.

?

?!

Let us indeed! Who'd like to start?

:smokin:

Ummm...???

I'm confused... :confused:

I think the question mark is better.

My sentence was a statement, not a comment, therefore, for once in my life, I was gramatically(sp) correct(whatever Foley may think :D ).

(sigh) Get thine thread going already! :rolleyes:

F.ex.

Eragon = Pretty good for a 15 year old author but copied Tolkien a bit.

Eragon Movies = RUBBISH.

Someone elaborate on that. :smokin:

One thing I like here is the close relationship between J.K.Rowling and the HP movie-makers. She was always consulted and also pointed out what things should definitely be shown, and which not. Of course this was no longer possible when the New Line films were made, but even when Mr. Zimmerman made his version, Tolkien wasn't consulted, as can be noticed in the Letters where he points out many mistakes made. I'm not such a great HP fan, but I definitely like the fact the movies depict the world created by JKR so well.
As far as mythologies are concerned...maybe you can make yourself a bit more clear...not really sure what you mean.

In my humble opinion, '?' is to be preferred, leaving as it does a sense of the mystery, of searching out the unknown, of the pursuit of further knowledge. By contrast '.' is almost an obscenity, declaring as it does that there is no more to be said, a prejudicial epithet to the yearning of the human psyche to discover, to explore.

While '.' carries the ultimate simplicity of a full-stop, the elegance of a single point in space, it is nevertheless the cold finality of the finishing of a thought expressed, allowing no extension and brooking no opposition. '?' leaves open the possibility of a '.' to be had in the future, perhaps at the end of all things, but to assert '.' from our limited perspective at present is mere presumption.

Was that addressed to me? Or Bethberry?

Oh, and back up there, I meant question not comment. So sorry... :o

<sigh> The fine art of sarcasm is lost.

:D Only over the internet. But really, when you are sarcastic, your sarcasm is usually pointed towards someone, and was yours directed towards me, Bethberry, or Folwren?

I quite agree with you, but you should follow your own counsel. While Eomer's contribution conveys a piquant sense of loss, while at the same time expressing a sense of hope that answers may yet be found, your addition of the "!" exagerrates the essential tone of the original statement by introducing a sense of bravado, outrage even, which punctuates the fragile mystery and thus brings the poignancy of the moment crashing brutally down in an exclamatory cacophony of despair.

I had no idea this thread would turn out to be so interesting. http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/gr...smiley-018.gif















~Beleg

. . .

I've often thought that Downers would be quite capable of carrying on extensive, convoluted conversations about nothing, and be quite entertaining in the process. And now my little "dot" proves it. :Merisu:

"." is, of course, not only grammatically a period or full stop for a sentence, but is also an enabling mark--"dot"--in extending names, titles and URLs on computers and the Internet. Thus, it is not a dead end or cold finality. It's probably closer to a hand shake in this use, linking people through introductions, greetings, beginnings, endings, middles. I am very pleased it has produced such a pleasant, interesting little thread. :)

In other words, start discussing stuff! :mad: :)

Thenamir hit the nail on the head. I think he said exactly what I was thinking when I chose the question mark.

I must confess that the fact that everyone has simply seemed to not take notice of my post, but instead talks about the proper use of dots and question marks doesn't really make much sense to me.
Perhaps a moderator would be so kind so as to delete my post, since it clearly doesn't fit in with your discussion.

TM, you can delete your own posts. Just click on the "edit" icon in the post you want to delete, then check "delete message", then click on the "delete this message" box.

Seeing as The Might's post is the only one that is worthy of staying, why delete it?

Finduilas, he asked a moderator to delete it; my reply was simply to give him the responsibility himself - if he thinks it should be deleted, he can do so himself. I do not think it needs to be deleted, but each member can choose what s/he wishes to happen to her/his own posts.

Obviously, Finduilas, you have not been here long enough to appreciate the finer points of the fluff and frippery in which we occasionally engage ourselves.

Indeed, SpM, i was caught up in the exuberance of the moment, and perhaps my excesses can be forgiven. However, my “!” proceeded not from a sense of outrage, but rather a vehement agreement with Eomer’s initial sortie.

And while our dear Bb is to be commended for her proper amendations to my initial criticisms, I would suggest that perhaps a further amendment of her opening gambit, from “.” to perhaps a softer “…” might have stayed my perhaps overcritical mal mot. As can plainly be seen if viewed in context, “…” could have been taken as an implicit “?”, leaving open the possibility of concepts unspoken to the imaginations of the reader, even of a grand denouement left hidden, hanging in a deft display of a kind of authorial “cliff hanger”, as it were.

Nevertheless, I believe it can be demonstrated that the asymmetrical nature of “?”, appearing as it does unbalanced and almost ready to topple, provides a more succinct expression than “…”, but that either is quite superior to the “.”.

No, actually I never intended to, I believed that it would be taken as an ironical remark and not a true wish, though I seem to have been wrong.

Alright. Point taken to heart.

Doesn't this thread belong in the Mirth area? Just asking, so please don't snap my head off :D


P.S. That "snap my head off" wasn't meant as disrespect to any moderator, or anyone who has told me I was wrong.

A puntilious bit of rampunctious reply
 

Most intriguing and imaginative theory, Thena. However, as you yourself note, the "?" is unstable--really, it's a bit of a unicycle, a self-referring bit of circular argument that could threaten to create a rut more than a wide avenue for going forth with the topic.

