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06-22-2007, 11:52 PM
| | Life's like a movie, write your own ending | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: New York, NY | | | "Prom" vs. "The Prom"
Pointless grammar thread.
This has been bothering me since high school.
A friend of mine, whose girlfriend is a high school senior, went to the senior prom with her.
Did they go to the prom or did they go to prom? I have always included the definite article when talking about this event, but lately I'm hearing more and more high school students leave it out.
What are your thoughts about this? |
06-23-2007, 12:01 AM
| | Banned
Endorsing Artist: Red Zone Effects | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli Maniscalco  Pointless grammar thread.
This has been bothering me since high school.
A friend of mine, whose girlfriend is a high school senior, went to the senior prom with her.
Did they go to the prom or did they go to prom? I have always included the definite article when talking about this event, but lately I'm hearing more and more high school students leave it out.
What are your thoughts about this? | In "the prom," "prom" is a noun. It is the name of the event. When using "prom" without the definite article, as part of an infinitive, it is a verb. For example:
"I am going to the prom."
"I am going to prom."
In both examples, "prom" is an abbreviation of "promenade." In the first example, it's just the name of the event, "the promenade." In the second, it is the verb "to promenade."
Both are correct. You can go "to the promenade" or "to promenade." One is where you'll be, the other is what you'll be doing.
There, does that clear things up?
(I explained that REALLY badly - it's 2:00am right now - but I think you get what I mean... At least, I hope so, anyway!) |
06-23-2007, 12:07 AM
| | ...Bluesin' and Funkin' | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada | | | It makes more sense with "the".
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06-23-2007, 12:10 AM
| | Life's like a movie, write your own ending | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: New York, NY | | | Actually, you explained it very well. My next question would be: are the people who use "prom" as a verb aware that they are doing this, or are they thinking it's a noun and that it's okay to omit the definite article? |
06-23-2007, 12:10 AM
| | Banned
Endorsing Artist: Red Zone Effects | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Jazzin' It makes more sense with "the". | Think about it using this alternate example:
"I am going to the dance."
"I am going to dance."
The first says where you're going. The second says what you'll be doing somewhere at sometime. So, yes, it is clearer with the definite article included. |
06-23-2007, 12:12 AM
| | Banned
Endorsing Artist: Red Zone Effects | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli Maniscalco Actually, you explained it very well. My next question would be: are the people who use "prom" as a verb aware that they are doing this, or are they thinking it's a noun and that it's okay to omit the definite article? | Actually, my guess would be that it's a colloquial usage and they aren't aware that they're using a verb. They probably think that they're describing the event, not the activity.
The question that I'd like to ask these people is whether or not what "prom" is short for. I'll bet most don't! |
06-23-2007, 12:14 AM
| | Banned | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Auburn, Washington | | | I never went, so I don't care. |
06-23-2007, 12:15 AM
| | ...Bluesin' and Funkin' | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
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06-23-2007, 12:26 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Manitoba | | | While were asking about grammar... does "Recommend me a bass" work? I always though one had to recomend an object, as in "Recomend a bass to me" Is that way off?
Its not a hijack if the original question is answered... |
06-23-2007, 12:56 AM
| | Banned
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Originally Posted by jucas While were asking about grammar... does "Recommend me a bass" work? I always though one had to recomend an object, as in "Recomend a bass to me" Is that way off?
Its not a hijack if the original question is answered... | Does it work? On a purely communicative level, yes. People understand you're meaning and respond in a way appropriate to your inquiry.
However, it is grammatically incorrect. The verb "to recommend" doesn't take personal pronouns as objects. Therefore, the correct way to write it would be, "Recommend a bass to me." |
06-23-2007, 04:56 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia | | I fink sumtimes people will use words that don'
t
always relate or appear the way i or You would expect so in these cases it'
s
offen good to a little give?!
I believe it's called tolerance. I sure wish something as simple as how people choose to express themselves was an issue in my life.
Fifteen years ago it used to be. 
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06-23-2007, 09:36 AM
|  | A Hard Rockin Lover of GREENBURST Moderator | | Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Where I lay my head is home | | | Either way mine was an aweful expirence that I will never forget !
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06-23-2007, 10:13 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia | | | We don't have a prom here. We have "the school ball".
Mine sucked too. I didn't even bother with a date.
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06-23-2007, 10:37 AM
| | Life's like a movie, write your own ending | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: New York, NY | | | I didn't go to my senior prom, but the year after I graduated, I was hired to play piano for the prom cocktail hour. |
06-23-2007, 10:38 AM
| | A Hard Rockin Lover of GREENBURST Moderator | | Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Where I lay my head is home | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli Maniscalco I didn't go to my senior prom, but the year after I graduated, I was hired to play piano for the prom cocktail hour. | How was the pay ?
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06-23-2007, 10:40 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Make a left at the Taco Bell | | FWIW, I hate when people leave out the "The". Don't know why, but it irritates me.
That'll be all. 
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06-23-2007, 10:48 AM
| | Life's like a movie, write your own ending | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: New York, NY | | Quote:
Originally Posted by MAJOR METAL How was the pay ? | If I remember correctly they paid me $100 for the hour. |
06-23-2007, 10:53 AM
| | A Hard Rockin Lover of GREENBURST Moderator | | Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Where I lay my head is home | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli Maniscalco If I remember correctly they paid me $100 for the hour. | Great !
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06-23-2007, 10:53 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Manitoba | | Quote:
Originally Posted by soulgeezer Does it work? On a purely communicative level, yes. People understand you're meaning and respond in a way appropriate to your inquiry.
However, it is grammatically incorrect. The verb "to recommend" doesn't take personal pronouns as objects. Therefore, the correct way to write it would be, "Recommend a bass to me." | Thats what I thought, thanks. Somehow that use irritates me even though my usual stance on grammar is that if its easily understandable it doesn't matter. |
06-23-2007, 12:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan | | | I finished mine up. It was fun... but not for $150.00 | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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