Grammar Squad!

[arete]

Assemble!!


Anyone interested? We need at least four (plus me, obviously) English nit-pickers. If we can each do a review-check from time to time it'll be worth it. Just post here! We get our own forum!

[sgtboat]

Well I am currently completing a degree in education with a minor in english. Do I qualify?

[Dave]

Yes! :)

[The Bard]

I'd like to do so. I have a CAE in English and I generaly consider myself a good english-speaker.

[Japo]

I'd like to do so. I have a CAE in English

Beware, I have one of those and Arete pwned me. ;)

[The Coop]

This isn't going to turn into some fiasco, where members of this group are going to also be running around, correcting the grammar in daily forum posts, is it? That kind of OCD behavior gets very old, very fast.

[Dave]

Well the group was created (or better restored) mainly to correct reviews not posts.

[The Coop]

That's good to hear. I've visited forums in the past where the same people hopped around, correcting every little harmless grammar mistake (basically imagine a group of "grammar mods", and you'll get the gist of it). Not a particularly enjoyable place to visit and read as a result. I'd hate to see this place hit such lows.

[Tulac]

I doubt you'll find that here seeing that English is not the native language of more than half the members. :p

[AlumiuN]

That, and that I think that only myself and Sgtboat are the only members of the (I think) 6-or-so member squad that speak English as a first language.

[Dave]

I'd like to do so. I have a CAE in English and I generaly consider myself a good english-speaker.
Added.

[TotalAnarchy]

Is correcting the mistakes done directly on the review?

[Japo]

Is correcting the mistakes done directly on the review?
Grammar Squad members don't have that access I think--unless they're also updaters (or updater trainees). They have a forum when they speak Elizabethan English, and we post the submitted reviews and they answer with the corrected version, and then we'd use that.

[TotalAnarchy]

Think I'll pass then. I was just planning to correct the wrong-written words and add some missing articles like "the" or something, since I can see the mistakes when I'm translating the reviews in question.

[Fruit Pie Jones]

I am very interested in doing this again. I have no degree in English, but I am a native speaker, and I was one of the founding members of Grammar Squad v1.0. :)

[Japo]

I am very interested in doing this again. I have no degree in English, but I am a native speaker, and I was one of the founding members of Grammar Squad v1.0. :)
Father is returned (again)! :D

[Dave]

Father is returned (again)! :D
I knew he couldn't stay away from this topic :p
I'll add you as soon as possible! Welcome back.

Edit: done, be sure to check Grammar and General Staff forums.

[hahajejeje]

i ahm,I'm good in English, though many think otherwise
give me any word in spanish and i can tranlate it!

[Luchsen]

http://www.abandonia.com/vbullet/image.php?u=124841&dateline=1232224415

Then you can translate reviews to Spanish if we can get the translation process working again. Here, you check English, so it's English to English, and not Spanish to English. ;)

[sgtboat]

I think we should establish an sop. We should have a special forum that the reviews go to first. The grammar squad can have admin access to that forum. When completely reviewed, we should forward those to a senior admin for inclusion in the site. We should also come up with an efficient way to review and correct existing reviews. Still working on ideas for that one.

[Dave]

Ahem => http://www.abandonia.com/vbullet/forumdisplay.php?f=29

:p

[sgtboat]

Hadnt gotten that far in checking the new posts.
My Bad.

[Dave]

Welcome :)

[sgtboat]

So do we get a special tag like the mods, interp. and the like.
I want mine to say "Grammar Squad"

:max::whistling::thumbs:

[Dave]

Horseman is working on it, check general Staff forums => rank bars topic :)

[hahajejeje]

im sure that y can do this :noworry:,but y better prepare for the math test whitout wasting the time

[The Fifth Horseman]

im sure that y can do this ,
No offence, but the lack of proper spelling and grammar in your own posts offers substantial evidence to quite the contrary.

[Dave]

You could translate reviews Nacho, far easier ;)
Unfortunately we have a bug with translations...I hope we will solve it soon.

[AlumiuN]

No offence, but the lack of proper spelling and grammar in your own posts offers substantial evidence to quite the contrary.

That's a very measured way of putting it. :D

[chainsoar]

Someone suggested this in the past. I said yes please. I was ignored. I want in. The end.

True story.

[Dave]

Ok, added. :)

[seanex]

Hello. I realise you have your full compliment of grammar squad members but I wish to offer my services. I have a good standard of English and as for qualifications I have a BA (Hons) in History. Sorry if I have overstepped the mark in some way and feel free to reject me.

[Saccade]

Retracted.

[Chris]

I hope that having extra members here means there won't be mistakes added to my future reviews!

The one I did for StarWars Chess has a few that aren't there in the version saved on my HDD...
There's even a letter or two been cut from a few words, complete with the Em Space the 'A' should've been:
" t first, I wondered where..."

