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cover of episode What’s wrong with ‘"'til"? Why tiny words control conversations. How many cookies?

What’s wrong with ‘"'til"? Why tiny words control conversations. How many cookies?

2025/3/25
logo of podcast Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
A
Allison Nguyen
B
Bob Holmes
C
Carl Borchdel
K
Katie West
M
Mark Dingemans
M
Martina Wilczko
M
Mignon Fogarty
Topics
Mignon Fogarty: 我经常收到人们关于 'until'、'till' 和 ''til'' 用法的疑问。'till' 和 'until' 在指一段时间后发生某事时可以互换使用，但大多数风格指南不推荐使用带撇号的 ''til''，为避免争议，最好使用 'until'。'till' 作为介词、连词、动词和名词，词源各不相同。 Bob Holmes: 日常对话中有很多语气词，它们看似无关紧要，但实际上很重要。它们可以调节对话流程，协商相互理解，是人工智能难以掌握的语言核心部分。许多语气词用于调节对话流程，例如，'um' 或 'ah' 表示说话者即将暂停但尚未结束，'huh' 或 'what' 表示沟通失败。'mm-hmm' 等语气词是 'continuars'，表示倾听者正在关注，说话者应该继续。不同语言的 'continuars' 表达方式不同。不同的语气词可以传递略微不同的信号。语气词对对话很重要，缺乏它们会影响对话的质量。语气词有助于协商对话规则，例如，'wow' 表示鼓励继续，'uh-huh' 表示不感兴趣。语气词有助于建立共同基础，确定对话参与者对彼此知识的理解。许多语言都使用语气词来进行类似的协商，正确使用语气词是流利掌握第二语言的关键。语气词可以反映说话人的想法，并可能为人际关系提供洞察。语言存在是因为我们需要相互交流，语气词不仅促进对话，也使语言能够谈论语言本身。如果没有简单的语气词，我们可能就不会有复杂的语言。 Mark Dingemans: 语气词对复杂语言的产生至关重要，语气词的出现频率很高，它们在调节对话流程中起作用，'huh' 等语气词在世界各地的语言中普遍存在，因为它简单易发。 Carl Borchdel: 不同语言的 'continuars' 表达方式不同，例如瑞典语手语中使用 'yes' 作为 'continuars'。 Allison Nguyen: 不同的语气词可以传递略微不同的信号，例如，'mm-hmm' 表示继续解释当前步骤，'well, yeah' 或 'okay' 表示可以进入下一步。语气词对于相互理解和对话至关重要。 Martina Wilczko: 语气词有助于协商对话规则，英语中主要依靠语气词来完成对“我告诉你一些你不知道的事情”和“我告诉你一些我认为你已经知道的事情”的区分。'eh' 等语气词可以表明说话者知道自己并没有完全回答对方的问题。许多语言都使用语气词来进行类似的协商，正确使用语气词是流利掌握第二语言的关键，人工智能难以很好地使用语气词，这可以用来区分人和机器。语气词可以反映说话人的想法，并可能为人际关系提供洞察。 Katie West: 'mer' 和 'how many cookies?' 是我和朋友之间特有的表达方式，'oh, pure cheer, cry, cry' 是我和家人之间特有的表达方式。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the grammatical nuances of "until," "till," and "'til." It clarifies their usage, addresses common misconceptions, and offers guidance on choosing the most appropriate word to avoid any confusion or controversy.
  • 'Till' is etymologically incorrect and should be avoided.
  • Until and till are largely interchangeable, with 'until' often preferred for formality.
  • The various meanings and origins of "till" as a preposition, conjunction, verb, and noun are discussed.

Shownotes Transcript

  1. Think "'til" is a valid alternative to "until"? Think again! We learn about the difference between "till" and "until" and why many style guides frown on "'til." Then, we uncover the hidden power of interjections—words like "um," "huh," and "mm-hmm"—and how they help us negotiate meaning, keep conversations flowing, and even challenge artificial intelligence.

The "interjections" segment was written by Bob Holmes, a science writer living in Edmonton, Canada and who until recently, had no idea how often he uses interjections. 

The piece originally appeared in Knowable Magazine, a digital publication dedicated to making scientific knowledge accessible to all. And they've produced a special standalone episode of their podcast about interjections, so if you want to learn more, check that out too. 

You can find their podcast and explore new articles at knowablemagazine.org).

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