Contraction question

[thealtruismsociety]

Forgive me for not being a English major and having taken my last English class 14 or so years ago.

 

My main character does not use contractions but is it ok for her to use possessive punctuation? Like Phil's?

 

Also your views on can't and cannot, if she does not use contractions what do I use in place of can't?

 

Thanks, sorry if these are rudimentary questions.

[Steve E]

Forgive me for not being a English major and having taken my last English class 14 or so years ago.

Forgiven. It's been much longer for me.

 

My main character does not use contractions but is it ok for her to use possessive punctuation? Like Phil's?

The possessive case is not a contraction so your character isn't breaking character. Hey, if Lieutenant Data can do it then so can your character. (E.g., "The Captain's chair.")

 

Also your views on can't and cannot, if she does not use contractions what do I use in place of can't?

"Can not." (E.g., "I can not sit in the Captain's chair.")

 

Thanks, sorry if these are rudimentary questions.

No problem. I wish they were all this easy.

- Thoth.

[marguerite]

"Can not." (E.g., "I can not sit in the Captain's chair.")

Thoth

Pace Thoth, but according to Merriam-Webster's either "cannot" or "can not" is acceptable. Personally, I always write it as one word.

Best,

M

[Steve E]

Pace Thoth, but according to Merriam-Webster's either "cannot" or "can not" is acceptable. Personally, I always write it as one word.

Best,

M

Pace* Marguerite, but according to the Oxford American Dictionary (the one that came with OS X) "cannot" is a

contraction of "can not". Acceptable, sure, but TAS was looking to avoid contractions for his character.

 

Overreaching.

- Thoth.

 

*Latin for "in peace". Used in English to mean, "with due respect to".

Not everyone is up on their Latin, M.

[marguerite]

Pace* Marguerite, but according to the Oxford American Dictionary (the one that came with OS X) "cannot" is a

contraction of "can not". Acceptable, sure, but TAS was looking to avoid contractions for his character.

 

Overreaching.

- Thoth.

 

*Latin for "in peace". Used in English to mean, "with due respect to".

Not everyone is up on their Latin, M.

Good to know. I thought it was a spelling issue, but I bow to OUP!

 

Not everyone? Fie on thee, Lord of Justice! These are writers! And if they do not know, should they not consult that very lexicographic tome that thou hast mentioned above?

 

And while we're on the subject, pace (pron. pa-chay) is, of course, always italicized, to separate it from the synonym for "tempo," which would yield very odd meanings in the examples provided.

M

[Steve E]

Good to know. I thought it was a spelling issue, but I bow to OUP!

I'm sure the Oxford University Press would bow back (out of politeness) were their spines not quite so rigid.

 

Not everyone? Fie on thee, Lord of Justice! These are writers! And if they do not know, should they not consult that very lexicographic tome that thou hast mentioned above?

My apologies, fair one. I am right and justly fie'd. And apologies to TAS as well. Just because someone didn't happen to remember that "cannot" was a contraction of "can not" doesn't mean they are lacking in the Latin.

 

And while we're on the subject, pace (pron. pa-chay) is, of course, always italicized, to separate it from the synonym for "tempo," which would yield very odd meanings in the examples provided.

But of course, on both counts.

 

Forgive me for suggesting this but you may have been writing dialog for the Golden Lynx for too long.

- Thoth

 

BTW: NaNoWriMo has over 50,000 posts on their site. Makes me feel somewhat inadequate.

[marguerite]

Forgive me for suggesting this but you may have been writing dialog for the Golden Lynx for too long.

- Thoth

Because of the thee's and thou's? You are forgiven, but I'm not quite sure I followed you.

 

Indeed, long before the GL appeared, 16th-century Russians took over my brain. Alas and alack!

M

[thealtruismsociety]

Nah thanks for the help.

[Steve E]

Nah thanks for the help.

On behalf of M and myself, you are very welcome.

- Thoth.

[Steve E]

Indeed, long before the GL appeared, 16th-century Russians took over my brain. Alas and alack!

Oooo. Those pesky Ruskies.

Let me know when and where an I'll gather the troops to stage an counterassault on your brain. I've already picked out a pretty flag to plant in your Broca's area.

 

Too much?

- Thoth

[marguerite]

Oooo. Those pesky Ruskies.

Let me know when and where an I'll gather the troops to stage an counterassault on your brain. I've already picked out a pretty flag to plant in your Broca's area.

 

Too much?

- Thoth

Way, way too much.

[btjeppesen]

Forgive me for not being a English major and having taken my last English class 14 or so years ago.

 

My main character does not use contractions but is it ok for her to use possessive punctuation? Like Phil's?

 

Also your views on can't and cannot, if she does not use contractions what do I use in place of can't?

