(no subject)

[vicarz]

Oh no! My god...I forgot to check psychotronic and missed their showing of slaughterhouse 5! Damn damn damn I suck. Damn.

Be warned however, while I'm so-so on this week's venture of "The pack" (when pets go bad), Wednesday, September 17th has Kung fu from Beyond the Grave! It's hard to explain this fantastic film which involves Black Magic, animated corpses, people pissing their pants, and hopping Chinese zombies, but that's just about what it's about. Throw in some bad dubbing, some kung fu with Count Dracula and you've got one crazy mother-truckin movie.
I...I'll be out of town. Why can't I coordinate my suckage properly? Please go to see this, and think of me while you cackle.

Dear grammar nazis:
Am I right about my use of Assure, ensure, and the expanding Insure?
My familiarity is this: To prepare for the coming hurricane, I nailed plywood to the outside of the window frames to ENSURE that flying debris would not damage the panes. Now that I have done so, I am ASSURED that the glass will not be broken. However, if I'm wrong it's ok because I INSURED the property against storm damage with State Farm.

Comments

grammar nazi

[joanarkham.livejournal.com]

That was perfect.

Re: grammar nazi

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Then why is everyone starting to use I instead of E? I swear I've seen this in published articles. Yeesh.

Can we call it a typo, like the to too two their they're issue? Does anyone care?

Re: grammar nazi

[joanarkham.livejournal.com]

I think it might be one of those things that is technically correct either way, but the preferred usage is "ensure" unless you are talking about actual insurance.

Re: grammar nazi

[peregrin8.livejournal.com]

AP distinguishes between the two, but some other sources deem them interchangeable.

Language mutates. Soon, "segue" will be officially spelled "segway."

Re: grammar nazi

[railwaymadness]

Soon, "segue" will be officially spelled "segway."

Stab stab stab.
I know, it's a living thing and I need to just get over it. But ... stab stab stabbity stab!

Re: grammar nazi

[peregrin8.livejournal.com]

It is a living thing that I spend 40 hours a week trying to taxidermically preserve.

[beatnikbetty.livejournal.com]

your grammar iz currekt

[lightbringer23.livejournal.com]

Right on the nosey.

[grymnir.livejournal.com]

Just to extend the point:
[quote]
insure
Verb
[-suring, -sured]
1. to guarantee or protect (against risk or loss)
2. (often foll. by against)to issue (a person) with an insurance policy or take out an insurance policy (on): the players were insured against accidents
3. Chiefly US same as ensure
insurable adj
insurability n

Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006
[/quote]

So, yes, "insure" can mean specifically to insure something, but the connotation of "to guarantee" is in line with ENSURE, however the "to protect" is not necessarily, so it is a small degree of precision in connotation that makes the difference. You are, in your example, wholly correct.

[pastor-saturn.livejournal.com]

You got it! Mr. Semicolon and I approve.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_blackjack_/]

That's not grammar; it's usage.

[detroitos.livejournal.com]

nothing like a creamy drink of chocolaty ensure

[lilu22.livejournal.com]

Oh my the funny.

[djpsyche.livejournal.com]

In the UK they refer to a product called "life assurance". Wow, that's something I want, a product that assures me I'm not going to die!

They also offer "cashback". Everyone seems to do it. CASH BACK IS TWO WORDS!

Yes, even the English aren't very good at English.

[futuriza.livejournal.com]

I would have said - 'Now I can be assured..that the zombies cant get in'
And be re-assured by your neighbour that they didnt see a man in your bushes.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Insurance categorizes zombies as acts of god and as such does not provide coverage for their damages.