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Thursday, July 14, 2011

So I challenged my friend, “Name a ‘rule’!”

“Of course we have rules,” my friend told me.
“Uh-uh,” I shook my head. “A real rule does not have exceptions.”
“What about: ‘I before E except after... ’ oh yeah! Now I get it!”

7 comments:

Bettyjane said...

"Exceptions prove the rule" is what I learned in school. If that's so, the i-before-e is a RULE!!!

The Grammar Anarchist said...

If you say so, BJ, and you make my point! Would you dare exceptions to the rules of mah-jong? Guess they aren't rules then.

Bettyjane said...

Game rules are different.

The Grammar Anarchist said...

Language in this country is a game. And since we can't agree on which rules are to be followed and which to be ignored, we writers have to decide for ourselves, won't we! Drag out that Style Book, Betts, and get back to writing.

Anonymous said...

A whole bunch of words don’t fit into either this “rule” or the noted exception. Memorize this sentence and you’ll remember these peculiar words: seize the weird counterfeit heights with a sleight of hand. (I read this somewhere.)

Bettyjane said...

I think I’ll stick to my rule!

The Grammar Anarchist said...

Thought of two more words that challenge the “E before I”. How about “either” and “neither”?