Loose vs. Lose is always the worst for me -- after all, they aren't even homophones.
Zoe: Jayne. This is something the Captain has to do for himself. Mal: No! No, it's not!
'War Stories'
Fan Fiction: Writers, Readers, and Enablers
This thread is for fanfic recs, links, and discussion, but not for actual posting of fanfic.
amych - Nov 23, 2003 3:27:37 am PST #6703 of 10000
Now let us crush something soft and watch it fountain blood. That is a girlish thing to want to do, yes?
Beverly - Nov 23, 2003 7:26:03 am PST #6704 of 10000
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.
Shown for shone. Hardly anyone uses that for past tense of shine, so a lot of people aren't really aware of the spelling, and spellcheck okays "shown."
Also, mantel for a hearth, as opposed to a mantle or a cloak. Past tense of cast--broadcast, spellcast, forecast--is cast. Past tense of "bid you stay" or forbid is bade (pronounced "bad") or forbade.
I'm confused now, but some reservoir of luddite is still unwilling to accept "orientate, orientated" rather than "orient, oriented" as a form of "orientation."
P.M. Marc - Nov 23, 2003 9:32:22 am PST #6705 of 10000
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear
Also, mantel for a hearth, as opposed to a mantle or a cloak.
From my work on my fireplace, I can assure you this one is very common. Even on professional sites about mantels.
Nutty - Nov 23, 2003 6:34:27 pm PST #6706 of 10000
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."
I'm confused now, but some reservoir of luddite is still unwilling to accept "orientate, orientated" rather than "orient, oriented" as a form of "orientation."
I think the hugely unnecessary syllable addition thing is primarily British, if my viewings of Mystery! episodes is any guide. I remember on "Second Sight" some cop talking about a "disorientated" witness.
Which is WRONG in this country, and should be in that one too.
Am-Chau Yarkona - Nov 23, 2003 11:19:06 pm PST #6707 of 10000
I bop to Wittgenstein. -- Nutty
"orientate, orientated" rather than "orient, oriented" as a form of "orientation."
"oriented" is just too short. I say "orientated", and that's what I write, unless I have very specific reason (an American character speaking) not to.
Beverly - Nov 24, 2003 6:05:05 am PST #6708 of 10000
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.
But what does orientate mean? Aside from the meaning of "orient", that is? If it's a different word, shouldn't there be a difference in meaning? The extra syllable doesn't give it added power, it just sounds...puffy. To me, anyway. But as I said, luddite.
P.M. Marc - Nov 24, 2003 6:13:10 am PST #6709 of 10000
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear
Common Errors in English lists it as a mistake.
Edit: and MW gives its conception date as mid-1800s.
Katie M - Nov 25, 2003 4:27:46 pm PST #6710 of 10000
I was charmed (albeit somewhat perplexed) by the fannish sensibility of many of the music choices -- it's like the director was trying to vid Canada. --loligo on the Olympic Opening Ceremonies
So the replacement set of Vividcon DVDs *did* arrive. (Yay!) The other set is presumably being watched by an employee of the Yakima Post Office, but whatever. More joy to them.
Anyway, I know some folks on here wished they could've gotten copies, and since the people who put the set together said it would be all right I wanted to offer to burn some off if anyone's interested. The e-mail address in my profile should be good - just drop me your snail address.
Connie Neil - Nov 25, 2003 7:07:18 pm PST #6711 of 10000
brillig
Just got the nicest review on ff.net for No Going Back.
I only wish more people would express their appreciation -but I fear the more mature the writing the less vocal the FB. Pity,that.
It's correctly spelled, it grammatical, and it likes me. Happy sigh.
§ ita § - Nov 26, 2003 5:18:18 pm PST #6712 of 10000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
I have a question about limited third person POV. Or about fanfic in general.
This article on fanfic peeves says:
Most fan fiction is written in limited third person -- this means that the story keeps a tight focus on the viewpoint character. This is a good thing, generally; it makes it easy for the reader to feel close to that character. But there are things you can't do with limited third.
If Blair is our viewpoint character, you can say
"Blair looked up into Jim's adoring face"
(though it's so sweet I wish you wouldn't...)
but you can't say
"Blair raised his incredibly beautiful azure eyes to Jim's adoring face."
Is most fanfic really written in ltd 3rd? Because, apart from the retch factor, I doubt the latter sentence would have yanked me out of the moment (though I probably should wonder why I'm reading Sentinel fic at that point). But I'm hypothesising with a faulty memory, and maybe the sampling of fic I read isn't characteristic at all.
Or I'm a sloppy reader.