LOG IN / REGISTER



Threaded Order Chronological Order

re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes"
Last Edit: StanS 05:40 pm EDT 04/10/21
Posted by: StanS 05:33 pm EDT 04/10/21
In reply to: re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes" - Michael_Portantiere 11:00 pm EDT 04/06/21

I've been away so this might be too late to be seen, but ...

My basic point which you either miss or don't agree with is that poetic license allows even a noted professor of speech to make grammatical mistakes IN A LYRIC (not dialogue) as long as the line makes the effect it's supposed to make. Grammar just doesn't matter.

Sorry, but your version of the line is not as good as Lerner's. "I'd be equally as willing" just sounds better than "I would equally be willing" and "than" makes a better effect than "as". I don't give a rat's ass that yours is more grammatically correct. My guess is that Lerner probably thought of your version and other more correct versions, but just knew his was better.

For lyrics, effect trumps correctness, even for professors of speech.
reply to this message


re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes"
Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 12:09 am EDT 04/11/21
In reply to: re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes" - StanS 05:33 pm EDT 04/10/21

***My basic point which you either miss or don't agree with is that poetic license allows even a noted professor of speech to make grammatical mistakes IN A LYRIC (not dialogue) as long as the line makes the effect it's supposed to make. Grammar just doesn't matter.***

Yes, I do disagree strongly with that point, and I can't imagine why you would feel that grammatical errors would be acceptable in a lyric due to "poetic license," but not in dialogue. I can't wrap my head around that distinction -- and I have never known anyone but you try to make it.

***Sorry, but your version of the line is not as good as Lerner's. "I'd be equally as willing" just sounds better than "I would equally be willing" and "than" makes a better effect than "as". I don't give a rat's ass that yours is more grammatically correct. My guess is that Lerner probably thought of your version and other more correct versions, but just knew his was better.****

I'm pretty sure Lerner's version "sounds better" to you than mine because you've gotten used to it over a period of (I'm guessing) several decades. At any rate, when you start to make statements like "'than' makes a better effect than 'as,'" I know there's no point in continuing this discussion.

As to your "rat's ass"phrasing, I'll restrain myself and simply quote Auntie Mame: "How vivid......"
reply to this message


re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes"
Posted by: StanS 11:45 pm EDT 04/11/21
In reply to: re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes" - Michael_Portantiere 12:09 am EDT 04/11/21

You're absolutely right: there's no point continuing.
reply to this message | reply to first message


re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes"
Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 01:16 pm EDT 04/12/21
In reply to: re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes" - StanS 11:45 pm EDT 04/11/21

Right, no point continuing to argue with anyone who feels that "equally.....than," which is glaringly incorrect, "makes a better effect" than "equally.....as," which is correct.
reply to this message | reply to first message


re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes"
Posted by: StanS 02:43 pm EDT 04/12/21
In reply to: re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes" - Michael_Portantiere 01:16 pm EDT 04/12/21

Right, no point arguing with anyone who feels that grammatical correctness is necessary for effect.

Are we in a battle to see who gets the last word before this thread goes off the board?
reply to this message | reply to first message


I'll take the last word
Posted by: Ann 03:01 pm EDT 04/12/21
In reply to: re: Higgins' grammatical "mistakes" - StanS 02:43 pm EDT 04/12/21

Please.
reply to this message | reply to first message


Privacy Policy


Time to render: 0.016950 seconds.