Singular/plural- language decides

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by riverkid

Come on Mike. You've admitted that yours is merely opinion/preference and personal taste? And, by your own admission, you're fine with that.

CGEL
"Some prescriptivist works present rules that have no basis in the way the language is actually used by the majority of its native speakers, and are not even claimed to have any such basis. ...

Prescriptive works instantiating this kind of aesthetic authoritarianism provide no answer to such obvious questions [how language works] They simply assert that grammar dictates things, without supporting their claim from evidence. ...

If what is involved were a matter of taste, all evidence would be beside the point. But under the descriptivist viewpoint, grammar is not a matter of taste, nor of aesthetics.

You've admitted that yours is merely opinion/preference and personal taste? And, by your own admission, you're fine with that.

And I've stated that your views are mere opinions as well. I am also fine with that.

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

[/color]And I've stated that your views are mere opinions as well. I am also fine with that.

A measured response.

"I wrote [in another thread, since closed]: Stamping your feet and repeating the same thing over and over doesn't qualify as proof, Mike."

And I'm afraid that that's all you've done, Mike, in every thread and in every posting. Nowhere, that's not once, have you provided sources to back up anything you've said. Please point me to just one posting where you've provided source material.

Additionally, as soon as things get too difficult for you, you pass or make some excuse about the issue having been covered enough. After having sufficiently distracted everyone enough you raise these same issues in other threads.

It's clear that you've taken this much too personally. You can't even use my name in a posting.

[rewboss]

riverkid, please do not make accusations about people's motives. Such discussions have nothing to do with language and linguistics.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by riverkid

A measured response.

"I wrote [in another thread, since closed]: Stamping your feet and repeating the same thing over and over doesn't qualify as proof, Mike."

And I'm afraid that that's all you've done, Mike, in every thread and in every posting. Nowhere, that's not once, have you provided sources to back up anything you've said. Please point me to just one posting where you've provided source material.

Additionally, as soon as things get too difficult for you, you pass or make some excuse about the issue having been covered enough. After having sufficiently distracted everyone enough you raise these same issues in other threads.

It's clear that you've taken this much too personally. You can't even use my name in a posting.

Yes, it was a measured response.

The evidence is that you are unwilling to produce the same. The issue is not that you make things difficult; the issue is that you make this forum unfriendly. Neither I nor the rest of the staff is willing to tolerate much more of your behavior. You are a very bright person and you are very passionate about your beliefs. I am certain that your command of English is broad enough to make your opinions known without the need for insulting others. I am asking you to use that skill or to take your arguments elsewhere.

Even this was a measured response.

[riverkid]

Watch this video. The important part starts around 1:30 and goes to 2:33

YouTube - The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by riverkid

Watch this video. The important part starts around 1:30 and goes to 2:33

YouTube - The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins

Why?

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

Why?

It's for you to ponder, Mike. That it would have to be explained to you speaks volumes.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by riverkid

It's for you to ponder, Mike. That it would have to be explained to you speaks volumes.

Must I warn you again to keep these discussions civil and on topic?

I am now closing this thread.