When did quiet become quite?

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I don't want pornography. I didn't say that. I guess as I think about it we're more liberal with it than most places. We can have anything that we want if we choose to. It's more of an opt-in program instead of an opt-out. I wasn't comparing us to other places though. I was comparing natural with unnatural.

So, do you think all human groups, with the exception of liberals, have unnatural attitudes about sex?

One of my pet hates:

People saying "I could care less" when what they really mean is "I couldn't care less."

If only they would think about it logically, they'd understand that saying "I could care less" implies that they could care less about this topic, but they currently care more - implying that they do actually care about it.

Saying "I couldn't care less" implies that the speaker cares so little for this topic that he cares about it 0%. Therefore, it would not be possible for him to care any less about it than he already does.

LogicalMolly, in formal writing or speaking, I would strongly agree with you. But in informal, casual speech, local idioms should be granted quarter. For example, here in Texas, it is very common to say: Let me see if I can't help you with that--or irregardless. While both are logically wrong, both still facilitate communication.

OK then, here's another pet hate. (Hopefully the OP will not mind).

I find it both annoying and amusing when people point out the bad spelling or grammar of others using bad spelling and grammar of their own. For example, seen in the comments of a Youtube video:



"Its" really not that hard?

I don't know whether to laugh or bang my head off a wall.



Of course, we are all guilty of doing this. Everybody who cares about grammar and spelling tends to have their own areas of expertise, and other areas where they draw a blank. Many people who correct other people's grammar make mistakes of their own without even realising it. I could wax lyrical about the difference between a possessive adjective and a contracted verb for hours, but a friend once pointed out to me that I had split an infinitive. Until he told me what he meant, I had no idea what he was talking about. (I did know what infinitives were, but had never been told that you weren't supposed to split them).

It was very interesting to find out from my friend that the Star Trek motto (To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before) is actually incorrect. Sometimes it's nice to throw grammar out the window. Saying "To Go Boldly Where No Man Has Gone Before" sounds wrong, even though it's correct. The incorrect way sounds better because those of us who didn't know it was wrong are all now used to hearing it that way.

I agree that when we correct others, we had best make sure we are right ourselves.

Another way to remember not to split infinitives is the old Shakespeare line: To be or not to be--and not: To be or to not be. The reason is that an infinitive is actually considered to be a single word.

Sentences also shouldn't begin with "and", "but", or "or"; or end with a preposition, which denotes place or position. I don't worry too much about these though, as all can aid in effective communication.

A grammarian I am not. Actually, I couldn't distinguish between a participle and the pluperfect at gunpoint. Everything I know about grammar is what I picked up from reading and such--and from an employee who is a retired English teacher. So, I certainly couldn't expect a level of perfection from others I can't render myself. But there should be certain minimum standards.

Not unnatural attitudes about sex.

We have casual attitudes about unnatural things: Eg. Murder in this case

We have strict/taboo attitudes about natural things: Eg. Sex in this case.

I like when people "correct" already correct statements. For example:

"You're overdue."

"You mean your."

*facepalm*

"You're also an idiot."

Actually, the "natural" way for humans is that the toughest, smartest male gets all the females. Monogamy, which subsumes modesty, evolved simply because it is a superior evolutionary strategy.

Nor is there anything unnatural about murder; animals kill each other all the time. Ironically, the same moral systems that place limits on homicide are the same moral systems that dictate what is permisible in terms of sexuality--and at least in some degree to prevent homicide in the search for sex.

Murder is the act of one human killing another human. Animals killing each other, animals killing humans, and humans killing animals aren't covered under murder.

At this point you're arguing just to argue so I'm going to stop talking about it because you've diverted very far away from my original point.

Actually, murder is ILLEGAL homicide. But you are missing my point, which is to determine what is natural and what is not.

Have a nice day.

Those are areas where I am a frequent offender. I often find myself wanting to start sentences with "but," and usually try replacing it with "however," but it just doesn't look or sound the same.



Indeed there should.

Oh, look! You just started a sentence with "but!"

That's a classic example of a case where I would try altering the sentence to look like this or this:

1. I certainly couldn't expect a level of perfection from others I can't render myself, but there should be certain minimum standards.

2. I certainly couldn't expect a level of perfection from others I can't render myself. However, there should be certain minimum standards.

Then I would decide to leave it as it is - because that's just the way I want to say it, darn it!

1. I certainly couldn't expect a level of perfection from others I can't render myself. There should be certain minimum standards.

2. I certainly couldn't expect a level of perfection from others I can't render myself. There should be certain minimum standards, however.

Either of those peak your fancy?

Yes, I began my last sentence with a disjunctive to see if you are paying attention.

Seriously, it's okay since in formal writing contractions shouldn't be used either. And this isn't formal writing--is it???

Why, you naughty thing!

A contraction is grammatically correct, though. It's an informal construction, but still grammatically correct, so you can't really compare its use to the use of incorrect grammar.

Around here, so many spell suit (as in what you wear) as S-U-I-T-E and pronounce it as "suit" when they are talking about a SUITE (an in the set of furniture).

Very annoying.