I would have gone with "she" rather than "her" in the last panel, but no biggie.
You're right. "Not it, her" makes it sound like he was supposed to say "And her just runs the show," which is obviously wrong. I expect better from a Scripturion like Jerry!
Sorry, English isn't my first language but why is it "not it, her", instead of "not it, she" in the last panel? It would seem replacing "it" by "her" in the previous sentence "And it just runs the show" would make an incorrect sentence. Is there a joke I'm missing? Is it a commonly accepted rule? Is it a mistake?
Okay that's actually legit. It flew by me unnoticed though so I guess when intent is understood we just slap on an OK and that's that. Good catch.
I think that I'd look at it this way. "The ship is not an it, the ship is a her." It would be strange to say "the ship is a she," because in that sentence, the pronoun is in the objective case, as the object of the verb to be. Either way should be correct as to grammatical construction and meaning.
Actually, this is the one case where that is incorrect. The objective case is not used when the verb is a stative verb (i.e., "to be"). In this case, "her" is not actually an object, it is a predicate nominative, and should therefore be in the subjective case. As goofy as it sounds to us, "It is I" or "This is he" are correct and "It's me" and "This is him" are incorrect.
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GRMikeThe Last Best Hope for HumanityThe God Pod Registered Userregular
CambiataCommander ShepardThe likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered Userregular
From Jerry's newspost I learned that the online Merriam-Webster dictionary requires a subscription of some sort. So I did a define: search on Google instead. God help me if Google ever starts requiring a subscription.
"If you divide the whole world into just enemies and friends, you'll end up destroying everything" --Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
Seems like a weird place to scene shift. I think this would have worked better with the original long panel format from the preview. Cut up from the jail into the nightsky, then to the ship, etc.
Now it's just kind of jarring and awkward. I knew the comic had sci fi elements but yikes what a confusing way to introduce that.
And yeah, it should be 'she', not 'her', but like @Wyborn said: you can forgive this kind of thing in dialogue.
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Warlock82Never pet a burning dogRegistered Userregular
From Jerry's newspost I learned that the online Merriam-Webster dictionary requires a subscription of some sort. So I did a define: search on Google instead. God help me if Google ever starts requiring a subscription.
From Jerry's newspost I learned that the online Merriam-Webster dictionary requires a subscription of some sort. So I did a define: search on Google instead. God help me if Google ever starts requiring a subscription.
From Jerry's newspost I learned that the online Merriam-Webster dictionary requires a subscription of some sort. So I did a define: search on Google instead. God help me if Google ever starts requiring a subscription.
I think that I'd look at it this way. "The ship is not an it, the ship is a her." It would be strange to say "the ship is a she," because in that sentence, the pronoun is in the objective case, as the object of the verb to be. Either way should be correct as to grammatical construction and meaning.
Actually, this is the one case where that is incorrect. The objective case is not used when the verb is a stative verb (i.e., "to be"). In this case, "her" is not actually an object, it is a predicate nominative, and should therefore be in the subjective case. As goofy as it sounds to us, "It is I" or "This is he" are correct and "It's me" and "This is him" are incorrect.
Oh hooray, prescriptivism.
Nope. If it were "The ship is she," you'd be right (or at least, in conformance with the most commonly accepted standards of formal English). The use of a in there, as in "The ship is a she/her," indicates the use of a particular colloquialism that puts she or her in the mention sense, instead of the use sense, so either makes sense.
In any case, an argument can be made for either here, so it's pointless to argue that the authors made a mistake. The fact that the characters are humans, and not robots, is kind of a key component of the comic.
you're = you are
your = belonging to you
their = belonging to them
there = not here
they're = they are
as far as the grammar goes it's somewhat ambiguous because two people are talking to each other. "Her just runs the show" is obviously incorrect, but the rules of subject agreement don't necessarily need to be followed when writing dialogue.
this is the kind of thing that would sound much more natural if spoken, rather than read. When you read it the immediate disconnect between forms is jarring, but if you say it to yourself without reading it seems much more natural.
it was the smallest on the list but
Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
In a conversation, one party doesn't necessarily stop to consider how his/her use of pronouns would fit into a previously uttered sentence, and the sentence in the last panel is more natural, as a standalone sentence.
This post was sponsored by Tom Cruise.
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MichaelLCIn what furnace was thy brain?ChicagoRegistered Userregular
Do you guys think Tycho reads Iain M. Banks? This dialogue could almost been pulled from a Culture novel (except for the reference to sleep during travel). The ship is even reminiscent of a Mind GSV.
Not to sound like a complete noob... but is this based on something? a game? your original IP? Because now I'm lost... and usually when you lose me... it's because of a reference I'm not familiar with.
I think that I'd look at it this way. "The ship is not an it, the ship is a her." It would be strange to say "the ship is a she," because in that sentence, the pronoun is in the objective case, as the object of the verb to be. Either way should be correct as to grammatical construction and meaning.
No joke in that panel that I know of, it's dramatic foreshadowing. Panels 2 and 3 would be the funny ones. They've done some in-depth research to manage their PR. :P
Her correction is actually incorrect. She's replacing the pronoun he used with "her". Now go back and read the guy's sentence aloud using "her" instead of "it". EPIC FAIL usage. Now read it again using "she". Correct usage.
I think that I'd look at it this way. "The ship is not an it, the ship is a her." It would be strange to say "the ship is a she," because in that sentence, the pronoun is in the objective case, as the object of the verb to be. Either way should be correct as to grammatical construction and meaning.
