Long A
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Long A
"A vowel please" or
"A consonant."
If the "A" is pronounced as a long A (to rhyme with mane/drain/hay),-
is that acceptable, or not acceptable, or does it matter?
"A consonant."
If the "A" is pronounced as a long A (to rhyme with mane/drain/hay),-
is that acceptable, or not acceptable, or does it matter?
- Phil Reynolds
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Re: Long A
It's not wrong, it just gives the indefinite article more emphasis, which can sound odd if you do it all the time. What is indisputably wrong is pronouncing the definite article "the" with a schwa (i.e. indeterminate vowel) when it precedes another vowel sound. People who talk about "thuh arts" or "thuh economy" sound unbelievably thick.Ralph wrote:"A vowel please" or
"A consonant."
If the "A" is pronounced as a long A (to rhyme with mane/drain/hay),-
is that acceptable, or not acceptable, or does it matter?
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Re: Long A
I sometimes say things like "a emu", just to annoy people. I will be sure to do this if I ever meet Phil.
Re: Long A
I'd probably say a long "a" if I was thinking about what to say afterwards.
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Re: Long A
A egg.
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Re: Long A
Indeed. After reading the OP I noticed that Steve Briers did this in one of today's letters rounds when he said something like: "And a... final vowel, please". Nothing wrong with that at all.Jon Corby wrote:I'd probably say a long "a" if I was thinking about what to say afterwards.
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Re: Long A
Nah, that kind of thing just sounds cute.Charlie Reams wrote:I sometimes say things like "a emu", just to annoy people. I will be sure to do this if I ever meet Phil.
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Re: Long A
Spoilers!Phil Reynolds wrote:Indeed. After reading the OP I noticed that Steve Briers did this in one of today's letters rounds when he said something like: "And a... final vowel, please". Nothing wrong with that at all.Jon Corby wrote:I'd probably say a long "a" if I was thinking about what to say afterwards.
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Re: Long A
All the more reason for Charlie to avoid saying it in your company.Phil Reynolds wrote:Nah, that kind of thing just sounds cute.Charlie Reams wrote:I sometimes say things like "a emu", just to annoy people. I will be sure to do this if I ever meet Phil.
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Re: Long A
Man I really despair what this forum is coming to sometimes. I love reading it but some threads/posts I just think "why?"
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Re: Long A
A strange quote from a man who prides himself on correcting the grammar of others. Pot/kettle/black situation ... possibly?Kirk Bevins wrote:Man I really despair what this forum is coming to sometimes. I love reading it but some threads/posts I just think "why?"
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Re: Long A
I think Ralph was satirising the sort of post you're referring to.Kirk Bevins wrote:Man I really despair what this forum is coming to sometimes. I love reading it but some threads/posts I just think "why?"
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Re: Long A
Actually, no. I'm more of a spelling man myself. I do try hard to be correct but I generally don't nit-pick at grammar. For what it's worth I can't see what's wrong with my above sentence apart from no comma after "Man". Please do enlighten me.David O'Donnell wrote:A strange quote from a man who prides himself on correcting the grammar of others. Pot/kettle/black situation ... possibly?Kirk Bevins wrote:Man I really despair what this forum is coming to sometimes. I love reading it but some threads/posts I just think "why?"
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Re: Long A
I wasn't criticising your grammar.Kirk Bevins wrote:Actually, no. I'm more of a spelling man myself. I do try hard to be correct but I generally don't nit-pick at grammar. For what it's worth I can't see what's wrong with my above sentence apart from no comma after "Man". Please do enlighten me.David O'Donnell wrote:A strange quote from a man who prides himself on correcting the grammar of others. Pot/kettle/black situation ... possibly?Kirk Bevins wrote:Man I really despair what this forum is coming to sometimes. I love reading it but some threads/posts I just think "why?"
This thread is funny for the reason that Charlie has posted.
I am defending it.
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Re: Long A
You can't despair something. You can despair AT something, perhaps. The second sentence has no tense or something? Youre missing a few words from the second sentence, which technically makes no sense, although I'm sure everybody understood what you meant. Perhaps DOD's comment on the strangeness of your post was directed more at the subject matter of it.Kirk Bevins wrote:Actually, no. I'm more of a spelling man myself. I do try hard to be correct but I generally don't nit-pick at grammar. For what it's worth I can't see what's wrong with my above sentence apart from no comma after "Man". Please do enlighten me.David O'Donnell wrote:A strange quote from a man who prides himself on correcting the grammar of others. Pot/kettle/black situation ... possibly?Kirk Bevins wrote:Man I really despair what this forum is coming to sometimes. I love reading it but some threads/posts I just think "why?"
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Re: Long A
Hurrah, I was correct. Too slow, but correct.
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Re: Long A
Kirk's Post: A Complete Critique
Trailing preposition might be considered bad style, consider refactoring.
"Sometimes" is awkwardly appended, consider moving to early in the sentence or discarding.
Insert comma before literal quote.
Quote should begin with a capital letter.
Needs a verb to connect "some threads/posts" with the rest of the sentence.
A good end point would be:
Vocative, needs a comma.Kirk Bevins wrote:Man
Despair at (qv O'Neill 2009.)Kirk Bevins wrote:I really despair what this forum is coming to sometimes.
Trailing preposition might be considered bad style, consider refactoring.
"Sometimes" is awkwardly appended, consider moving to early in the sentence or discarding.
Good.Kirk Bevins wrote:I love reading it
Awkward punctuation mark could be replaced with a word.Kirk Bevins wrote:but some threads/posts I just think "why?"
Insert comma before literal quote.
Quote should begin with a capital letter.
Needs a verb to connect "some threads/posts" with the rest of the sentence.
A good end point would be:
Kirk wishes he wrote: Man, I really despair at this forum. I love reading it but some threads or posts just make me think, "Why?"
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Re: Long A
Haha, I really do suck at grammar obviously.
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Re: Long A
At least you're the best at Countdown, surely that's all that really matters in life.Kirk Bevins wrote:Haha, I really do suck at grammar obviously.
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Re: Long A
I'm honoured, Jimmy, I really am but I'm far from the best. Mr Howe, Travers and Beevers are three that are superior, at least.Jimmy wrote:
At least you're the best at Countdown, surely that's all that really matters in life.
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Re: Long A
Probably the best never to get anywhere on the show.Kirk Bevins wrote:I'm honoured, Jimmy, I really am but I'm far from the best. Mr Howe, Travers and Beevers are three that are superior, at least.Jimmy wrote:
At least you're the best at Countdown, surely that's all that really matters in life.
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Re: Long A
I'd probably say a long "a" if I was thinking about what to say afterwards.
That would be an A er A er whatever for me
you know what i mean like.
That would be an A er A er whatever for me
you know what i mean like.