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    Invelos Forums->DVD Profiler: Contribution Discussion Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...12  Previous   Next
Em-dash heads-up (Causing erroneous contributions)
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorDJ Doena
Registered: May 1, 2002
Registered: March 14, 2007
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Germany Posts: 6,741
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Quoting Addicted2DVD:
Quote:
I know I used an en-dash for Jor-El even though it is grammatically incorrect...


Since Jor-El is a dead Kryptonian / a Kryptonian A.I. in an ice castle, I'm not sure if American Grammar applies. 

We know that in Sci-Fi not even the french Captain Picard was able to pronounce his own name properly - let alone his crew. 
Karsten
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 Last edited: by DJ Doena
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorAddicted2DVD
Registered: March 13, 2007
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United States Posts: 17,334
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This is all sorted out... I had some errors in my contributions that where I saw en-dashes... while typing my mind thought grammar... so I typed a small handful wrong without even realizing it... and I didn't get that info clearly from Mikalove's posts... but they are now fixed to match source as they should be (wrong per grammar... but we know how that is).

BTW... I enjoyed the witch episodes! Especially the one where Lana, Lois and Chloe were possessed by witches... those girls were hot in that episode!  Ok... bad joke... hot... burning witches at the stake... I know... terrible!   
Pete
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorsurfeur51
Since July 3, 2003
Registered: March 29, 2007
Reputation: Great Rating
France Posts: 4,479
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Quoting MikaLove:
Quote:
Nor can I be expected to know about or understand "the American way".
I bet France as well "only" has dash and en-dash, yes?

I, too, do not know much about American grammar. But when an American user tells me how to spell correctly in his language, I suppose he is correct. And I would like to see American users suppose I'm correct when I tell how to use correctly e, é ,è or ê... A mutual help for contribution in foreign languages would help the database to be more accurate.
Images from movies
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorStaid S Barr
Registered: Oct 16, 2003
Registered: May 9, 2007
Netherlands Posts: 1,536
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Quoting hal9g:
Quote:
Quoting Addicted2DVD:
Quote:
I know I used an en-dash for Jor-El even though it is grammatically incorrect... because it is about the length of the letter n. so it  is correct.


There is some subjectivity here.  Personally, I would never do this, I'd use a hyphen, but I certainly wouldn't spend more than a nano-second debating over it.

I agree, an em-dash is distinctive, but a hyphen and an en-dash are indistinguishable in many fonts. And in that case, it make sense to follow the grammar rules and use a hyphen to link words, even if the hyphen is as wide as a letter n. Also, outside of overviews, I would not use en-dashes, for example in cast lists and so on.
Hans
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantDr. Killpatient
Here's my card
Registered: May 19, 2007
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United States Posts: 5,917
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Quoting MikaLove:
Quote:
Hyphen is often used, that's why it's so conveniently put on any keyboard: -.

You sure that's not the subtraction sign?
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorSpikyCactus
I have a Gold Star!
Registered: July 16, 2010
Reputation: High Rating
United Kingdom Posts: 526
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Quoting Dr. Killpatient:
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Quoting MikaLove:
Quote:
Hyphen is often used, that's why it's so conveniently put on any keyboard: -.

You sure that's not the subtraction sign?


Oh dear, you're all wrong.    It's clearly a minus sign.    I have a hyphen in my real name, so that makes me an expert on the subject.

Oops, just had to correct my spelling of Hyphen. 
Do you ever find yourself striving for perfection with an almost worthless attempt at it?  Guttermouth "Lemon Water".  Also, I include in my Profiler database VHS tapes, audio DVDs, audio books (digital, cassette and CD), video games (digital, DVD and CD) and 'enhanced' CDs with video tracks on them, as well as films and TV I've bought digitally.  So I'm an anarchist, deal with it.  Just be thankful I don't include most of my records and CDs etc in it too; don't think I haven't been tempted...
 Last edited: by SpikyCactus
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
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Sweden Posts: 4,652
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Quoting Addicted2DVD:
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We have to copy the overview EXACTLY per Rules...

