Date:         Tue, 12 Jun 2001 07:31:22 -0700
Reply-To:     Bill N <freeholder@STARBAND.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bill N <freeholder@STARBAND.NET>
Subject:      Re: Apostrophes & spelling & Vanagon differences.
Comments: To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

As we all know, there are quite a few differences between Vanagon models
sold in different countries.  For example, I think all sold in the USA were
FI, but some sold in other countries had carbs.

Grammar discussions assume that everyone in the discussion speaks the same
language, as granmmar rules differ from language to language.  We have list
members from several countries where "English" is spoken, but the language
spoken in these various countries is not the same one.  Similar, but not the
same.  Compare the use of the word "fanny" in England and the USA.  We
should keep these differences in mind when people from several countries
begin arguing grammar.  In addition, there is often disagreement about
correct usage even within one country, which is why newspapers and
publishers use style books, and they don't all use the same one, either.

Another use of the apostrophe is to indicate a phonetic stop or click,
particularly when rendering a word from another language into English.

So, does your Vanagon run on gas, or does it use petrol?  Do you clean your
parts in kerosene, or do you use parrafin?

Bill