RCD tripping - bit different this one

[EFLImpudence]

This is the trouble with using one company's name for a particular item.

All the companies make multimeters (I have two Flukes) so it doesn't have to be a particular item because it is a Megger.

A Megger multimeter is just a multimeter; it is also a Megger but not what is meant by 'to Megger something'.

I know this is obvious but it seems to have confused some.

I only ever Fluke circuits when working and to tidy up I never hoover, only henry.

 

[securespark]

It's a good job they don't have one called Roger...

"I've finished your job and I'm just going to Roger your carpet before I go, Madam..."

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi,

Just come back from holiday,

Came. You're describing an event in the past. Came.

before I go I like to turn off the non essential circuits. When I come to put them back on again

Came. You're describing an event in the past. Came.

the main RCD trips

Tripped. You're describing an event in the past. Tripped.

when I turn on the circuit for the 1st floor sockets.

Turned. You're describing an event in the past. Turned.

 

[Ant2110]

Many thanks for your English lesson... I was posting a topic on this forum in the hope of receiving useful and relevant advice regarding the issues I was having with my electrics, as opposed to my use of English! While I am grateful to you for highlighting my colloquial language choices, choices I felt appropriate for a DIY forum (yes DIY forum, not English Language and Linguistics forum), I can only apologise if it offended you. Do you have anything relevant to add?? Or should I assume your large volumes of posts are a reflection of the time you spend reading other's posts in order for you to 'correct' their grammar?

As my wife, who is an English graduate herself, assures me, the best thing about our language is the diversity; regional dialects make it what is it, and we should not judge people's language use when it is simply reflecting their roots...

 

[securespark]

Ban

I came back

or

I have come back

In Ant's case, "Just come back" is fine. Imagine he has omitted the preceding words "I have..."

English is, as Ant says, ever evolving and there are instances where words can be omitted from sentences without losing or confusing the meaning, or creating gobbledegook.

For example, instead of saying "I have just come back from holiday", you could say "just back from holiday".

As for the rest, you are making something entirely out of nothing.

"When I come to do blah, the RCD trips when I turn...."

There is no grammatical conflict there.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ban

I came back

or

I have come back

In Ant's case, "Just come back" is fine. Imagine he has omitted the preceding words "I have..."

But he should not be omitting those words, and it is not fine without them.

English is, as Ant says, ever evolving and there are instances where words can be omitted from sentences without losing or confusing the meaning, or creating gobbledegook.

That's not the point. What is the point is the one of doing it properly, and not using the wrong tenses, not leaving words out, and so on.

Contrast "The dog ate my homework" with "The dog eats my homework". The former describes a single, or at least a particular event, the latter describes an ongoing situation of the dog always eating the homework.

That's why the language has different tenses.

For example, instead of saying "I have just come back from holiday", you could say "just back from holiday".

Not in the context of written communications here.

As for the rest, you are making something entirely out of nothing.

"When I come to do blah, the RCD trips when I turn...."

There is no grammatical conflict there.

Wrong.

What this sentence is describing:

When I come to put them back on again the main RCD trips when I turn on the circuit for the 1st floor sockets.

Is a persistent or long-term situation of the RCD always tripping whenever he comes back from holiday and turns the 1st floor socket circuit on. What it most assuredly does not describe is a new problem of the RCD tripping when it had been fine before he went away.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I think the problem is more of syntax than tense.

"(When) I come to put them back on again" is just very poor.

Whether he comes, goes, came or went is irrelevant and back on again is implying it was not the first time.

Although we all know what was meant, arguing about the tense of words which are not even needed is pointless.



I always cringe when radio traffic reporters state a road is back open.
We know what is meant but it is actually nonsense.

 

[securespark]

But he should not be omitting those words, and it is not fine without them.

It is perfectly acceptable. You have no reasonable grammatical explanation why it would not be.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Would you omit words in that way in a written job application, or in an English Language exam?

 

[JohnW2]

Would you omit words in that way in a written job application, or in an English Language exam?

In which of those two categories does contribution to a DIY discussion forum belong?

Kind Regards, John

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Oh dear - bad examples. Asking a question on an internet forum is NOT a job interview or an exam.


Bad use of English is annoying, I agree, but does not usually warrant a gratuitous rude post in response. Most people are more polite than that. Once they make you boss of this forum, you can do what you like. Till then, expect people to take exception to your rudeness.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Oh dear - bad examples.

On the contrary - very good examples

Asking a question on an internet forum is NOT a job interview or an exam.

It's written, and it is not a quote of what someone actually said, nor is it dialogue for a character in a work of fiction. The rules for grammar and spelling and punctuation etc. are the formal ones.

Bad use of English is annoying, I agree, but does not usually warrant a gratuitous rude post in response. Most people are more polite than that. Once they make you boss of this forum, you can do what you like. Till then, expect people to take exception to your rudeness.

I wasn't rude.

 

[JohnW2]

The sad thing is that Ant2110 came to this forum for the very first time to ask an electrical question, and I rather doubt that the forum will ever see him again. Worse, it's clearly not by any means a unique occurrence, and I cannot help but wonder how many 'newbies' have been frightened off, from just this forum or the whole of DIYnot, by similar unwarranted non-welcoming (not to mention rude) treatment.

I also rather doubt that when, in the real world, BAS is introduced to someone for the first time, he starts to criticise their use of English in the very first words he speaks to them. Sitting in front of a keyboard and screen seems to do some very funny things to some people.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

I wasn't rude.

I don't know what world you live in but I'm sure that when the very first words you say (or write) to someone when you have just 'met them' consist of criticisms of their use of English, that would be regarded as extremely rude by the vast majority of normal people.

You are damaging this forum.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I don't know what world you live in

A rational one.

but I'm sure that when the very first words you say (or write) to someone when you have just 'met them' consist of criticisms of their use of English, that would be regarded as extremely rude by the vast majority of normal people.

Please look at the words I wrote and tell me which ones were rude.

You are damaging this forum.

Don't be ridiculous.