When I see people, teenagers and adults alike making so many mistakes...it makes you wonder what they were taught at school. Though texting has a lot to answer for.
-- Edited by Grams on Sunday 7th of April 2013 06:19:10 PM
As a young bloke, I often wondered why bosses had secretaries. I didn't realize then that bosses couldn't spell. Later, as an advertising copywriter for some years, I met many successful businessmen who could barely string a sentence together. For almost 5 years, I wrote ads for John Laws. He was and is a great ad libber, but I doubt that he has the ability to write his own scripts. He occasionally ripped my ads to shreds on air, so I used to put a dotted line across the middle of the page with "tear here" to make it easier hehe. He's also an avid reader, but I also know lots of bookworms who, themselves, don't have what it takes to write properly or even spell correctly for that matter.
Isn't it interesting that all political leaders have speech writers. Not sure about Churchill. Maybe he was an exception. I've heard many people say that Barack Obama is a great orator, as was John F Kennedy. But no one pays tribute to their speech writers.
GaryKelly said
12:22 PM Apr 8, 2013
Peterpan wrote:Punctuate this: Time flies you can't they fly too fast
Kevin.
Time flies, you can't - they fly too fast.
Hmmm. Not happy with that either.
-- Edited by GaryKelly on Monday 8th of April 2013 12:23:44 PM
Yuglamron said
04:11 PM Apr 8, 2013
The mystique surrounding Churchill and his speeches...............Eventually all will be revealed when the Cabinet papers are released.(Maybe) As with all sensitive issues sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
Churchill used doubles throughout the 2nd World war and his stirring speech "We shall fight them on the beaches.........." is a case in question.
Churchill never made the speech himself despite being credited with doing so, it was one of his doubles. Churchill was meeting with other leaders in secret at the time. How many of his speeches were made by his double may never be revealed in full. Too much hype around and they will say it is too sensitive a matter to reveal.
Peterpan said
04:19 PM Apr 8, 2013
Punctuation is a concern. I have tried this with many of our young friends with a variety
of answers.
Punctuate this: Time flies you can't they fly too fast
Kevin.
Beth54 said
04:58 PM Apr 8, 2013
Gary, my Dad was a good example of that. As was the case with a lot of his generation, he left school at 12, so that was as far as his education went to.
Many years later his boss wanted to make him Wharehouse Manager. Dad was grateful for the offer, but said to the boss that he'd have problems with the paperwork. His boss said that's what secretaries are for. The boss obviously saw that Dad was capable of doing the job, which he did for a further 10 years or so before his retirement.
I agree too that texting has a lot to do with it. A few years ago, my niece was doing it on facebook so I said to her, 'have you forgotten how to spell?' 'She said that's the way we young people talk Aunty.' (Yes, she had a smart mouth.) She had a good education and a good job. A few years on and she's matured enough to write the correct way, and isn't such a smart mouth either.
GaryKelly said
07:30 PM Apr 8, 2013
The problem is "they" is plural, so it can't refer to time, only flies. So maybe: Time flies, you can't. They fly too fast.
To be correct, though, it needs to be: Time flies. You can't. Flies fly too fast.
Olley46 said
08:29 PM Apr 8, 2013
That's what happened when my watch fell off my wrist over the cliff I said then time flies.
Lance C
GaryKelly said
08:33 PM Apr 8, 2013
One Our Father and three Hail Marys, Lance, and go to your room.
Landfall said
01:01 AM Apr 9, 2013
Beth54 wrote:
Gary, my Dad was a good example of that. As was the case with a lot of his generation, he left school at 12, so that was as far as his education went to.
Many years later his boss wanted to make him Wharehouse Manager. Dad was grateful for the offer, but said to the boss that he'd have problems with the paperwork. His boss said that's what secretaries are for. The boss obviously saw that Dad was capable of doing the job, which he did for a further 10 years or so before his retirement.
I agree too that texting has a lot to do with it. A few years ago, my niece was doing it on facebook so I said to her, 'have you forgotten how to spell?' 'She said that's the way we young people talk Aunty.' (Yes, she had a smart mouth.) She had a good education and a good job. A few years on and she's matured enough to write the correct way, and isn't such a smart mouth either.
My sentiments entirely.
I'd be lost without my secretary, behind every good man is a better women.
Ken
GaryKelly said
01:24 AM Apr 9, 2013
Not all secretaries are female, ya know. :)
ibbo said
02:12 AM Apr 9, 2013
Yuglamron wrote:
The mystique surrounding Churchill and his speeches...............Eventually all will be revealed when the Cabinet papers are released.(Maybe) As with all sensitive issues sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
Churchill used doubles throughout the 2nd World war and his stirring speech "We shall fight them on the beaches.........." is a case in question.
Churchill never made the speech himself despite being credited with doing so, it was one of his doubles. Churchill was meeting with other leaders in secret at the time. How many of his speeches were made by his double may never be revealed in full. Too much hype around and they will say it is too sensitive a matter to reveal.
Pray tell where you gleam your knowledge about Sir Winston Churchill?
03_troopy said
02:29 AM Apr 9, 2013
Time flies? You can't, they fly too fast. That's why they are so hard to catch also.
