To What Extent Does Grammar Impact Meaning?

1. To What Extent Does Grammar Impact Meaning? Edward de Vries

2. Perspective • Modern language often uses bad grammar

3. Perspective • Improper grammar gives others a bad impression of you

4. Perspective • Twitter is conducive to bad grammar and spelling

5. Perspective • Texting is conducive to bad grammar and spelling • Proper grammar and spelling would take 5x longer to type

6. They’re There with Their Cat

7. Two, To, Too

8. Punctuations and Hyphens

10. Punctuation Changes Meaning A woman: without her, man is nothing A woman without her man is nothing.

11. Punctuation Changes Meaning In conducting annual self-assessment training, providers should seek help. In conducting annual self-assessment, training providers should seek help.

12. Punctuation Changes Meaning The man dropped the bullet in his mouth. The man dropped, the bullet in his mouth.

13. Punctuation Changes Meaning Watch out – man eating apes! Watch out – man-eating apes!

14. Punctuation Changes Meaning We order merchandise and sell the products. We order, merchandise and sell the products.

15. Punctuation Changes Meaning When I sing well, ladies feel faint. When I sing, well ladies feel faint.

16. Punctuation Changes Meaning You will be required to work twenty four-hour shifts. You will be required to work twenty-four hour shifts. You will be required to work twenty-four-hour shifts.

18. Santa 1 Dear Santa, You really made my year! When I heard you had fallen from your sleigh, I was sad. To see such wonderful gifts lined up under my Christmas tree, my eyes lit up. When I unwrapped your gifts I knew that the spirit of Christmas was still alive. It was terrible hearing about your accident. The best piece of news all year is your safe return. Things yet to come, you say! Christmas is a time to love and share, I disagree with Scrooges. Everywhere Christmas is slowly fading. Thanks for making it so fantastic. Matt

19. Santa 2 Dear Santa, You really made my year when I heard you had fallen from your sleigh! I was sad to see such wonderful gifts lined up under my Christmas tree. My eyes lit up when I unwrapped your gifts. I knew the spirit of Christmas was still alive - it was terrible. Hearing about your accident? The best piece of news all year. Is your safe return a sign of things yet to come? You say Christmas is a time to love and share, I disagree. With Scrooges everywhere, Christmas is slowly fading. Thanks for making it so. Fantastic. • Matt.

20. Mother Dear Mother, In law, there is nothing to make me say thank you, but the quality of your gifts compels me at least to write to tell you how I feel. Thank you so much for the presents! I was expecting nothing more than a token yet, again, you have exceeded even your own incredible standards. It was a shame you had to stay here for such a short time. I thought I might have coped, but it was unbearable seeing you leave. The relief was immense when I heard we might see you again soon. I wanted to end it all by saying goodbye now. I hope I will not have to say it to you again for a long time. If you have the opportunity to spend Christmas elsewhere next year, please do not. Much love Matthew

21. Mother in Law Dear Mother-in-Law, There is nothing to make me say thank you, but the quality of your gifts compels me at least to write to tell you how I feel. Thank you? So much for the presents I was expecting. Nothing more than a token, yet again! You have exceeded even your own incredible standards. It was a shame you had to stay here. For such a short time, I thought I might have coped, but it was unbearable. Seeing you leave, the relief was immense. When I heard we might see you again soon, I wanted to end it all. By saying goodbye now, I hope I will not have to say it to you again for a long time. If you have the opportunity to spend Christmas elsewhere next year, please do. Not much love Matthew

22. Importance of Proper Grammar • “If you think an apostrophe was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus, you will never work for me. If you think a semicolon is a regular colon with an identity crisis, I will not hire you. If you scatter commas into a sentence with all the discrimination of a shotgun, you might make it to the foyer before we politely escort you from the building.” –Kyle Wiens, Digital Publisher • 75% will think less of you; because of bad grammar

23. Google Judges

24. Evolution of Language • Agenda • 1600s: plural of agendum • Now: single list of tasks • Unique • Pre 1800s: one of a kind • Now: singular

25. Summary • Punctuation • Modern Technology • Perceptions