Sliver / Slither

[Captain Spod]

Some time ago I had a rant here about barter vs haggle and it seems that they are broadly interchangeable now (sigh).
HOWEVER Sliver and slither are not the same, they are different parts of speech and are not interchangeable.
GET IT RIGHT, BRITAIN.(Other English-speaking nations are available).
Thanks.

[MarkRae]

> "You like him better than I" is entirely different to "You like him better than me"

Yes it is, but the standard of education in this country is so abysmally low that hardly anyone will be able to comprehend the difference...

[boxtops]

Brilliant thread, captain spod - right up my street. I have given up even trying to explain specific/pacific and sliver/slither, for fear of getting poked in the eye.

Don't get me started on "My husband and myself are...."

[MarkRae]

To say nothing of:

would / could / should / might of
your / you're
there / their / they're

[sandyRoe]

Nobody uses 'shall' in NI. Will go shall go whats the difference?

[MarkRae]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shall_and_will

[craft1948]

I would be amazed if the youth of today even know what a sliver is.

[sandyRoe]

I shall. They will. Thank you Mark Rae. I shall live and learn

[boxtops]

"I would like to to invite you to...." Well, what's stopping you?

[scotman]

I now find it easier on my brain to ignore the rubbish that is spoken and written. Those of us who had something that could be reasonably described as an education are now in the minority. I believe the battle is lost.

[naomi24]

I use 'shall'.

[sandyRoe]

I suppose: Will I compare thee to a summer's day, hasn't got the same ring to it.

[DaisyNonna]

A slither of chocolate cake has just slid down the front of a clean white blouse!

[boxtops]

"Was it yourself what did that", daisy-nonna? ;-)

[jno]

in theory, "I will" means "I want to" and "I shall" means "I am going to" without necessarily wanting to... but that's only in the first person; for the second and third persons, it's the other way round, which is so absurdly complicated it's no wonder nobody knows or cares.

But in theory an accidentally drowning man says "I shall drown, nobody will save me" whereas a suicide says "I will drown, nobody shall save me".

[starone]

I was taught that if I would be using I (singular) in a sentence - I am going to the park - then I would still have to use I if I said - my brother and I are going to the park - but if I was using me - my father is taking me to the park,- then it would have to be my father is taking my brother and me to the park, not my brother and I and this is what I have always followed. Hope it is right Mark.

[naomi24]

Boxtops, don't you mean woz that yourself wot dunnit? Tut! Get it right! :o)

[tiggerblue10]

People don't use the word "may" much these days. Its usually can or could rather than may.

Also my pet hate is "arksed" instead of "asked".

[boxtops]

That is correct, starbuck, in your example. Equally, you wouldn't say "us are going to the park" but you would say "my father took us to the park".

[MarkRae]

Indeed. Even if you're not interested in subjects, verbs and objects, it's easy enough to work out:

You wouldn't say "My father took I to the park", so you obviously can't say "My father took my brother and I to the park".

Similarly, you wouldn't say "Me went to the park", so you obviously can't say "My brother and me went to the park"

[starone]

Yes, but some people would say my father took my brother and I to the park because they think it sounds posher.