To settle a debate...

[dogboy24]

Although I am aware that profanity is against the rules, the question I have to ask has some in it, I shall substitute though and hopefully this will not detract.

I have unwittingly stumbled into a debate about a phrase: "Hating is a waste of time, because it requires you to give a damn about things that aren't worth the damns you're giving". Now, I see this as acceptable, but a friend was quite vocal in his opinion. He says that: "Surely it should read "Hating is a waste of time, because it requires you to give a damn about things that are not worth the damns about which you are giving."? Claiming the former sentence is grammatically wrong. Opinions please. Thank you.

[5jj]

"Frankly, my dear" as the hero of a very successful film said, " I don't give a damn".

I think that your friend is being so anal about grammar that they are coming up with something no native speaker would dream of saying.

Just look them straight in the eye and say, "Tomorrow is another day".

[Barb_D]

"... the damns about which you are giving"??

Heck no!

You give a damn about something.
There is something you give a damn about.
That is the something about which you give a damn.
It's not the damn about which you give a damn.

Your friend's version is a bizarre form of circular logic.

I went around something to avoid it.
That is the thing around which I went to avoid.
That is the avoiding around which I went to avoid... that's essentially what your friend's version says.

[dogboy24]

"Frankly, my dear" as the hero of a very successful film said, " I don't give a damn".

I think that your friend is being so anal about grammar that they are coming up with something no native speaker would dream of saying.

Just look them straight in the eye and say, "Tomorrow is another day".

Thank you, this is exactly how I feel about it, sometimes, it's just good to get a second opinion.

[5jj]

pum puum pi pum, pum puum pi PUM.

That film is now over 70 years old and is still .... quite good (BrE)

I know that's off-topic, but I couldn't stop myself.

[dogboy24]

"... the damns about which you are giving"??

Heck no!

You give a damn about something.
There is something you give a damn about.
That is the something about which you give a damn.
It's not the damn about which you give a damn.

Your friend's version is a bizarre form of circular logic.

I went around something to avoid it.
That is the thing around which I went to avoid.
That is the avoiding around which I went to avoid... that's essentially what your friend's version says.

Sincerely, thank you too, now I have the exact reason why he is wrong.

And now I shall take the low road and gloat.

[Barb_D]

And now I shall take the low road and gloat.