I think that I'll start submitting them with correct structure, too - it was left in the original paragraph layout I use when submitting articles and bulk-text changes to the copy-editor - and it makes it really choppy to read...
I'm a full member of SfEP, so perhaps I could put a note up in the top margin to state whether the review has been proof-read? Though time and experience have lead me to believe that authors can't proof their work 100% effectively and that there needs to be communication between author and (copy-)editor for any substantial changes to be made that keep in with the rest of the flow and tone.

Either way, I'll make sure that anything new I submit (I'm not going to overwrite the other reviews I've uploaded to FTP) doesn't need any further formatting. I assumed that it would be changed. Ass U Me.
The SWC review, to me (but then I'm always over-critical of certain things), isn't easy to read because I didn't put it back into a good structure.

Sorry about that.

That review wasn't edited by Grammar Squad, something else must've gone wrong. Could it be that some parts were misinterpreted by the WYSIWYG editor?? No idea, really..

[Saccade]

Retracted.

[The_Lemming]

Are there any spots left on the Grammar Squad?

Because if there are, I would like to enlist. I absolutely detest sub-quality grammar, and I would like to aid in purging it from Abandonia's reviews!

[Saccade]

Retracted

[Thunderclap]

Unsure if your still short of members. If you are short handed or someone should go missing in action consider me at your disposal, grammar comes second nature to me. TC

[The Fifth Horseman]

Welcome to the Grammar Squad, then. :)

[Simoneer]

Unsure if your still short of members. If you are short handed or someone should go missing in action consider me at your disposal, grammar comes second nature to me. TC

Uhm... :whistling: "Your"?

[Luchsen]

He forgot an is after still, who cares?

[Simoneer]

*facepalms*

It was not that! He used "your" instead of "you're"! I was pointing it out because it was in his "application" to join... the Grammar Squad. I mean, come on, having good grammar is required for something like this, is it not? I was not just being nit-picky...

[_r.u.s.s.]

luchsen was probably joking=P

[Simoneer]

Ah... Perhaps so. Hard to tell through written words sometimes, y'know?

[Thunderclap]

Point taken Simoneer. TC

[Simoneer]

Errr, yeah. Sorry for sounding so negative towards you; That was really not my intention.

I just think the Grammar Squad should be for people who actually know how to use/make contractions properly. Nothing personal at all. But besides... your grammar seems fine otherwise. So I suppose I'm being nit-picky after all.

Sorry again. Not a warm welcome, is it? :no:

[Thunderclap]

Not an issue, you were spot on. No need for apologies or formalities around me, I like folks who get to the point. TC

[dosraider]

. <--- the point, I'm getting there......


Thunderclap likes me now!
:whistling:

[Luchsen]

We should make Fixedsys the standard font.

[Saccade]

HEY!!!

How come, when I asked if you needed more grammar people - especially since I'm a full member of SfPE (I started out as a proof-reader and copy-editor) - I was told there were too many, but you are still recruiting?!

*Hurrumph*

[The_Lemming]

He has a good point.

[TotalAnarchy]

HEY!!!

How come, when I asked if you needed more grammar people - especially since I'm a full member of SfPE (I started out as a proof-reader and copy-editor) - I was told there were too many, but you are still recruiting?!

*Hurrumph*

I don't think the staff told you that with the purpose of telling you we're not still recruiting. Indeed we have many members in the Grammar Squad, the problem is they're not that active. For now Grammar Squad is half-dead even though it's one of the larger staff groups.

[The Fifth Horseman]

I guess some ppl need more incentive.

*holds up a red hot branding iron*
Innncennntivvve...

[Japo]

HEY!!!

How come, when I asked if you needed more grammar people - especially since I'm a full member of SfPE (I started out as a proof-reader and copy-editor) - I was told there were too many, but you are still recruiting?!

*Hurrumph*
I didn't know that, but if you offered your help back then, I guess you could be accepted right away?

PS: I don't know whom you asked specifically, although the normal procedure is posting on the Recruitment Office (http://www.abandonia.com/vbullet/forumdisplay.php?f=99).

[Dave]

HEY!!!

How come, when I asked if you needed more grammar people - especially since I'm a full member of SfPE (I started out as a proof-reader and copy-editor) - I was told there were too many, but you are still recruiting?!

*Hurrumph*
Probably your request went unnoticed, sorry. Just added. :)

[arete]

I thought you were added a week ago, and was vaguely sulking that you'd done diddly squat. Myyyy bad. *^_^

[Saccade]

Opps - I wuz jus complainin'...

Okay! I'm on board. Where do I start and on what? I can't proof-read or edit my own stuff and I can't send this stuff off to my proof-readers or editors. They'd laugh at me (cos I'd tell them they wouldn't be getting paid).

I have set myself some targets here, Pandaaa too (when she gets round to it :poke:), but the distraction of proof-reading would definitely be welcome.

I was told you were full, that's why I retracted my posts. I think I was in one of those "Pete's being an arsehole today because he didn't sleep for 4 days".
Cheers for the add anyway - I'm happy to help, but you know that.

