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ElenaTiriel
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
Posts: 22
Location: The Grey Havens
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 Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:02 am Post subject: |
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| NancyBrooke wrote: | | Good grammar is kind of like good manners in that it should make the reader more comfortable, and avoid misunderstandings. |
Well put, Nancy! I just discovered this thread, and think it's a great idea!
May I share a spelling pet peeve of mine? I notice many different misspellings in the (Tolkien) fandom, and usually they don't bother me much. But this one seems to be close to universal, even in stories that are otherwise properly-spelled, which is discouraging! If even one person reads this and avoids an error, I'll be pleased....
Discreet vs. discrete: I've read so many stories in which "discreet" (meaning judicious, prudent, circumspect...) is spelled as "discrete" (which means separate or distinct). 
The (tongue-in-cheek  ) rule is this: if you're writing fiction or are describing people, you probably want "discreet". If you're doing technical writing about subjects like high-level mathematics or electronic circuitry, you probably want "discrete".
And I'm just beginning to note a very similar error, which is infrequent... but I'd like to nip it in the bud before it spreads!
Meet vs. mete: When using the (slightly archaic) adjective that means suitable, fitting, or proper, the spelling is "meet" (disclaimer: unless you are writing dialog in Middle English). "Mete" means to distribute or apportion by measure; allot; dole.
Examples:
Mete is mostly used in the phrase "to mete out punishment".
That specific meaning of meet was used by Tolkien's Éomer in a moving passage from RoTK:
| Quote: | Mourn not overmuch! Mighty was the fallen,
meet was his ending. When his mound is raised,
women then shall weep. War now calls us! |
Anyway, thank you so much for letting me get that off my chest!
- Barbara |
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Robbie
Site Admin
Joined: 22 Jun 2003
Posts: 1100
Location: Sydney, Australia.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:31 am Post subject: |
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| ElenaTiriel wrote: | And I also learned that, for professional writing, different organizations follow different style guides; even within the same dialect, there is more than one set of rules.
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My cousin trained as a secretary. Each time I met here, there were new rules for typing. Right down to addresses indented on the right, not indented, double space after full stops (aka periods) and then single, do you put a space around a slash (and in green/red) or not etc....
You'll never win. So you might as well give up now and go play soccer 
_________________
Rob
www.crackingegg.com |
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NancyBrooke
Challenge Admin
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 160
Location: In a motel 6 by the airport
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:31 am Post subject: |
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| ElenaTiriel wrote: | | Discreet vs. discrete: I've read so many stories in which "discreet" (meaning judicious, prudent, circumspect...) is spelled as "discrete" (which means separate or distinct). |
I don't think I knew there was a difference!  
Memo to self: learn something new today. CHECK!
| ElenaTiriel wrote: | Meet vs. mete
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You know, I think you caught this in one of mine, and I was/am grateful!
_________________
NB Duchess of WHY TF Cant'chu Punctuate, First Duchess of F*&(ing &*ll yur comma placement sux!
Nazgul #3 in charge of ducking & sniggering
Garo golf a conu ned i eneth aran an ir ho delitha ad |
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vladazhael
Joined: 15 Dec 2005
Posts: 171
Location: Gone mad, back later
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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| NancyBrooke wrote: | | ElenaTiriel wrote: | | Discreet vs. discrete: I've read so many stories in which "discreet" (meaning judicious, prudent, circumspect...) is spelled as "discrete" (which means separate or distinct). |
I don't think I knew there was a difference!
Memo to self: learn something new today. CHECK!
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Me too! All this time I thought my boyfriend was going on about "discreet math" and it was some sort of secret... 
_________________
Take no prisoners. Though use handcuffs, by all means.
**Vlad the Mouth of Sauron**
Piercings and creepy grins always available. |
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ElenaTiriel
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
Posts: 22
Location: The Grey Havens
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:07 am Post subject: |
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| Robbie wrote: | | Each time I met here, there were new rules for typing. |
Oh, interesting!
I wonder if that has to do with the advent of the internet? Some of the typing rules I learned in the Dark Ages of manual typewriters (e.g. putting spaces between the three periods of an ellipse) don't make sense in documents that will be posted online, because the text wraps in odd ways....
| Robbie wrote: | | You'll never win. So you might as well give up now and go play soccer |
 Great idea! Only, in my case, I'd substitute writing Tolkien fanfic.... 
- Barbara |
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ElenaTiriel
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
Posts: 22
Location: The Grey Havens
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:39 am Post subject: |
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| NancyBrooke wrote: | | ElenaTiriel wrote: | | Discreet vs. discrete.... |
I don't think I knew there was a difference!
Memo to self: learn something new today. CHECK! |
 My work here is done! *Barbara does a happy dance!*
| NancyBrooke wrote: | | ElenaTiriel wrote: | Meet vs. mete
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You know, I think you caught this in one of mine, and I was/am grateful! |
 Yes, seeing it used by a fellow drabblist was simply not to be borne! 
*(Hmmm, did I spell that right???)*
But if I had realized at the time that you were the person who has "WHY TF Cant'chu Punctuate, First Duchess of F*&(ing &*ll yur comma placement sux!" in your sig line, I wouldn't have hesitated about whether you were an author who welcomes such feedback or not.... 
BTW, has anyone said that this site has the coolest smilies? 
- Barbara |
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ElenaTiriel
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
Posts: 22
Location: The Grey Havens
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:47 am Post subject: |
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| vladazhael wrote: | | ElenaTiriel wrote: | | Discreet vs. discrete |
Me too! All this time I thought my boyfriend was going on about "discreet math" and it was some sort of secret... |
Now, *that* deserved a spew alert, Vlad!
- Barbara |
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lissaselves
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Right here!
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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| vladazhael wrote: | | All this time I thought my boyfriend was going on about "discreet math" and it was some sort of secret... |
Well, as long as we learn something new every day - I didn't know there were two words, either.
See, this thread clearly demonstrates why people like me are desperate to get help from a beta; I'm sure there's a gazillion errors like that in my writing.
Please keep expanding the list - it's most useful.
*goes to check for discrete errors*
PS:
Elena, I love NB's sig, too. It's just the bestest! *takes cover* |
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NancyBrooke
Challenge Admin
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 160
Location: In a motel 6 by the airport
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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| lissaselves wrote: | PS:
Elena, I love NB's sig, too. It's just the bestest! *takes cover* |
You can thank GhettoElleth for that. I certainly did! 
_________________
NB Duchess of WHY TF Cant'chu Punctuate, First Duchess of F*&(ing &*ll yur comma placement sux!
Nazgul #3 in charge of ducking & sniggering
Garo golf a conu ned i eneth aran an ir ho delitha ad |
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