[Gllug] Schoolboy Grammar

[Stuart Sears]

 On Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:41:31 +0100, Chris Vine wrote:
> On Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:18:30 +0100
> Stuart Sears <stuart at sjsears.com> wrote:
>> > A Cooking error
>>  Cooking is a gerund and therefore an adjectival form, so this one
>>  works, although probably not for the reason you gave (it is
>> adjectival). Although you can still say "An error in cooking"
>
> I am not convinced you are right.  A gerund is a noun form, and a
> participle an adjectival form.  Both are identical in formation, but
> different in grammar.  So "an error in cooking" is a gerund.  I 
> believe
> "a cooking error" is in fact a present participle.  We both agree
> though that "a cooking error" is correct English.

 You're absolutely right. Oops.

 English grammar is really very weird anyway, as it appears to have been 
 an attempt to apply the niceties of Latin grammar to a non-latin 
 language.
 A classic example was the 'split infinitive' silliness, which 
 thankfully appears to have gone away now.

 Now, let's dissect the niceties of "it's" vs "its" and "your" vs 
 "you're" (never mind "I" vs "me" and "less" vs "fewer" which annoy me 
 too. I am clearly a bit OCD about this.)

 :)

 Stuart
-- 
 Stuart Sears RHCA etc.
 "It's today!" said Piglet.
 "My favourite day," said Pooh.
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