Grammar Discussions

[JessicaTam]

I tried to get my head around the underlined text to come up with a meaning but failed.



For the sake of my sanity I had to look it up - Mercury is 58 million km from the sun and Earth is 150 million.

It is one of those nonsense statements. They should have said "half as close" as Earth is twice as close.

A bit like "crime has been reduced by 200%" :shock:

 

[sergeyvzn]

And the Sun should really start with a capital S as this is a star name we are referring to - like Sirius or Vega. If it's the sun - it's that object in the sky we see looking up as opposed to a space object like a star or a planet. Just being pedantic -

 

[JessicaTam]

And the Sun should really start with a capital S as this is a star name we are referring to - like Sirius or Vega. If it's the sun - it's that object in the sky we see looking up as opposed to a space object like a star or a planet. Just being pedantic -

Pedantic - you have come to the right thread!

 

[cove]

Jessica I was quite gruntled with your latest comment.

 

[andye]

What a couth comment

 

[medhead]

It is one of those nonsense statements. They should have said "half as close" as Earth is twice as close.

A bit like "crime has been reduced by 200%" :shock:

Should've been "less than" as well. I'm not sure about using close either, perhaps "less than half the distance"

 

[Warks]

So is "ten times less" actually one-tenth? I've never really understood that statement.

 

[medhead]

So is "ten times less" actually one-tenth? I've never really understood that statement.

That's probably what they mean. But no, numerically 10 times less would be -900% in my book. Depending on the context.

 

[Deleted member]

I wonder when this thread will get around to pointing out the fact that the new millennium was celebrated a year early

 

[medhead]

I wonder when this thread will get around to pointing out the fact that the new millennium was celebrated a year early

I mentioned that at least 4 years ago on AFF. But inability to count, innumeracy, is hardly a grammar issue.

Before anyone gets started let me point out that there is no year Zero. The years started counting at 1, a millennia is 1000 years not 999 years.

 

[andye]

I mentioned that at least 4 years ago on AFF. But inability to count, innumeracy, is hardly a grammar issue.

An apposite pedantic point

 

[cove]

I will back you up 102%.

 

[Deleted member]

In a recent survey 64% of respondents can't read , 22% can't write, and 39% can't count!!

 

[Spongbob]

In a different survey 83% of respondents indicated they don't want to be just another statistic.

 

[wooley]

They've done studies you know. 60% of the time, it works every time.

 

[Warks]

I mentioned that at least 4 years ago on AFF. But inability to count, innumeracy, is hardly a grammar issue.

Before anyone gets started let me point out that there is no year Zero. The years started counting at 1, a millennia is 1000 years not 999 years.

You did that deliberately, didn't you?

 

[medhead]

You did that deliberately, didn't you?

I can't claim to be that clever. Especially since I can't see what I did deliberately. Joh gave me the best education money could buy.

 

[andye]

Millennium (s) Millennia (pl)

 

[Major]

Did you know "listen" and "silent" use the same letters?

Do you know that the words "race car" spelled backwards still spells "race car"?

And that "eat" is the only word that if you take the first letter and move it
to the last, it spells it's past tense "ate"?

 

[cove]

I am now onboard with this thread 105%.
Our Tower Hamlets mayor has really gone. Thank goodness for his departure.
Headline in wharf.co.uk says Verdict brings end to the NIGHTMAYOR. Canary Wharf will have a new election on June11th