"diagramming the obama sentence"

[madrchsod]

interesting article about how obama structures his sentences.


http://www.themillionsblog.com/2009/02/diagramming-obama-sentence.html

from

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/02/17/how-obamas-sentences.html

[zbdent]

1. spellchecker and grammar checking software breathe sighs of relief ...

how many computers crashed trying to decipher what Bush said?

[tanyev]

9. Or Sarah.

:nuke:

[greenman3610]

2. sent this to teacher friends

[patrice]

3. I love sentence diagramming.

People rave on about this kind of learner and that kind of learner these days. Diagramming is a very good way to learn visually what the logic of our language is and, thus, develop an instinct for what is logical in communication and what is not.

[demokatgurrl]

5. I love it too, and still diagram sentences in my head

especially when they are so mangled that I can't figure out what the hell the speaker is saying.

[patrice]

10. Me too. I tried it with highschool seniors several years ago (I know! KINDA late

in the educational process, but that's not MY fault) and they really did LIKE it.

I wish i had the time to play with it now. Creezus Jiste! we have websites for EVERYTHING else, why not one for diagramming sentences?

[DevonRex]

8. That was my favorite part of English classes. This diagram is amazingly

simple and complex at the same time. It would be nice if the pundits would study diagramming before they spout off.

[patrice]

11. That's what is so cool about it; the basic structure is simple and then everything

else is analytic detail on that basic pattern.

[Clio the Leo]

4. Amazing things happen when a child gets out a book and reads....

... one day, he grows up and becomes the President. Not just ANY President, as leadership is often handed out based on superficial reasons, but the type of President that can lead and inspire a nation, even in its most difficult times.

[madmom]

6. This reminds me of a story about my daughter. When she was in jr. hi.

I got called into a conference with her English teacher. She wanted to know if it was ok with me if they pushed her up to honors english. The reason they were asking is because she was having trouble with the rules of grammar. The teacher told me she doesn't know the rule to say the rule but she knows the rule in how to use them, so I can't see making her memorize the "rules".She (daughter) has been a ravenous reader from an early age.

[Buck Laser]

7. That was my experience many years ago...

I thought diagramming sentences was about the least useful thing in the world--unless one lacks a clear understanding of how language works. Those of who think verbally can deduce the grammatical rules, even if we don't know "official" names of the rules. It took me a long time to get over the stupidity of the split infinitive rule and the not endings sentences with prepositions rules, and realize that language is a living entity itself. The "rules" evolve over time, but the logic of the language continues.

That said, I guess a diagram is a pretty good way to demonstrate that a sentence is logically coherent. A better way (if I could manage it) would be to use symbolic logic to demonstrate the coherence of the statement.

[EraOfResponsibility]

12. asshole commenter from one of the links

"there's nothing inspiring about covering up war crimes." Obama does not want to cover up war crimes. :eyes: