[anupmathur]

'could' is better. 'can' will also do, I think. And a 'the' before the 'results' would be more appropriate.
There's a typo in line 2: 're-phrase', not repharse.
Anyone else? Please feel free to post.

[Sam Kapasi]

It would be a very brave waiter that would try to correct a guest at a restaurant.

@ Surprise - I think what you are trying to say is this:

Please include a poll option, so that the results can be viewed easily.

Sometimes the easiest way to say something is overlooked.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

It would be a very brave waiter that would try to correct a guest at a restaurant.

They very much exist, you don't have to go to a French restaurant for that. I had mentioned in this very thread how a waiter mis-corrected my pronunciation from Gimlet to Jimlet.

Before you jump on me for the word mis-corrected, remember how President Bush misunderestimated.

[Thad E Ginathom]

GW Bush can't even speak American English!

If we listened to him we wouldn't have that ugly word upgradation in Indian English: we'd have upgradifying, ugradationings, upgradatification...

[Sam Kapasi]

A common mistake that I've noticed occurs on the forum.

Of course, these are 3 entirely different words with 3 entirely different sets of meanings.

Descent: (Pronounced disent)

Descent is the act of moving downward. Like the opposite of climbing up stairs.

He smiled, said farewell and began his descent to the ground floor.

The verb is Descend. To descend.

The plane descended to 1000m.
In another curious example, the verb is also used for inanimate objects.
The steps descended straight into the water.

Descent also signifies family and cultural lineage. For example:
Yes he is an Indian, but of English descent.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Decent: (Pronounced deesent)

A good, acceptable or appropriate action or product.

Example:
She comes from a very decent family.

Superman's mum to Superman: Supie, please wear something decent, your red underwear can be seen.

The question: Are you decent?
The phrase: I am not decent.
This does not mean "Are you from a good family?" lol.

This question means "Are you dressed appropriately"
You would ask this question, for example, while knocking and intending to enter madame's room.
Or if you are in your room and cannot come out - instead of saying something uncouth like "Arrey wait OK, I am in my chudds!" you should say "Please wait, I am not decent."

Strangely while decent means appropriate - it is also used to signify pretty good. The food was pretty decent.
He is a very decent chap. A Rs.10,000 raise is very decent.

------------------------------------------------------------

Dissent: Pronounced as it is written.

To have an opinion against or to say something or to disagree with what is going on.

For example:
5 citizens expressed their dissent at the new law, stating that one could only type with alternating fingers on Mondays and greying chest hair on Fridays. Deeply affected by this law were the women, who had neither alternating fingers, nor chest hair - grey or otherwise.

The dissenting members threatened to leave and dance naked outside the parliament with blue and red Bobby pins stuck in their genitals, singing Himmesh Reshammiya songs out of key while digging their noses with alternate fingers on the very next Friday.
The government was on it's last teetering stance with this threat. The Mayor could take no more. The dissent had had its effect. The law was revoked immediately. A letter of apology was issued to the chest hairs of the general public and 14 mildly decaying apples were hung round the portrait of the minister for many weeks.

There was no more dissent after this.

As you can see, I haven't written in a while and it's getting to me

[DCEite]

gun·point (gŭn'point') pronunciation
n.

The point of a gun.

Given the above definition of 'gunpoint', why is this sentence right.
He held me at gunpoint.

And this is wrong:
He held the gunpoint at me.

?

[Sam Kapasi]

I do not know where you got that definition from. But I say it is incorrect. Gunpoint is not the point of a gun.

Gunpoint is not a noun!

In fact gunpoint is never used without at.

At gunpoint is the state of being, when you are faced with a gun and are threatened with losing your life, in order to do something, mostly against your will. This too is rarely used without the corresponding verb - to hold.
Therefore: She held her boyfriend at gunpoint and asked him to kiss her. Typical usage.

Held at gunpoint, he had no choice but to kiss her hairy lips.

Now here's 2 options - Thad?

It is only at gunpoint that any man would bring himself to do this despicable act. OR
It is only if held at gunpoint that any man would bring himself to do this despicable act.
Both sound usable to me, but I will wait for thad's comments, as I cannot make my mind up.


Now given my explanation DCEite, your first usage he held me at gunpoint is correct.

[v1p3r]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

The government was on it's last teetering stance with this threat.

Losing our touch, are we? Tsk tsk(1979).

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

your red underwear can be seen.

I am not decent.

"Arrey wait OK, I am in my chudds!"

dance naked outside the parliament with blue and red Bobby pins stuck in their genitals

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

he had no choice but to kiss her hairy lips.

A peek into the dark and mysterious mind of the Yeti.

ps. it's bobby, not Bobby, unless your sister is Simple, not simple.

[Sam Kapasi]

Right on both counts C3PO. Indeed you are wise and most annoying.

[v1p3r]

Naw, I don't scan intentionally, I'm just overly critical and these things jump out at me. I believe in the trade, they're called elephants.

Anyway, don't mean to steal your thunder. Really informative thread, and hopefully sometime before the turn of the decade, we will definately have less offencive grammer.

I bow to you, O Yeti Supreme.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Example:
She comes from a very decent family.

Superman's mum to Superman: Supie, please wear something decent, your red underwear can be seen.


For example:
5 citizens expressed their dissent at the new law, stating that one could only type with alternating fingers on Mondays and greying chest hair on Fridays. Deeply affected by this law were the women, who had neither alternating fingers, nor chest hair - grey or otherwise.

The dissenting members threatened to leave and dance naked outside the parliament with blue and red Bobby pins stuck in their genitals, singing Himmesh Reshammiya songs out of key while digging their noses with alternate fingers on the very next Friday.
The government was on it's last teetering stance with this threat. The Mayor could take no more. The dissent had had its effect. The law was revoked immediately. A letter of apology was issued to the chest hairs of the general public and 14 mildly decaying apples were hung round the portrait of the minister for many weeks.

These examples alone can be lifted from here & compiled into a book of humour.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I think I'd have to be held at gunpoint before I'd accept it, but my friend says her dictionary says that a person can be under gunpoint!

To paraphrase the definition (hey, its already five whole minutes since she read it to me), it is the threat of being shot. It is not any part of the gun itself

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by v1p3r

... we will definately have less offencive grammer.

Are those three words deliberately put in as a test or something?

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Right on both counts C3PO. Indeed you are wise and most annoying.

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Are those three words deliberately put in as a test or something?

What do you think anup? Take a wild guess, lol.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

GW Bush can't even speak American English!

And which language might that be?

As George Mikes observed in one of his books:
"Two hundred years ago, it was decided that English would be the official language of the United States of America.
It is not known, however, why this decision was never implemented".