GaryKelly said
02:32 AM Apr 9, 2013
From Wikipedia: Winston Churchill/Norman Shelley (1940s)
A recurring rumour holds that some of Winston Churchill's most famous speeches to Parliament during World War II were subsequently recorded for radio broadcast not by Churchill, but by Norman Shelley impersonating Churchill. Churchill is known to have commented that Shelley's impersonations were excellent. Although the rumour has been promoted by some historians, there is a lack of supporting evidence and it is best classified as an urban legend. Shelley did however record a performance of Churchill's "We shall fight on the beaches" speech, but that was several years after the speech was originally made.
GaryKelly said
02:40 AM Apr 9, 2013
03_troopy wrote:
Time flies? You can't, they fly too fast. That's why they are so hard to catch also.
That's misleading, Troopy. If you can time a cricket ball in flight, or a speeding bullet, you can time a fly. I do every time I use a swatter. I'm lethal with one of those things. However, I take your point about the punctuation.
03_troopy said
02:49 AM Apr 9, 2013
I've never been able to factor in the zigs and zags of their flight trajectory.
EllenajoeL said
04:59 AM Apr 9, 2013
@Kevin (Pp)
Time flies.....you can't; they fly too fast!
Peterpan said
03:49 AM Apr 11, 2013
Gary was correct. Ellanajoel was pretty close and definately acceptable.
My mum, who did her vce english at 74, was a stickler for punctuation.
Kevin
vk6tnc said
04:26 AM Apr 11, 2013
GaryKelly wrote:
From Wikipedia: Winston Churchill/Norman Shelley (1940s)
A recurring rumour holds that some of Winston Churchill's most famous speeches to Parliament during World War II were subsequently recorded for radio broadcast not by Churchill, but by Norman Shelley impersonating Churchill.
Possibly because ol' Winston would be slurring his speech after lunch....
When I see people, teenagers and adults alike making so many mistakes...it makes you wonder what they were taught at school. Though texting has a lot to answer for.
-- Edited by Grams on Sunday 7th of April 2013 06:19:10 PM
My personal favourite is number 22.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/people-who-should-not-be-allowed-to-use-the-english-language
Isn't it interesting that all political leaders have speech writers. Not sure about Churchill. Maybe he was an exception. I've heard many people say that Barack Obama is a great orator, as was John F Kennedy. But no one pays tribute to their speech writers.
Time flies, you can't - they fly too fast.
Hmmm. Not happy with that either.
-- Edited by GaryKelly on Monday 8th of April 2013 12:23:44 PM
The mystique surrounding Churchill and his speeches...............Eventually all will be revealed when the Cabinet papers are released.(Maybe) As with all sensitive issues sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
Churchill used doubles throughout the 2nd World war and his stirring speech "We shall fight them on the beaches.........." is a case in question.
Churchill never made the speech himself despite being credited with doing so, it was one of his doubles. Churchill was meeting with other leaders in secret at the time. How many of his speeches were made by his double may never be revealed in full. Too much hype around and they will say it is too sensitive a matter to reveal.
Punctuation is a concern. I have tried this with many of our young friends with a variety
of answers.
Punctuate this: Time flies you can't they fly too fast
Kevin.
Gary, my Dad was a good example of that. As was the case with a lot of his generation, he left school at 12, so that was as far as his education went to.
Many years later his boss wanted to make him Wharehouse Manager. Dad was grateful for the offer, but said to the boss that he'd have problems with the paperwork. His boss said that's what secretaries are for. The boss obviously saw that Dad was capable of doing the job, which he did for a further 10 years or so before his retirement.
I agree too that texting has a lot to do with it. A few years ago, my niece was doing it on facebook so I said to her, 'have you forgotten how to spell?' 'She said that's the way we young people talk Aunty.' (Yes, she had a smart mouth.
) She had a good education and a good job. A few years on and she's matured enough to write the correct way, and isn't such a smart mouth either. 
To be correct, though, it needs to be: Time flies. You can't. Flies fly too fast.
Lance C
My sentiments entirely.
I'd be lost without my secretary, behind every good man is a better women.
Ken
Winston Churchill/Norman Shelley (1940s)
A recurring rumour holds that some of Winston Churchill's most famous speeches to Parliament during World War II were subsequently recorded for radio broadcast not by Churchill, but by Norman Shelley impersonating Churchill. Churchill is known to have commented that Shelley's impersonations were excellent. Although the rumour has been promoted by some historians, there is a lack of supporting evidence and it is best classified as an urban legend. Shelley did however record a performance of Churchill's "We shall fight on the beaches" speech, but that was several years after the speech was originally made.
That's misleading, Troopy. If you can time a cricket ball in flight, or a speeding bullet, you can time a fly. I do every time I use a swatter. I'm lethal with one of those things. However, I take your point about the punctuation.
@Kevin (Pp)
Time flies.....you can't; they fly too fast!
Gary was correct. Ellanajoel was pretty close and definately acceptable.
My mum, who did her vce english at 74, was a stickler for punctuation.
Kevin
Possibly because ol' Winston would be slurring his speech after lunch....