No joke in that panel that I know of, it's dramatic foreshadowing. Panels 2 and 3 would be the funny ones. They've done some in-depth research to manage their PR. :P
Her correction is actually incorrect. She's replacing the pronoun he used with "her". Now go back and read the guy's sentence aloud using "her" instead of "it". EPIC FAIL usage. Now read it again using "she". Correct usage.
They may have moved things around. I wonder if it was originally an interjection in panel 1
"ship flies itself..." "Not it. Her."
Do you guys think Tycho reads Iain M. Banks? This dialogue could almost been pulled from a Culture novel (except for the reference to sleep during travel). The ship is even reminiscent of a Mind GSV.
This is the first thing that came to my mind too. I'm trying to remember which of his novels has this exact conversation. Oh well, looking forward to the rest of this story!
I think that I'd look at it this way. "The ship is not an it, the ship is a her." It would be strange to say "the ship is a she," because in that sentence, the pronoun is in the objective case, as the object of the verb to be. Either way should be correct as to grammatical construction and meaning.
No joke in that panel that I know of, it's dramatic foreshadowing. Panels 2 and 3 would be the funny ones. They've done some in-depth research to manage their PR. :P
Her correction is actually incorrect. She's replacing the pronoun he used with "her". Now go back and read the guy's sentence aloud using "her" instead of "it". EPIC FAIL usage. Now read it again using "she". Correct usage.
You would have a point if they were robots.
you're = you are
your = belonging to you
their = belonging to them
there = not here
they're = they are
Seems like a weird place to scene shift. I think this would have worked better with the original long panel format from the preview. Cut up from the jail into the nightsky, then to the ship, etc.
Now it's just kind of jarring and awkward. I knew the comic had sci fi elements but yikes what a confusing way to introduce that.
And yeah, it should be 'she', not 'her', but like @Wyborn said: you can forgive this kind of thing in dialogue.
One of the PA books has original artwork and write up about sand, as already mentioned the ship crashes and creates a line of robot jesuses to annoy the locals. I suspect this panel has jumped back in time, though I really like your idea for the transition.
Hell, I'm one of the few people that really enjoyed Cowboys vs. Aliens, but the sudden context switch was a tad jarring. Now that I know it's not some kind of mistake, I'm genuinely looking forward to how they tie this together.
And it's a long standing tradition to refer to ships as female (perhaps since Roman times), even without AI. ST:TNG touched on the gender issue with Data having to correct Pulaski that she should refer to him as "he" and not "it". But that raises the question: was his gender identity inherent to his ego, or was it because he was "fully functional"? In the case of the ship's AI in Sand, I would imagine that the female form was chosen because it is easier for humans to anthropomorphize her considering she is designed to be "maternal". It's easier to be OK with being mothered by an AI if you perceive it as female.
EDIT: Probably should have posted this in the new thread for today.
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You're right. "Not it, her" makes it sound like he was supposed to say "And her just runs the show," which is obviously wrong. I expect better from a Scripturion like Jerry!
Okay that's actually legit. It flew by me unnoticed though so I guess when intent is understood we just slap on an OK and that's that. Good catch.
Really, they could totally fix that grammar error.
Actually, this is the one case where that is incorrect. The objective case is not used when the verb is a stative verb (i.e., "to be"). In this case, "her" is not actually an object, it is a predicate nominative, and should therefore be in the subjective case. As goofy as it sounds to us, "It is I" or "This is he" are correct and "It's me" and "This is him" are incorrect.
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Now it's just kind of jarring and awkward. I knew the comic had sci fi elements but yikes what a confusing way to introduce that.
And yeah, it should be 'she', not 'her', but like @Wyborn said: you can forgive this kind of thing in dialogue.
http://www.dictionary.com always works in a pinch :P
I actually tried that before google, but apparently dictionary.com doesn't have 10 dollar words like “frutescent” and “scripturient.”
Well sure, you're not expecting to get 10 dollar words for free, are you?
Lexagon?
your = belonging to you
their = belonging to them
there = not here
they're = they are
this is the kind of thing that would sound much more natural if spoken, rather than read. When you read it the immediate disconnect between forms is jarring, but if you say it to yourself without reading it seems much more natural.
Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
No, Gabe drew this one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_types_(The_Culture)
Spiral Knights : Caliburn
Her correction is actually incorrect. She's replacing the pronoun he used with "her". Now go back and read the guy's sentence aloud using "her" instead of "it". EPIC FAIL usage. Now read it again using "she". Correct usage.
They may have moved things around. I wonder if it was originally an interjection in panel 1
"ship flies itself..." "Not it. Her."
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
This is the first thing that came to my mind too. I'm trying to remember which of his novels has this exact conversation. Oh well, looking forward to the rest of this story!
You would have a point if they were robots.
your = belonging to you
their = belonging to them
there = not here
they're = they are
One of the PA books has original artwork and write up about sand, as already mentioned the ship crashes and creates a line of robot jesuses to annoy the locals. I suspect this panel has jumped back in time, though I really like your idea for the transition.
And it's a long standing tradition to refer to ships as female (perhaps since Roman times), even without AI. ST:TNG touched on the gender issue with Data having to correct Pulaski that she should refer to him as "he" and not "it". But that raises the question: was his gender identity inherent to his ego, or was it because he was "fully functional"? In the case of the ship's AI in Sand, I would imagine that the female form was chosen because it is easier for humans to anthropomorphize her considering she is designed to be "maternal". It's easier to be OK with being mothered by an AI if you perceive it as female.
EDIT: Probably should have posted this in the new thread for today.