". . ." does have the virtue of implying yet more unstated. However, it has the drawback of requiring a beginning, an introduction, a preliminary elaboration of the subject. For that reason, I decided initially to go with the "." as an opening gambit. The dot has the virtue of signifying landfall, as in "here beginneth a discussion", "at this point", "this spot flagged for further development." A little dot will do it.

[ ] speaking, TM, I see your ironic comment as most welcome. You could say it is a , _______ and ■ for you seem to have made a few catches.

The grammar of mythologies is a most intriguing topic, isn't it?

Well, since I notice that it's pretty pointless to post anything making sense, I'd like to say that it's this $ + € that really matters. :)

Is popcorn the answer? No-one eats popcorn with their myths.

This thread amuses me.

Just because this is the only thread you can talk about anything you wish and you don't need to be afraid of the chat skrewls. :Merisu:

I'm sure it can't last... Anyone want a bet on how long it will be until a mod swoops down on us?


No, I was only joking, ...argh, help I'm being simultaneously banned by The Barrow Wight, Estelyn, Legolas, Child, Rimbaud, mormegil and Pio!... :p

I am a mod, as is Bb, and we would have to ban ourselves -- an interesting mental picture to be sure.

Exceptions, in moderation (no mod pun intended), can be amusing and entertaining, but this is not a thread about nothing, nor a thread anout anything. SpM, Bb, and I are carrying on comparing bizarre ideas in true Downs fashion, though our parodic fashion taste may be perceived as somewhat skewed.

Towards that end, I'd like to address the value judgements being introduced to this conversation by The Might: Being One-Who-Speaks-Only-One-Language-Fluently, i.e. an American, one might find it strange that I would object to the omission of "£", but as it has been around far longer than "$", and shows no sign of kowtowing to the upstart "€", the fierce independence of "£" is certainly worthy not only of mention but even of prominence. However, we are descending into mere speculation and opinion, since the relative values of $, €, and £ are subject to change almost moment-by-moment.

Your point is well taken, but seriously, Bb, you can't preclude the legitimate use of something just because some choose to abuse it. The fact that the Downs has been one preeminent locus of circumlocution on the internet should not preclude those of mens sano who exercise their "?" (and even, in certain circumstances, a sparingly-used "?!") in proper order to prevent the rut from becoming a grave. Indeed, that which had been the shovel by which one might erringly excavate his/her own interring could indeed become the ladder by which one might effect an escape from the dreaded ditch.

Nevertheless, we must be ever the more watchful, as Bb rightly implies, lest our unsorted sorties become sordid.

And all this time I thought it was "x" that marked the spot. :D

EDIT: I am lately made aware by the fair Miss Bb that she is no longer a mod. Which means I could admonish her for replying in kind to my semi-silliness, but with that pointed finger there would be at least three pointing back at me, and not on my own hand.

'Tis a matter of interpretation, Master Thenamir. There are those who would contend that Xs are kisses...


(Just adding an additional mod voice to this "discussion", and no, I will not move it to 'Mirth' - this are serious thread, and we is serious mods!) :Merisu:

X
 

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...elBirthday.gif

Party on, dudes!

~*~ Pio ♥

Degree
 

°

Unlike the solid period, the degree symbol is open, circular but unfulfilled, open to possibility. It exists above the baseline, above the everyday mundane and mud. Typed next to a number, the symbol can connote thermal energies, or the lack thereof. Or where we are, a pointer, on this arc called life.

Revolution!

Stacking two together, one above and below, we get the numeral 8, which, as we all know is just ∞ standing up, commanding attention, ready to move.

τηε μιγητ


I just had to do it. :)

Nice! Though actually, hmm, in reality it would be needed to be written somehow like "θε μιγχτ" (or this is the best I can think of) since "θ" is "th" and "η" is generally "é". But anyway, nice... *applause*

Uh-huh! Now mentioning it... what about * ? I wonder why no one mentioned it... of course... there are many and many associations with it, sure, many may be quite misleading, but... I just think it's something that deserves to be mentioned. I can't see why you avoided it so long... unless you were afraid? But why? Why should you worry to use it?

And what of the pilcrow, the solidus, the therefore sign, and that strangest of newfangled punctuation marks, the interrobang?

As for the startlingly insightful discussion so far on this thread, I can only add:

&

Why, just so, and how right that our Mistress of Historical Romance would think of that interpretation. For my part, I contemplated the X but with a shrug rejected it, as I was sure that no one who remembers my five years here on the Downs would in any way take seriously a mark from me signifying illiteracy.

And I must generously thank our Modess pio for her Squirrel the Grey, as greys abound in my home town and are most socialable.

That's looking more like a unicycle built for two, and there we are back again at Ms Zesty's kisses.

My siggie notwithstanding, I wouldn't stroke any key that produces an interrobang, at least not here at family-friendly BD, although possibly that is something Master Thena could handle.

Say that three times in a row with a straight face. :D

http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/edoom/cussing.gif :D

Now if I had used the degree symbol, people would have thought I was going for bellylaughs, with such a belly button sign, and then everyone would have been asking Fordim for a poll to see how many Downers have innies and how many have outies. Come to think of it, do you suppose the first elves had bellybuttons? or Aule's dwarves? or, even, the Ainur?

There, I think I've quite successfully brought this back to a right proper Tolkien topic.

For the first time on the BD I'm totally weirded out... AUGH!!!!!! :p

Okay, I do think that this thread is awesome, but I can't take it. So long!

OH! Before I leave, Bethberry, they are not "innies or outies" they are bellybuttons, or bellyditches.