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  1. 10-17-2011, 08:58 AM #31
    Greebo
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    Quote Originally Posted by Incognito View Post
    A statement like this is actually self-contradictory. A person either has absolutely no debt, OR a person has debt.
    In this case, this person has debt..their mortgage.
    You would be correct - except for...

    Except | Define Except at Dictionary.com

    The word except, in the same sentence, as in "absolutely no debt, except for their mortgage", translates to "their only debt is their mortgage".

    Now if I had written "This person has absolutely no debt. This person has a mortgage.", that would be self contradictory.

    If you disagree, I suggest you consult with an English Professor before you quibble again. My father was one - I rarely get grammar wrong. (Spelling is another matter altogether.)
    If you could kick in the pants the person responsible for your problems, you wouldn't be able to sit for a month.

    Did you know that a 4 year student paying $20,000/year who finances their education graduates with over $103,000 in debt to start? But a student who works and pays cash and takes 6 years to graduate ends with $6,300 in their pocket! So much for "getting a head start by financing!"

    Greebo    (Nerd Spender): Loving and extremely patiently tolerated husband of ceashels.
     WARNING: Y Chromosome behind the keyboard. Adjust your listening filters appropriately!

    Three     Two mortgages, two one no car loans, one no credit cards, and a partridge in pear tree!
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  2. 10-17-2011, 10:47 AM #32
    Incognito
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greebo View Post
    You would be correct - except for...

    Except | Define Except at Dictionary.com

    The word except, in the same sentence, as in "absolutely no debt, except for their mortgage", translates to "their only debt is their mortgage".

    Now if I had written "This person has absolutely no debt. This person has a mortgage.", that would be self contradictory.

    If you disagree, I suggest you consult with an English Professor before you quibble again. My father was one - I rarely get grammar wrong. (Spelling is another matter altogether.)
    Yes, I am aware of the translation of the word 'except'.
    But it's not about grammar, Greebo; it's about the meaning of the sentence. The implication is that there is no debt, then the statement negates itself.
    Like the statement: "a little bit pregnant".

    I see statements like this from time to time on various forums:
    IE: "We're living entirely off our stockpile this month, ABSOLUTELY NO SPENDING."
    But read further, and they are spending on milk and produce, etc. etc.

    So my point is that it's a misleading statement at best; because the first part is meant to grab the reader with the wonder of it all, but the 2nd part changes that by negating the first statement.
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  3. 10-17-2011, 10:52 AM #33
    Greebo
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    Quote Originally Posted by Incognito View Post
    So my point is that it's a misleading statement at best; because the first part is meant to grab the reader with the wonder of it all, but the 2nd part changes that by negating the first statement.
    Your inference is not my implication.

    Semantically, there is no difference between:
    "Except for their mortgage they had absolutely no debt."
    And
    "They had absolutely no debt, except for their mortgage."

    Secondly - dude, way to miss the freaking point of the post to get bogged down in a completely stupid quibble that, frankly, you're wrong about.
    If you could kick in the pants the person responsible for your problems, you wouldn't be able to sit for a month.

    Did you know that a 4 year student paying $20,000/year who finances their education graduates with over $103,000 in debt to start? But a student who works and pays cash and takes 6 years to graduate ends with $6,300 in their pocket! So much for "getting a head start by financing!"

    Greebo    (Nerd Spender): Loving and extremely patiently tolerated husband of ceashels.
     WARNING: Y Chromosome behind the keyboard. Adjust your listening filters appropriately!

    Three     Two mortgages, two one no car loans, one no credit cards, and a partridge in pear tree!
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  4. 10-17-2011, 11:16 AM #34
    Greebo
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    And just in case supporting reference is really required, here are approximately 136,000 cases of the use of "absolutely nothing except" in assorted English publications:

    http://www.google.com/search?q=%22ab...s:1&lr=lang_en
    If you could kick in the pants the person responsible for your problems, you wouldn't be able to sit for a month.

    Did you know that a 4 year student paying $20,000/year who finances their education graduates with over $103,000 in debt to start? But a student who works and pays cash and takes 6 years to graduate ends with $6,300 in their pocket! So much for "getting a head start by financing!"

    Greebo    (Nerd Spender): Loving and extremely patiently tolerated husband of ceashels.
     WARNING: Y Chromosome behind the keyboard. Adjust your listening filters appropriately!

    Three     Two mortgages, two one no car loans, one no credit cards, and a partridge in pear tree!
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  5. 10-20-2011, 08:38 PM #35
    mndtrp
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greebo View Post
    Your inference is not my implication.
    Fantastic phrase. I intend to start using it myself.
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