7
   

Is it understandble to say this...?

 
 
vjean
 
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 01:31 pm
I was doing my last IN the mixture when he called, so, I quickly grabbed the time to ask whether he'd want chocolate chips IN it or not.

My husband says it's odd. And I understand that there are countless ways to express thoughts. However just for curiosity's sake, what is your say on this?

"Had I sentenced anything in a wrongful grammar, please feel free to correct it."
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Type: Question • Score: 7 • Views: 959 • Replies: 15
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roger
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 01:39 pm
@vjean,
vjean wrote:

I was doing my last IN the mixture when he called, . . .


I cannot paraphrase this because I simply don't know what it means. It is more than odd.
0 Replies
 
contrex
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 01:44 pm
"Had I sentenced anything in a wrongful grammar, please feel free to correct it."

We don't use "sentencing" that way. A judge sentences a criminal (e.g. to a spell in prison)

"Wrongful" does not mean the same as "wrong"

We don't use "grammar" that way either.



dalehileman
 
  0  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 01:58 pm
@vjean,
I'd have to agree with Rog,

Quote:
I was doing my last IN the mixture when he called,….
unclear. I presume however that you were doing your last in preparing the mixture; that is, you were still adding stuff. But still why cap the IN?
vjean
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 02:08 pm
@contrex,
Thanks contrex. Language is perhaps a lot harder to decode more than any sophisticated area of knowledge. (For me anyway)
In a noun form, sentence can refer to that of the Linguistics, Law, Music, Christianity, Christianity, Philosophy.. etc. However, only of the law could verbalize this. There is freedom to speech but not much to words.

Having checked the dictionary, I can see why wrongful is also faulty in this usage. But may I ask why the word "grammar" can't be used that way?
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vjean
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 02:10 pm
@dalehileman,
dalehileman,
Yes, I was stirring the mixture for the last time. I capitalize the prepositions for emphasis.
Ragman
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 02:11 pm
@vjean,
Doing so makes no sense. It confuses the reader. Nowhere else is that done.

Also, even without capitalizing it still makes no sense grammatically.

This phrasing could make more sense. Not sure if this is what was meant:

"I was adding my last ingredient to the mixture when he called. So, quickly I took the time to ask whether he'd want chocolate chips in it or not."

vjean
 
  2  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 02:15 pm
@Ragman,
Ragman, may I ask why it confuses the reader?
PUNKEY
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 02:16 pm
Is this what you mean:

I was adding the last ingredient to the mixture when he called, so I quickly grabbed the opportunity to ask whether he'd want chocolate chips in it or not.

The setting might be: A person is making cookies and gets a call from her friend so she is able to ask him if he wants chocolate chips in the cookies.

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Lustig Andrei
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 02:20 pm
@vjean,
I'll let Ragman explain that. But let me add that the expression "grabbed the time" is also never used in the idiomatic sense that you seem to mean it. "Took the time" would be more acceptable, but, in this case, also unusual. How much time does it take to ask a simple question?
vjean
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 02:41 pm
@Lustig Andrei,
Until one gains essential insight for future guidance.

Lustig Andrei, when you want to imply a very busy scenario and an unexpected moment popped up, why 'grabbed the time' can't be used?
vjean
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 03:01 pm
@vjean,
it is by the way,

"I was doing my last STIR IN the mixture..." I am sorry for that missing word STIR.
Ragman
  Selected Answer
 
  2  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 03:02 pm
@vjean,
This sentence needed a verb. 'Stirring the last ingredient in the mixture' is what I suggest is what was missing. No capitalization of the word 'in' is appropriate.
Lustig Andrei
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 03:15 pm
@vjean,
vjean wrote:



Lustig Andrei, when you want to imply a very busy scenario and an unexpected moment popped up, why 'grabbed the time' can't be used?


It's not that it can't be used, just that in standard English it isn't generally used. In a poetic sense, perhaps, but not in normal prose writing.
vjean
 
  2  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 03:17 pm
@Ragman,
Thanks for your suggestion Ragman.
0 Replies
 
vjean
 
  1  
Reply Thu 11 Jul, 2013 03:23 pm
@Lustig Andrei,
Lustig Andrei,
Thanks for sharing.
0 Replies
 
 

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