Linguistic consistency

[EmilyMiller]

I write dialog, but also epilogue. Epilog seems just weird. I also write catalog and monologue. How can I be sane and use both monologue and dialog? It’s the same fucking idea.

Am I just totally fucked up? Or is this a technology thing?

Please note that any Brits being patronizing will be subjected to scorn and maybe corporal punishment. Or the other way round.

Emily

 

[EmilyMiller]

Then I have so many and varied transatlantic connections, that I sometimes have to think hard about whether its SKEDule or SHEDule.

Emily

 

[SimonDoom]

We're talking about the English language. The last time I checked, consistency was somewhere around number 117 on the list of principles that govern the language. It's probably gone lower since then.

I write "dialogue" with the "ue," and "Epilogue." This is one of the less common cases where the longer version with unnecessary letters is the standard American version.

 

[mildlyaroused]

I would say dropping the "ue" looks wrong in almost all cases, but I'm not a Brit so you can't be scornful

 

[EmilyMiller]

We're talking about the English language. The last time I checked, consistency was somewhere around number 117 on the list of principles that govern the language. It's probably gone lower since then.

I write "dialogue" with the "ue," and "Epilogue." This is one of the less common cases where the longer version with unnecessary letters is the standard American version.

I’m wondering whether I’m polluted by my work with my IT colleagues. I’m not an IT person, but I do a lot of IT adjacent stuff as product owner of one of our systems. Both dialog and catalog come up frequently and are spelled like that.

Emily

 

[StillStunned]

Please note that any Brits being patronizing will be subjected to scorn and maybe corporal punishment. Or the other way round.

This tells me you already know how it should be done.

Serious answer: personally, I'd always go with consistency over "preferred spelling".

 

[Rob_Royale]

This reminds me of a comedian named Gallagher from the 80's. The watermelon smashing guy.
He had whole shows just about the weirdness of the English language.

 

[HectorBidon]

How can I be sane and use both monologue and dialog?

I don't see any conflict whatsoever. An MC has an internal life, but also an external one. If he or she didn't engage in both monologue and dialog it would make for a pretty drab narrative.

I’m not an IT person, but I do a lot of IT adjacent stuff.

I'm not much of an I/T person myself, but I've learned not to cast judgements on other people's kinks. You just do what you need to do.

Best.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Please note that any Brits being patronizing will be subjected to scorn and maybe corporal punishment. Or the other way round.

You Americans are so adorable when you try and be scornful. Just the cutest little thing ever.

 

[SimonDoom]

You Americans are so adorable when you try and be scornful. Just the cutest little thing ever.

Perfidious Albion! You've got me in a mood to throw tea into the ocean.

 

[mildlyaroused]

I'm not much of an I/T person myself, but I've learned not to cast judgements on other people's kinks. You just do what you need to do.

IT = information technology in this instance

"Dialog" without the "ue" is the correct spelling in the context of computers and digital information.

 

[Bamagan]

Wait, you're suggesting dialog (dye a log) and dialogue (dye a log way) are supposed to be pronounced the same ue?

 

[Writer61]

I write dialog, but also epilogue. Epilog seems just weird. I also write catalog and monologue. How can I be sane and use both monologue and dialog? It’s the same fucking idea.

Am I just totally fucked up? Or is this a technology thing?

It's an English is used by billions of people thing + language evolves thing.

Just be consistent with how you spell each word, promulgating rules that don't really exist is unhelpful.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I write dialog, but also epilogue. Epilog seems just weird. I also write catalog and monologue. How can I be sane and use both monologue and dialog? It’s the same fucking idea.

Am I just totally fucked up? Or is this a technology thing?

Please note that any Brits being patronizing will be subjected to scorn and maybe corporal punishment. Or the other way round.

Emily

Promises, promises...

Wouldn't dream of it, poppet.

Being patronising, on the other hand, might be inevitable.

 

[StillStunned]

I prefer to see my input as helpful rather than patronising. You know, noblesse oblige and all that.

One day we'll help you figure out scorn too.

 

[Bamagan]

I prefer to see my input as helpful rather than patronising. You know, noblesse oblige and all that.

One day we'll help you figure out scorn too.

Those are the sad, dry little biscuits (crackers?) you endure while drinking tea, right?

 

[StillStunned]

Those are the sad, dry little biscuits (crackers?) you endure while drinking tea, right?

Excellent attempt! See, you'll get there one day.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Ah, another simple EM question, one inevitably leading to existential pondering and political bunfights… AH has become so much better since she alighted!

As has been noted: (1) It doesn’t matter, and (2) it’s better to be consistent than pedantic.

One koan for our Em: Is the reason that the USA is the only nation which has been able to put men on the moon because NASA spacecraft didn’t have to carry all that excess weight of ‘epilogue’ and ‘dialogue’ vs ‘epilog’ and ‘dialog’?

 

[StillStunned]

One koan for our Em: Is the reason that the USA is the only nation which has been able to put men on the moon because NASA spacecraft didn’t have to carry all that excess weight of ‘epilogue’ and ‘dialogue’ vs ‘epilog’ and ‘dialog’?

Not to mention loguearithms, or the fact that Neil Armstrong didn't have to keep a Captain's Logue.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

A second thought.

English is the new Latin, the one spoken by literally billions. English is the language of Shakespeare, of Milton, of Shaw, of Dylan Thomas.

‘Murcan, on the other hand is the language of washing up liquid ads and Who Killed Roger Rabbit?

The choice for an aspiring author would seem simple.

Let the games begin! Wheeeeee!

 

[Writer61]

English is the new Latin, the one spoken by literally billions. English is the language of Shakespeare, of Milton, of Shaw, of Dylan Thomas.

‘Murcan, on the other hand is the language of washing up liquid ads and Who Killed Roger Rabbit?

Forsooth, I doth not speaketh liketh Shakespeare 'r Milton, but a modern confection. Verily common argot cannot beest setteth in aspic. Such eff'rts art the trifles of knaves and simpletons straining liketh Canute afore the waves.

QV L'Académie Francaise

 

[Bazzle]

Then I have so many and varied transatlantic connections, that I sometimes have to think hard about whether its SKEDule or SHEDule.

Emily

Definitely Shedule

 

[EmilyMiller]

Ah, another simple EM question, one inevitably leading to existential pondering and political bunfights… AH has become so much better since she alighted!

That’s so sweet of you to say

Emily

 

[samhasstories]

Since we're all grammaring, it took me a moment to get past the lack of quotations. Why would the fact that you write epilogues affect the way you write dialogue? Is there dialogue in your epilogues? Are people monologuing whilst dialoguing? That seems rude.

 

[StillStunned]

A second thought.

English is the new Latin, the one spoken by literally billions. English is the language of Shakespeare, of Milton, of Shaw, of Dylan Thomas.

‘Murcan, on the other hand is the language of washing up liquid ads and Who Killed Roger Rabbit?

The choice for an aspiring author would seem simple.

Let the games begin! Wheeeeee!

Loguejam!