Well, the problem is that the only thing that copies the overview exactly is the backcover scan. There are myriads of things about the overview that just cannot be expressed in mere text.

Bolds and italics can highlight words and make the meaning of a phrase different (although this is seldom how they are used in overviews). So using bold and italics can enhance the comprehension of the overview. The same thing cannot be said for en-dash and em-dash. There is no way that the wrong dash changes the meaning or understanding of a sentence. So why the big hoopla?

This whole "make the overview in Profiler look as close to the overview on the backcover" thing is - in my opinion - just nonsens. (Did anyone have trouble understanding the meaning of the last sentence because I used the 'wrong' dashes? No, I didn't think so.)
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Gunnar
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorTheMadMartian
Alien with an attitude
Registered: March 13, 2007
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Quoting MikaLove:
Quote:
But then, if people aren't taught today about en-dashes and em-dashes, it's another issue.
I don't want to know about the em-dash.
But I myself use my grammatical knowledge for the use of dashes.
Nor can I be expected to know about or understand "the American way".

Nobody is expecting you to know or understand 'the American way'.  The problem is, you want to impose 'the Swedish way' onto an American release.

Your possition is one I just don't understand.  If I owned a Swedish release, and you made changes to it based on the Swedish format, I would defer to your local knowledge because I don't know, or understand, Swedish grammar.  I would never dream of imposing US standards.
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Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand.
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We will teach it to them again.
Though it take a thousand years, we will be free.
- Citizen G'Kar
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorTheMadMartian
Alien with an attitude
Registered: March 13, 2007
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Quoting surfeur51:
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I, too, do not know much about American grammar. But when an American user tells me how to spell correctly in his language, I suppose he is correct. And I would like to see American users suppose I'm correct when I tell how to use correctly e, é ,è or ê... A mutual help for contribution in foreign languages would help the database to be more accurate.

Speaking for myself, I do presume that you are correct when it comes to your language.  Unfortunately, Ken does not allow me to act on that presumption. 
No dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever.
There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom.
Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand.
The Centauri learned this lesson once.
We will teach it to them again.
Though it take a thousand years, we will be free.
- Citizen G'Kar
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar Contributorhal9g
Who is John Galt?
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
United States Posts: 6,635
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Quoting GSyren:
Quote:
There are myriads of things about the overview that just cannot be expressed in mere text.



True enough.

However, hyphens, en-dashes and em-dashes are not among the things "that cannot be expressed in mere text."

Ken added this functionality for a reason.
Hal
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorAddicted2DVD
Registered: March 13, 2007
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exactly. I can't see him specifically added the buttons for them if he didn't mean for us to use them.
Pete
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorBad Father
Registered: July 23, 2001
Registered: March 13, 2007
Posts: 4,596
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Quoting Addicted2DVD:
Quote:
exactly. I can't see him specifically added the buttons for them if he didn't mean for us to use them.


I believe he added them as a convenience and to cut down on all the posts from newbies asking what Alt Codes were needed to add the characters in the overviews .
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorAddicted2DVD
Registered: March 13, 2007
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I don't ever remember seeing a thread where someone asked that... but even if that is the case... then as far as he is concerned they still should be used.
Pete
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorNexus the Sixth
Contributor since 2002
Registered: March 13, 2007
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Quoting Addicted2DVD:
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I don't ever remember seeing a thread where someone asked that... but even if that is the case... then as far as he is concerned they still should be used.


I'm afraid it was me, in this thread
First registered: February 15, 2002
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorAddicted2DVD
Registered: March 13, 2007
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That is cool... but as I said... Ken gave us the buttons... he must want them used or he wouldn't have given us the buttons to do it easier.
Pete
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
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Note that I never said not to use them. I'm just confused as to why you think it's so important to get it right.

As far as I can see, the overview in Profiler serves two functions.
1) The overview on the back scan is not always easily readable, so we get this in textual form for easy reading.
2) It's searchable, which the back scan is not.

In printed text using the correct dashes may have some estetic value. But for the above functions they serve no purpose. So why are they so darn important?
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Gunnar
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