On my good days, at least... ;)

[The Fifth Horseman]

Pick any review that hasn't been used on the site yet - or is on the site but needs fixing - and make the neccesary corrections.
If someone already corrected it, check their corrected version. If you find no issues with it, leave a response that you verified it and it's good to go.

[Saccade]

kk - will do.

[arete]

Please do not attempt to eat the giraffes.

[Saccade]

Yeah - but that's what I eat.
You want me to starve..?!

[Luchsen]

http://www.explosm.net/comics/1685/

[Saccade]

So I don't eat the giraffes because otherwise a swan doesn't get raped?
Or people don't have fun creating a swan with a really long neck..?

(secret code for those that read)

Don't eat the giraffes = don't stick your neck out / "wind your neck in" [Reign in that pride and ego, boy!]
Eat the giraffe = stick your neck out / stomp on someone's ego and pride because it is a block - they need to not eat giraffe in order for things to go anywhere / anticipate that a stomping will take place if a person's attitude doesn't change.


Please remove me from the Grammar Squad and put me back to General Staff.
There is too much to do with giraffes in Grammar Squad. For me, probably because of me, at least.

[arete]

What giraffe? :huh: Anyway, I stamp on all of you. Boy juice. That's the problem. Testosterone shuts down the higher brain functions. Eh, Pete? :D *grins cos now he can't roundhouse kick*

[dosraider]

At least we have higher brain functions. (sometimes).

[Saccade]

Took the words from my mouth, Dos :)

(and can kick arete's arse with two busted feet and no arms :7p)

[arete]

Two words: Tranquilliser gun, Mr Powers. :hihihi: And you entirely missed the Pratchett reference. In Nightwatch, I think it was. With regards to Buggy Swires. Not only did he not obey the rules, he also ignored rules that everyone else automatically obeys, like 'don't climb up a guy's leg and punch him in the face if he won't give you a chip', and 'do not attempt to eat this giraffe'. Gnomes. Tsk. :hihihi:

[Saccade]

ah... I see.
I must've read around a squillion other books and stories in that time, for fun and research, and written nearly two books of novel length and several shorter stories...
Not to mention around a Gig of half-formed ideas (mind, most of them are scans of spider diagrams or flowcharts of ideas than pure text... That may account for the 1.2Gb in my Work, Articles and Stories folders.

I really must organise my Voluntary work folder... Especially my Abandonia ones.
All this stuff I am doing for AB and the other site (maybe another one now, too) is allowing my computer filing to get pretty disorganised.
I found my review of Dunjin in my Adobe Fireworks Backup folder, on my main PC, for some animated gifs I made for a porno site over a year ago!
Very strange place for it to end up...

It must've been around 5 years since I read Pratchett's books out at the time.
I liked the one with the Riders of the Apocalypse one where they were all on motorbikes, Wyrd Sisters (that I think is also a film - I remember seeing it for streaming on Megavideo recently) and the second Rincewind one.
For that type of humour I prefer Douglas Adams' Dirk Gently stories, I'm afraid, though Pratchett will always have a special place in my heart for creating the Discworld.
It is such a shame that genius means you get sick with brain disease and die younger than those who seem to create nothing but for themselves...

I am dreading being told that my shaking is Parkinson's or something instead of just fatigue due to lack of sleep or nerves. I know I don't sleep very often, because of dreams, Claire's teeth-grinding, inspiration or obsessional behaviour - when I get started on an idea, it's hard to stop when I'm on a roll.
I get very short (and I don't mean less than 5' 8" to Claire's 6') with Pandaaa if she interrupts me when I am writing.

We have an agreement that if I'm writing and I have headphones on, even if I'm not listening to music - she has to leave me be until I finish.
Another reason why we need a bigger house. So I can have my own study where I can just push the door to and not have my reference books organised in size order because, in usefulness order, they look untidy..!

Crazy young woman.

Have you done the political compass thing in another thread I started (yesterday?) today yet? I want to see at least a few people's results, who they are most like from history (I was very surprised by my result), before I reveal who I am most aligned with.

and btw Mr T - I was in a band, remember? I think I have a +20 resistance to all weapons that use drugs. Especially tranquilisers! :ninja: I've also been working on my dodge and Adrian Veidt has taught me how to catch bullets (I won't ruin the story any more in case you haven't read Watchmen).

*Soaks up tranqs. and gets +1 bonus to defense due to less pain in foot (Thanks! :D); Counters by wafting the smell of his unwashed and freshly unbandaged foot at Arete.
Olfactory attack rating = 1xD12-4 (if arete has noseplugs AR is 1xD6)

HaaaSo!

[Jimmyjammer365]

Assemble!!


Anyone interested? We need at least four (plus me, obviously) English nit-pickers. If we can each do a review-check from time to time it'll be worth it. Just post here! We get our own forum!


I'm not on here very often, but I'd like the opportunity to review these.

I's kin put thuh purty pikchures ind wurds togethur ta mak um sownd rite.

Seriously, though...I'd like a shot at this. Thank you very much for your consideration. I've been a long-time passive fan of this website.

Jimmyjammer365