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this post actually is inspired by all of the various Hogwash® entires I've seen, and then taking a closer look at various online dictionary styles. that is, definitions are given variously as:
a) A phrase with capitalization and punctuation. (OED, AHD)
b) a phrase, not capitalized, but punctuated. (compact Oxford, Cambridge)
c) a phrase with neither caps nor punctuation (M-W)
two questions then:
1) do you favor a particular style?
2) in the past, I've tried to "normalize" entries, generally by using c) for all; do you think this matters, or is a waste of energy? (i.e., should they all be left as submitted?)
-joe (stylin' and profilin') friday
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Carpal Tunnel
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I think the idea of normalizing entries is a good one, for the obvious reason -- yet I know it's a royal pain. HTH.
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Carpal Tunnel
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But, but--wouldn't that negate some peoples' creativity? Since (obviously) dictionaries do it differently, I feel like ours should be, too. But I'll go with majority rule.
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old hand
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old hand
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Carpal Tunnel
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I have a little trouble seeing how having a capitalaization and punctuation style sheet could negate anyone's creativity. Personally I find some offered definitions so far beyond the pale of dictionary style as to make me reject them entirely, but I suppose one could pull a definition off of, say, Urban Dictionary and have a legitimate yet very poorly formed definition as a result.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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We've also had misspellings in previous games -- a dead giveaway if there ever was one. Maybe we can resolve this by leaving the choice up to each individual Hogmaster/mistress.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Urban Dictionary and... legitimate
hmmm.. must be some standard of legitimacy with which I'm unfamiliar.
-joe (I suppose one shouldn't) friday
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Carpal Tunnel
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Well, I wouldn't accept a definition from UD that had 3 thumbs up and 746 thumbs down.
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old hand
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old hand
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Part of the fun is seeing 'obviously' fake definitions, especially when they are witticisms framed to give people a laugh rather than aimed at winning the round. Perhaps hogmasters could suggest spelling corrections to submitters, but I don't see why everything should have to sound as though it came out of OED or Webster. I say leave them as untouched as possible, with Common Sense as the final arbiter.
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Carpal Tunnel
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I agree - part of the deception can be in trying to make a real definition look so homespun that it couldn't possibly be the real one, now could it...
Spelling and grammar ought to be accurate and consistent, particularly if you want to sound Authentic. Internal consistency is all that should be required, though.
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