglo-Saxon times onwards.’ -RW Burchfield, New Fowler’s Modern English UsageOne of the ways I keep enjoying what I do, which is not lazy but work, by the way, is by playing with language from time to time, sometimes writing in conversational tones. And me enjoying it and doing things my way is why I do this.
‘A prejudice lingers from the days of schoolmarmish rhetoric that a sentence should never begin with and. The supposed rule is without foundation in grammar, logic, or art.’ -Modern American Usage (1966)
Ain't that right, Rick?
And on that note...
ReplyDeleteAfter the hostilities of the War of Northern Aggression came to a close, some of the women's clubs of the various states felt it was time to begin binding up the nations wounds. So the women's clubs of Massachusetts and the women's clubs of South Carolina agreed to host a series of teas inviting the women of the other states to participate.
At one of the first gatherings, what actually happened was that the northern ladies grouped together on one side of the hall glaring across a large expanse of floor at the southern ladies who were glaring right back.
One "southern belle" decided to break the ice, went across the empty floor, and asked one of the northern ladies, "Where are y'all from?"
At which point he Northern lady responded, "I'm from a place where it's considered a mark of poor manners to end a sentence with a preposition!" The southern lady responded, "I do so beg your pardon. Please allow me to rephrase my question. Where are y'all from, BITCH?"
"The supposed rule is without foundation in grammar, logic, or art."
ReplyDeleteKinda like the rest of the English language.