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ShowMe
5th May 2007, 09:05 AM
This weeks commentary contains the phrase:

"Tina cheating by surreptitiously pulling over a table lamp while she thought she was not being unobserved"

wouldn't "not being unobserved" = "being observed?"

I'm not usually a stickler for grammar but this one kind of jumped out at me.

Moochie
5th May 2007, 09:56 AM
This weeks commentary contains the phrase:

"Tina cheating by surreptitiously pulling over a table lamp while she thought she was not being unobserved"

wouldn't "not being unobserved" = "being observed?"

I'm not usually a stickler for grammar but this one kind of jumped out at me.

Yep. Hastily written and not proofread, I reckon.

M.

BillyJoe
6th May 2007, 03:44 PM
Yeah, I agree, he simply failed to have it poofread.

Moochie
7th May 2007, 12:33 PM
Yeah, I agree, he simply failed to have it poofread.

I just finished proofreeding a 102-page maniscript and can't be botherd doing any more.

M.

Tumblehome
7th May 2007, 11:47 PM
This weeks commentary contains the phrase:

"Tina cheating by surreptitiously pulling over a table lamp while she thought she was not being unobserved"

wouldn't "not being unobserved" = "being observed?"

I'm not usually a stickler for grammar but this one kind of jumped out at me.


If she thought she was not being observed, why the need to be surrepetitious? So, she must have thought she was being observed, or "not being unobserved".

I know that isn't what was meant, I'm just picking the nit again.

Moochie
8th May 2007, 12:00 PM
If she thought she was not being observed, why the need to be surrepetitious? So, she must have thought she was being observed, or "not being unobserved".

I know that isn't what was meant, I'm just picking the nit again.


I see a scab beginning to form.

M.

Tumblehome
10th May 2007, 08:53 PM
Must not think of scab, must not think of scab, must not think of not being unobserved...Damn!

BillyJoe
10th May 2007, 10:41 PM
Phrase 1:
"Tina cheating by surreptitiously pulling over a table lamp while she thought she was not being unobserved"

Phrase 2:
"Tina cheating by surreptitiously pulling over a table lamp while she thought she was not being observed"

Phrase 3:
"Tina cheating by surreptitiously pulling over a table lamp while she thought she was being observed"


Tumblehome,

If you are correct, there is a double error in the commentary.
Phrase 1 was used but Phrase 2 was meant: ERROR 1
Phrase 2 is actully incorrect, it should have been Phrase 3: ERROR 2

I like it!

Tumblehome
11th May 2007, 08:35 PM
I like it!


Don't you mean, "There's no way I didn't not dislike it?" :D

(My apologies for poking gentle fun at Randi. I know he's very busy and these little faux pas will happen, but this one isn't not fun to play with.)

rjh01
12th May 2007, 02:40 AM
Don't you mean, "There's no way I didn't not dislike it?" :D

(My apologies for poking gentle fun at Randi. I know he's very busy and these little faux pas will happen, but this one isn't not fun to play with.)

A quadruple negative. A rare thing.

Soapy Sam
12th May 2007, 05:32 AM
It's a classic word processor error.
The writer starts to write
"...while unobserved"
decides to change to
" ...while not observed"
and ends with a garbled hybrid.

I demand a return to pen and parchment.

BillyJoe
12th May 2007, 06:03 AM
Ah, you guys. You are always making excuses for him.

rjh01
12th May 2007, 04:39 PM
Of course. What do you think this is, an open forum? He owns this forum so we should be pro Randi. Or at least the vast majority will be.

BillyJoe
12th May 2007, 06:52 PM
No doubt, you are good apostle, rjh01.