 

Thanks, sorry if these are rudimentary questions.

 

 

Hey TAS, I just wanted to make a quick note, and you may already have this covered. Since Thoth and M already answered your question, I won't do that. I will warn against a mistake I see often in my workshops. Many new writers will have a character use no contractions to distinguish them from other characters, but this is a bad reason to do it. Very few people actually speak without contractions. They may write without them, but language condenses over time, particularly in speak. People take shortcuts in speech, because saying it faster allows you to move on to something else. If I walked around saying things like, "I can not enter the house, because my mother does not appreciate the things that I have done for her, and she is furious with me," if I spoke like that, people would look at me like I was trying to imitate a robot. "I am a member of the Borg. All your base are belong to us!"

 

My biggest suggestion for any writer is to make sure there is a clear and logical reason for any decision you make. Don't cut contractions for the sake of cutting contractions. Now, if you have a good reason, such as if the character is a robot, then by all means, cut the contractions.

 

hehe, at first, I was going to be a smart... butt and say, "Well, if she doesn't use contractions, how's she gonna push the baby out? Does the doctor have forceps handy?"

 

Brian

[Steve E]

Yes, TAS, by all means have a good reason for the decisions you make for your characters and plot. What makes a reason good? Candidly, with all the varieties of professional writing out there, it's good if you feel it's good. Not everyone is going to like your decisions. Not everyone is going to dislike them. Kurt Vonnegut once decided to write an entire short story without using the letter e. (I wish I could recall the title.) Why? Because some English-Lit professor told him it couldn't be done. That was reason enough for him.

 

hehe, at first, I was going to be a smart... butt and say, "Well, if she doesn't use contractions, how's she gonna push the baby out? ... "

 

Cesarean section?

- Thoth.

[thealtruismsociety]

Hey TAS, I just wanted to make a quick note, and you may already have this covered. Since Thoth and M already answered your question, I won't do that. I will warn against a mistake I see often in my workshops. Many new writers will have a character use no contractions to distinguish them from other characters, but this is a bad reason to do it. Very few people actually speak without contractions. They may write without them, but language condenses over time, particularly in speak. People take shortcuts in speech, because saying it faster allows you to move on to something else. If I walked around saying things like, "I can not enter the house, because my mother does not appreciate the things that I have done for her, and she is furious with me," if I spoke like that, people would look at me like I was trying to imitate a robot. "I am a member of the Borg. All your base are belong to us!"

 

My biggest suggestion for any writer is to make sure there is a clear and logical reason for any decision you make. Don't cut contractions for the sake of cutting contractions. Now, if you have a good reason, such as if the character is a robot, then by all means, cut the contractions.

 

hehe, at first, I was going to be a smart... butt and say, "Well, if she doesn't use contractions, how's she gonna push the baby out? Does the doctor have forceps handy?"

 

Brian

 

Perhaps she does not use them because it creates two words out of one, increasing my word count tremendously, lol.

 

Maybe I really like Data?

 

But I think I'm safe if that's the way my character WANTS to talk. It's a mental decision the same as not wanting to curse. If the character wants to distinguish herself as different I don't see how it can be challenged. What do you think?

[marguerite]

Perhaps she does not use them because it creates two words out of one, increasing my word count tremendously, lol.

 

Maybe I really like Data?

 

But I think I'm safe if that's the way my character WANTS to talk. It's a mental decision the same as not wanting to curse. If the character wants to distinguish herself as different I don't see how it can be challenged. What do you think?

Resistance is futile.

M

[Steve E]

Perhaps she does not use them because it creates two words out of one, increasing my word count tremendously, lol.

BRILLIANT

 

Maybe I really like Data?

Less brilliant but still good. (I like the Data character too.)

 

But I think I'm safe if that's the way my character WANTS to talk. It's a mental decision the same as not wanting to curse. If the character wants to distinguish herself as different I don't see how it can be challenged. What do you think?

Resistance is fertile.

- Thoth

[Steakpirate]

For me, the who/whom issue and the proper use of the semicolon was much more pressing than worrying about contractions.

 

 

In fact, who/whom is the primary reason I'm taking a Grammar course. (Which has been extremely enlightening thus far, despite us only having gotten to that issue near the end of the semester. I guess they've got to hook you. It's a much more philosophical class than one would think.)

 

Re-gressing, some of my characters are all too eager to embrace contractions.

[Steve]

For me, the who/whom issue and the proper use of the semicolon was much more pressing than worrying about contractions.

 

Here is a pretty good (and moderately funny) illustrated guide: How to use a semicolon.

 

-Steve

[thealtruismsociety]

Here is a pretty good (and moderately funny) illustrated guide: How to use a semicolon.

 

-Steve

 

LOL some great comics on that site.