Apostrophe crimes

[djewesbury]

Like father, like greatⁿ-grandson.

One would write a “great-great-grandson”. Observe that also the hyphen is repeated. But “greatⁿ-grandson” suggests the likes of “greatgreat-grandson”. The expression “(great-)ⁿgrandson” would have correctly caught the repetition of the hyphen. Perhaps clarity could have been helped by adding a half-width non-breaking space: “(great-)ⁿ grandson”.

It is hoped that this prompt and full confession will lessen my punishment.

On the contrary, I was quite happy with your phrasing until you came along with this turgid, toadying annotation! 20 lashes, and no Nacional for a week!

[jdaw1]

On the contrary, I was quite happy with your phrasing until you came along with this turgid, toadying annotation! 20 lashes, and no Nacional for a week!

Is the annoyance because the original expression was correct, or is the annoyance because you have been shown what you should have seen unaided?

The failure of policing should cost you “20 lashes, and no Nacional for a week”.

[djewesbury]

I thought the original phrasing most elegant and moreover I think that contractions should be capable of implying the punctuation that their expanded forms demand. Your apology undid the simplicity of your original formulation and cast us out into a hostile land populated with inelegant parentheses.

No Nacional for a fortnight!

[PhilW]

Like father, like greatⁿ-grandson.

One would write a “great-great-grandson”. Observe that also the hyphen is repeated. But “greatⁿ-grandson” suggests the likes of “greatgreat-grandson”. The expression “(great-)ⁿgrandson” would have correctly caught the repetition of the hyphen. Perhaps clarity could have been helped by adding a half-width non-breaking space: “(great-)ⁿ grandson”.

It is hoped that this prompt and full confession will lessen my punishment.

On the contrary, I was quite happy with your phrasing until you came along with this turgid, toadying annotation! 20 lashes, and no Nacional for a week!

Accuracy over marketing-speak please! Hence “(great-)ⁿgrandson” much improved over the original poor syntax; A magnum of old, partially oxidated Nacional to JDAW, a large swanky bottle of amazing, inspiring, fantastic pink port to DJ.

[djewesbury]

-1!
What marketing speak?
More seriously, the formulation you prescribe simply isn't English as it is used or spoken. Algebraic or logical notation should not be used in place of the English language!
A double magnum of Real Vinicola 1983 to Phil, to be finished by lunchtime!

[LGTrotter]

I know that this post will lay me open to all kinds of just rebukes of my use of the written word, but I can't help disagreeing less violently than usual with Daniel that mathematical notation does not add to the clarity or elegance of the above.

I shall try to keep my beak out of these contretemps in future, in the hope of avoiding the lash of public censure.

[djewesbury]

I know that this post will lay me open to all kinds of just rebukes of my use of the written word, but I can't help agreeing with Daniel that mathematical notation does not add to the clarity or elegance of the above.

I shall try to keep my beak out of these contretemps in future, in the hope of avoiding the lash of public censure.

Especially wise given the stray apostrophe in your last but one post. But thanks for backing me up. Down with algebra as a spoken language.

[LGTrotter]

I know that this post will lay me open to all kinds of just rebukes of my use of the written word, but I can't help agreeing with Daniel that mathematical notation does not add to the clarity or elegance of the above.

I shall try to keep my beak out of these contretemps in future, in the hope of avoiding the lash of public censure.

Especially wise given the stray apostrophe in your last but one post. But thanks for backing me up. Down with algebra as a spoken language.

Ah yes, I would plead guilty but request the court to take into account 793 previous offences and auto correction.

[djewesbury]

I can't help agreeing with Daniel

Let this simply be remembered as the high point of PortForumming.

[LGTrotter]

I can't help agreeing with Daniel

Let this simply be remembered as the high point of PortForumming.

Thank you for pointing this out to me I have amended my original post to reflect my views more accurately.

[djewesbury]

I can't help agreeing with Daniel

Let this simply be remembered as the high point of PortForumming.

Thank you for pointing this out to me I have amended my original post to reflect my views more accurately.

There is no emoticon to do justice to the feelings I have now.

[PhilW]

Down with algebra as a spoken language.

Blind mathematicians will be knocking on your door soon. U=a²-d

[djewesbury]

Down with algebra as a spoken language.

Blind mathematicians will be knocking on your door soon. U=a²-d

"No! Not -d! No Doctor! That means.."
"Yes, Tara, I have to activate the Algebrathon. It's the end of cultured life as we know it."
"But Doctor! E⁶ ≪ f^e!"
"Exactly dear girl. Exactly."

[flash_uk]

Tara, or Clara?

[djewesbury]

I was envisaging a Doctor's Assistant from a time not experienced.

[LGTrotter]

You see, now we have descended into maths humour. Derek had a link to a site of maths jokes. They were bad, not in a street parlance, kind of good but called bad, just bad. Maths is important, but should not be encouraged.

[djewesbury]

It's not big, and it's not clever.

[PhilW]

It's not big, and it's not clever.

357686312646216567629137

[djewesbury]

It's not big, and it's not clever.

357686312646216567629137

I rest my case. No further questions your honour.

[PhilW]

It's big (fairly) and clever (fairly) - in case anyone is interested, it is the largest prime from which you can remove any number of leading digits and the remainder is also prime. Perhaps slight off-topic now.

[djewesbury]

It's big (fairly) and clever (fairly) - in case anyone is interested, it is the largest prime from which you can remove any number of leading digits and the remainder is also prime. Perhaps slight off-topic now.

The ones who are still here are sound asleep Phil. Or worse, like that unfortunate old gentleman in The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club.

[DRT]

So this is what happens when I leave you all alone for 48 hours.

Is this the first instance of a thread where the off-topic drivel needs to be split from a thread in Meaningless Drivel?

[LGTrotter]

We are attempting to resolve the vexed question of whether mathematical notation should be used, as a form of punctuation, on these pages. I thought this was the thread for punctuation, its uses and abuses.

And I say; Never! Never! Never!

So does Daniel. But waddaya know Phil and Julian say otherwise. An adjudication would be helpful.

[DRT]

I agree with Daniel and Owen, purely on the basis that the Mathamatists didn't show their working out.

[Glenn E.]

I agree with Daniel and Owen, purely on the basis that the Mathamatists didn't show their working out.

Do you really want to see a Mathamatist in lycra and spandex?

I thought not. Best they not show.