It is very unpleasant to access this listerv only to find petulant 
jibes at other
subscribers.  As I know very little about how such listservs function, 
I have
no idea how to establish a protocol of politeness and civility.  At 
the end of
the day I think that is more important than the sort of exchange below 
and
the smug superiority it displays.

tj



On Friday 12/24/2010 at 9:13 am, Brad Johnston   wrote:
>
>
>
> From: Eduard Hanganu <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Fri, December 24, 2010 7:49:52 AM
> Subject: Re: Despain, Mastering the Challenge
>
> >> Brad,
>
>
>
> >> I know what the past perfect is,
>
> Fine. Let's see it.
>
> >> and I understand its value on the time axis.
>
>
> Fine. Let's see it.
>
> >> I use it in a couple of languages
>
> You haven't yet demonstrated it in English
>
> >> I can also define it,
>
>
> Fine. Let's see it.
>
> >> but what difference would it make to you?
>
> Lots, Eduard. You think I have nothing better to do than grapple with 
> a defensive grammarian? Hardly.
>
> >> You are not a believer.
>
> I believe in the obvious results of a 10-year inquiry into the nature 
> and extent of the misuse of 'had' in contemporary English.
>
> >> I am not peevish.
>
> Resipsa Loquitur.
>
> >> I am just tired of your endless repetitions of the same ignorant 
> affirmations on the tenses in English.
>
> If you're tired, hit the 'delete' button. I'll miss you. You're 
> interesting and good fun until you get peevish.
>
> >> You need to do a little reading before you can make some relevant 
> conversation.
>
> I have read more than you will ever read on the subject.
>
> >> Quirk and Comrie's books are not diversions from the topic. They 
> contain information that might improve your understanding of the 
> English tenses.
>
>
> Fine. Let's see it ... or direct me to page numbers or sections. I 
> stand by "Quirk won't help you."
>
> >> Happy Holidays!
>
> >> Eduard
>
> "No offense intended"
>
> .brad.24dec10.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Brad Johnston <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Thursday, December 23, 2010 20:29
> Subject: Re: Despain, Mastering the Challenge
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> > Eduard is peevish because I asked him, after a number of
> > pleasant and
> > interesting exchanges, to define the past perfect. He can't do
> > it. He doesn't
> > know what it is. That makes him cross. (If you can do
> > it, Eduard, do it. Don't
> > rant at me. Just do it.)
> >
> > I then asked him to ask each person in one of his classes to
> > send me a
> > definition, without him explaining what it is. I don't want to
> > read 30
> > variations on what he tells them. Make it open book. Let them
> > look it up if they
> > want.
> >
> > He won't do that either, so he sends out a  spleen-gram, and he
> > drops Quirk's
> > name as a smoke screen but Quirk won't help him. How's that for
> > a definitive
> > statement? Quirk won't help.
> >
> > Please prove me wrong, Eduard. Maybe the others will help you.
> > Who has Quirk
> > handy?
> >
> > .brad.23dec10.
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Eduard Hanganu <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: Wed, December 22, 2010 7:41:35 AM
> > Subject: Re: Bruce Despain, Mastering the Challenge
> >
> >
> > Brad,
> >
> > This is my example:
> >
> > "I HAD BEEN READING [ Past Perfect Tense Progressive Aspect]
> > your rumblings for
> > too long before I DECIDED  [ Absolute Simple Past Tense ]
> > that they were not
> > worth my time."
> >
> > This  is a proper use of the Progressive Past Perfect Tense
> > (Aspect) and of the
> > (Absolute) Simple Past Tense on the time axis. See Quirk et al.
> > in "A
> > Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language," and Comrie in
> > "Aspect."
> >
> >
> >
> > Eduard
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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