Greetings People ~
I’ve carved out some legit writing time. Pre-Bikram yoga at 6:30PM {it’s been two days since I’ve been; I feel the addiction jitters starting to set in} and post-pulling apart an entire child’s bedroom to paint – he has a drum kit in there – it’s no small task and at times like this, it makes me regret his reading habit…but I digress. The time is here and the time is now – so let’s get to it.
If you haven’t noticed, I’m rather fond of the ‘~’ but I suspect I’m abusing it in a way it wasn’t intended. I have to confess, I’m not sure what it’s actually used for and I possibly don’t know its name (I always automatically think it’s a tilde – but that goes over an n – so obviously it’s not that). However, I have felt it looks awfully good as a more spiced up dash…and I’ve become quite attached to it by now. I’m also pretty confident in the fact that I overuse the ellipsis as well; and possibly “as well”.
Now that you, well I, mention it, I also tend to not prefer my period on the inside of a word or phrase set off with double quotes when it’s at the end of a sentence. So I refuse to do it. I’ve also been known to indulge overly much with appositives. And I will never give up the awkward turn-of-phrase regardless of how many people find it an annoyance.
It’s funny, I love grammar but I never thought about how much I bend the rules in this game.
But anyway, I wanted talk about parsley and the moment got away from me…and it’s time to get myself ready to ride – so I’ll have to come back to it on another day.
I had wanted to mention that this post was somewhat influenced by Le Clown’s post regarding some language police where he resides and promptly ran out of time. I am grateful to the fluidity of language and the ability to not be repressed in my usage of it by those that think they ‘know better’.
The time is now – to mention this post rocked!
tee hee
Okay, I’ll admit it…. I’m a total ellipsis whore…. there, I said it…. I’m trying to cut back with the help of the dash – but not having much luck.
I don’t know why we feel we must stop- don’t stop! I’m an email whore – where I can use all my punctuation til my heart’s content.
I am a fan/abuser of the “~” as well. I guess I am a fan/abuser of “as well” as well. I call the “~’ a squirm.
hee hee – duly noted – a squirm
Maybe “sperm” is a better name.
and there’s that idea…
Ah ! Split infinitives forever!
Da
Da?
yes
Wasn’t worried about the Russian, more concerned with the brevity of your reply. Not normal, Rutabaga!
I don’t mind a split infinitive or two – there’s a time and a place
I have no idea what ‘~’ is used for either. As a kid I thought it looked kind of like a little mustache (still do)
I’m a comma abuser, I abuse the comma. I’ve been trying to cut back.
DON’T – I LOVE COMMAS!!! I find it odd that the “~” has it’ on key on the keyboard being used so infrequently; however there’s no freking CENT sign. EXPLAIN THAT?
I never thought about that. But that makes sense! It’s discrimination I say! Symbol discrimination.
Time for a movement to begin
I use “…” all of the time. No reason. I’m addicted. I’m pretty sure I can’t …™ yet. I’m not up for The Magnificence.
Hee hee … I know what you mean.
But I’ve noticed that you’re not fond of dangling participles. They’re my favorite. I think I just like the word dangling.
It’s cause I try to wear my grammar bra so nothing dangles – I dangled a lot in my youth and have seen the consequence of my behavior ~
Denise,
~™.
Le Clown
Hee hee.. ya think I’m up to that kind of magnificence™?
I have an ellipsis addiction as well (And an ‘as well’ addiction.) (And the whole period thing inside or outside of a quote or a parenthesis.) Mostly though the ellipsis. I do it so much, even on facebook, I think its my fear of commitment. To actually end a thought…or try to… (its better to just fade off into the sunset.) and this ~ looks like a moustache when you do this: ‘~’ – it looks like a funny confused face. love it. (i also don’t capitalize when I should.) (We are all running rampant on here!!)
I believe the ~ symbol is called a tilde. I’ve always used it to mean ‘approximately.’ For example, I might write, “He smokes ~ 1 pack per day.” At least that’s what I think it means.
oh that’s right ~ approx – I think you are correct – and it might be a tilda!
I totally abuse this ~ . No idea what I’m supposed to use it for but it makes my email signature look pretty so there.
YES!
I just make things up as I go along. I’m with Guapo. I’m lucky if I can read what I just wrote. For the record, I don’t even remember what an appositive is or what appositives are. But I’m pretty sure I just ended that sentence with a preposition, which is a no-no, and I started the next one with “But.” So, obviously you never need to worry about impressing this here audience! haha!
Hee hee… I want to be loved despite my rebellious grammatical usage, eh?
I love the ~ but what is the ellipsis?? I’m always using brackets(parenthesis?) and I love the use of “…words…”
… ellipsis …
OMG total pet peeve when … is wrong. Like …. or ..
~NO~
Lol, ok, I get it. I use these things, but have never heard of that word…. Go figure. I love using it…. (Sorry)
hee hee…
Heather,
One of of the greatest French writers of last century, Louis-Ferdinand Céine, mastered the ellipsis… His novel Journey to the End of Night is known for it. I myself enjoy it a great deal, even when I screw up using it.
Le Clown
Ah language – how I love thee
…awesome.
ellipsis is ‘….’ oh me too!
thanks… (oops, there i go again, lol)
GO! It’s a good flow ~
It’s funny what quirks we have as writers (mine is overusing parenthetical remarks). I have vowed many times to reform (yet consistently feel the need to whisper something in the reader’s ear ~ hence, more parentheses).
Keep the parentheses
– they are yours.
I’m not sure what just happened here, Ladycakes.
It was fast.
I hate it when that happens.
Ha, Denise, I totally associate that fancy dash with you! It’s fun and so you, as well…
Aw thanks! I loves me the fancy dash.
Who was that masked mercenary?
Dammit! What I should have written was “And then she flung herself from the room, flung herself upon her horse and rode madly off in all directions.” – Stephen Leacock
Or that – yes
Zing!
I don’t worry too much about grammar. I’m just happy if I can understand what I wrote.
I love using and abusing it – I would not be a happy writer without any of those fun pieces of punctuation.