Asking questions

[Publisher]

Maybe its me, but i hope not JUST me.

When you carefully phrase a question, which i usually do when i seek information, how often does asking the question in an open forum like this one actually elicit responses that are helpful? Or, as is in my experience, less than helpful and generally on either a tangent or unrelated concept?

But I do, sometimes, get an answer.

Perhaps I'm too obtuse, or perhaps using 13 word sentences is too complex. Is the correct use of the Oxford comma truly dead in the era of txtspk?

[The_Carpenter]

Maybe its me, but i hope not JUST me.
When you carefully phrase a question, which i usually do when i seek information, how often does asking the question in an open forum like this one actually elicit responses that are helpful?

Rarely, and btw, it's not limited to you or this board, it's everywhere.
IMO basic English fundamentals are no longer successfully taught in our education systems.
One of the reasons I moved on from the education environment a long time ago.

Or, as is in my experience, less than helpful and generally on either a tangent or unrelated concept?
But I do, sometimes, get an answer.

Sigh, frequently. Everyone is now centered in their own universe to the exclusion of anything else.

Perhaps I'm too obtuse, or perhaps using 13 word sentences is too complex. Is the correct use of the Oxford comma truly dead in the era of txtspk?

Easy yes on that Pubs.

[YAG]

Can the average US citizen even READ a 13 word sentence? Let alone comprehend it?

[vorlon]

Maybe its me, but i hope not JUST me.

When you carefully phrase a question, which i usually do when i seek information, how often does asking the question in an open forum like this one actually elicit responses that are helpful? Or, as is in my experience, less than helpful and generally on either a tangent or unrelated concept?

But I do, sometimes, get an answer.

Perhaps I'm too obtuse, or perhaps using 13 word sentences is too complex. Is the correct use of the Oxford comma truly dead in the era of txtspk?

gramur is hrd!!!

[hegone17]

Can the average US citizen even READ a 13 word sentence? Let alone comprehend it?

Maybe after I read and reread it 8 more times before comprehension sets in this pea brain

[YAG]

Can the average US citizen even READ a 13 word sentence? Let alone comprehend it?

Maybe after I read and reread it 8 more times before comprehension sets in this pea brain

That's 17 words. Well done.

[YetAnotherHobbist]

My native language is spanish, and the "more educated" writing style involved long sentences with many clauses.
When I came to the US for college, they had me take a class in English composition (the dreaded freshman writing seminar).
As I recall it, the #1 goal in that class was to get us to write in short declarative sentences - that was the preferred style for college-level work.
I remember thinking, "really?" - then retraining myself...

[Publisher]

I placed out of all of the writing classes at admission except for rhetoric. It was an absolute required class, speaking highly of the political power of that set of professors. The class itself was a snooze-fest.

[The_Carpenter]

I placed out of all of the writing classes at admission except for rhetoric. It was an absolute required class, speaking highly of the political power of that set of professors. The class itself was a snooze-fest.

I had a logic/philosophy class that was taught by a clueless guy who didn't get a Spock joke 1st day of class. Later several classmates got together and we analyzed the class syllabus which amusingly inferred what was going to be on the mids and final. On midterm and finals we all sat away from each other so he couldn't even think a cheat was happening. I knew the dean of the department and later he asked, bluntly, what happened. I guess even back in the dinosaur age, class grade spikes were looked at. The dean got the Spock joke, pulled the professor's syllabus, and then someone else was teaching that class the following semester.

But back to english, I was helping one of my kids with a college term paper, and I swear that exercise was same as I had in 6th or 7th grade a zillion yrs earlier

[YetAnotherHobbist]

But back to english, I was helping one of my kids with a college term paper, and I swear that exercise was same as I had in 6th or 7th grade a zillion yrs earlier

Back in the days when one had to write with a quill and ink, and it better be right the first time around?

[vorlon]

But back to english, I was helping one of my kids with a college term paper, and I swear that exercise was same as I had in 6th or 7th grade a zillion yrs earlier

Back in the days when one had to write with a quill and ink, and it better be right the first time around?

No, he goes way back. He had to use cuneiform.

[The_Carpenter]

But back to english, I was helping one of my kids with a college term paper, and I swear that exercise was same as I had in 6th or 7th grade a zillion yrs earlier

Back in the days when one had to write with a quill and ink, and it better be right the first time around?

No, he goes way back. He had to use cuneiform.

We had to teach the dino-chickens to make foot patterns

[Publisher]

But back to english, I was helping one of my kids with a college term paper, and I swear that exercise was same as I had in 6th or 7th grade a zillion yrs earlier

Back in the days when one had to write with a quill and ink, and it better be right the first time around?

No, he goes way back. He had to use cuneiform.

We had to teach the dino-chickens to make foot patterns

We directed worms with puffs of ait rolling in mud.

[iowanprimate]

But back to english, I was helping one of my kids with a college term paper, and I swear that exercise was same as I had in 6th or 7th grade a zillion yrs earlier

Back in the days when one had to write with a quill and ink, and it better be right the first time around?

No, he goes way back. He had to use cuneiform.

We had to teach the dino-chickens to make foot patterns

We directed worms with puffs of ait rolling in mud.

You had mud? Lucky bastard...