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Yeah, pretty much. Joel Send a noteboard - 05/10/2011 09:25:18 PM
It makes the rule somewhat subjective though; "wear and tear" are past a tipping point where the related concepts are generally regarded as elements of a single one, while "Twitter and texting" are not, despite the fact that some (e.g. DK and I) already regard them that way.


Do you often say Twitter and texting together? Whenever you mention Twitter do you add texting as well? Do you say, "I was Twittering and texting"? Do you say, "kids these days with their Twitter and texting"? Or is it just in this one particular instance and usage that you consider them to represent a singular idea, and in every other usage of them together they wouldn't be used that way? If so, then I rest my case. :p

Because you can't actually argue that specific intent on a case by case basis should inform grammar. I mean, if I were to say, "My brother and sister has a plan", that would be incorrect. If I argue that I consider my brother and my sister to both be instrumental to a plan that they came up with together from start to finish and that they should be considered a singular subject insofar as it concerns the plan, that doesn't make it grammatically correct.

To be fair, I rarely use them at all, and performing either is unheard of for me, but Twitter seems like no more than a particular form of texting to me. I would not say, "kids today with their Twitter and their texting" because I would simply say, "texting" and mean that to include Twitter.
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Grammar junkies - 05/10/2011 06:46:31 PM 1080 Views
I'm not always sure that I'm correct, but.... - 05/10/2011 07:04:13 PM 776 Views
I didn't see any errors - 05/10/2011 07:24:27 PM 757 Views
Re: I didn't see any errors - 06/10/2011 03:14:07 PM 636 Views
You mean ... - 06/10/2011 03:58:32 PM 687 Views
Must ... have ... grammar. - 05/10/2011 07:53:34 PM 945 Views
For you and Tom as well, the same question about question eight. - 05/10/2011 08:33:39 PM 1211 Views
Tom can probably give you actual terms and correct rules, but here's my take on it. - 05/10/2011 08:43:47 PM 715 Views
That makes sense as far as it goes. - 05/10/2011 09:02:42 PM 752 Views
But do you actually regard them that way? - 05/10/2011 09:08:36 PM 749 Views
Yeah, pretty much. - 05/10/2011 09:25:18 PM 708 Views
Re: Yeah, pretty much. - 05/10/2011 09:29:33 PM 571 Views
OK then. - 05/10/2011 09:59:50 PM 748 Views
You bring up a point that I was researching the other day - 05/10/2011 08:53:40 PM 798 Views
You guys mean a hyphen, not a dash. - 05/10/2011 09:00:25 PM 731 Views
You're right of course! - 05/10/2011 09:13:44 PM 812 Views
I frequently am. - 05/10/2011 09:16:38 PM 810 Views
So I've noticed. - 05/10/2011 09:19:38 PM 721 Views
I like telling people, too. - 05/10/2011 09:34:50 PM 724 Views
You can use charmap. - 05/10/2011 10:21:32 PM 770 Views
Re: You guys mean a hyphen, not a dash. - 06/10/2011 01:15:02 PM 689 Views
Mmm, dashing. - 05/10/2011 09:02:53 PM 728 Views
Emdashing is an entirely different form of punctuation. - 05/10/2011 09:07:36 PM 776 Views
Achtung! Grammatik! :insert Nazi-saluting smiley as the Wehrmacht marches by: - 05/10/2011 08:10:45 PM 846 Views
I love this bit. - 05/10/2011 08:26:52 PM 839 Views
Bring back the BSG! - 05/10/2011 08:55:32 PM 753 Views
Re: your 2nd irritating error for question 2 - 06/10/2011 04:12:49 PM 704 Views
Good poll, especially for this site. - 05/10/2011 08:11:10 PM 846 Views
Re: serial comma. - 05/10/2011 08:31:58 PM 720 Views
Maybe I was being a little anal there. - 05/10/2011 08:35:33 PM 690 Views
Same here - 05/10/2011 08:43:34 PM 624 Views
I think it's conventional to use a comma before "etc". - 05/10/2011 08:55:11 PM 701 Views
Re: Grammar junkies - 05/10/2011 08:33:06 PM 740 Views
Re: Grammar junkies - 05/10/2011 08:49:43 PM 789 Views
People should talk in a way that can be understood, else they are not communicating. - 05/10/2011 09:17:37 PM 787 Views
Re: "everyone's". ~winky~ *NM* - 05/10/2011 09:22:18 PM 365 Views
Is it time for my lecture on superfluous apostrophes again? - 05/10/2011 09:43:47 PM 690 Views
You mean your lecture on "superfluous" apostrophes. - 05/10/2011 09:53:31 PM 647 Views
As have I. Multiple times. *NM* - 05/10/2011 09:55:08 PM 353 Views
I am not stubborn, just true to my convictions. - 05/10/2011 09:56:39 PM 897 Views
Unsurprisingly, I don't really agree with you at all on this point. :p - 05/10/2011 10:29:59 PM 771 Views
I do not really think I am "right" on this one so much as "not wrong." - 06/10/2011 12:01:36 AM 677 Views
But contradictions are inherent in the entire English language! - 06/10/2011 01:25:39 AM 696 Views
Sure, but not deliberate ones created by grammarians who know better. - 06/10/2011 05:40:58 AM 703 Views
I'm going to listen to the others. - 06/10/2011 06:17:18 AM 720 Views
Like I say, I appreciate exceptions when justified (and again, only claiming to be "not wrong." ) - 06/10/2011 07:26:18 AM 613 Views
But you are wrong - 06/10/2011 02:17:40 PM 744 Views
that is OK he is very good at being wrong *NM* - 06/10/2011 03:43:23 PM 387 Views
I disagree. - 07/10/2011 12:15:14 AM 688 Views
How utterly unsurprising - 07/10/2011 02:21:38 PM 640 Views
"We want to be nothing if not persistent." - 07/10/2011 02:39:19 PM 701 Views
Doesn't matter. - 07/10/2011 03:12:14 PM 728 Views
What. - 06/10/2011 06:17:41 PM 786 Views
You called? - 05/10/2011 08:53:54 PM 748 Views
Grammar schmammar! - 05/10/2011 09:01:47 PM 823 Views
Wongy tip #77 - 05/10/2011 11:15:12 PM 684 Views
#1) I do not use NetSpeak while playing games, texting or using social media. - 05/10/2011 11:34:12 PM 696 Views
What about NateSpeak? *NM* - 06/10/2011 04:01:08 PM 341 Views
I did use that once to tell the story of you and CNRedDragon going to see Ice Princess. *NM* - 07/10/2011 01:46:50 AM 340 Views
A timeless classic. - 07/10/2011 01:53:36 AM 665 Views
Re: Grammar junkies - 06/10/2011 01:17:28 AM 709 Views
Yes. - 06/10/2011 06:53:46 AM 648 Views
I forgot about "of" for "have." - 06/10/2011 07:31:11 AM 687 Views
I try - 06/10/2011 09:18:29 AM 747 Views
I freebase split infinitives on a regular basis. - 06/10/2011 01:53:36 PM 624 Views
The split infinitive is not grammatically incorrect. - 06/10/2011 02:04:34 PM 648 Views
I wish more people knew this. - 06/10/2011 07:38:46 PM 647 Views
Junky Grammar. - 06/10/2011 04:24:01 PM 640 Views

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