start a chat - Printable Version
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start a chat by user27089 on 01-09-2005 at 05:01 PM
This isn't really a bug as such, just a grammatical error...
When you have contacts on desktop and right click, there is an option that says:
Now, in my books, that doesn't make grammatical sense whatsoever, surely it should be:
quote:
Originally posted by woo
Start A conversation..
RE: start a chat by GiantSpider on 01-09-2005 at 05:07 PM
Well if that comes up when you select a certain contact it's right.
RE: start a chat by user27089 on 01-09-2005 at 05:09 PM
no cause its like saying, I'm going over there to start a chat, thats not correct, it would be, I'm going over there to chat... not start a chat, if you're starting it, you're starting a conversation, surely?
RE: start a chat by saralk on 01-09-2005 at 05:14 PM
he's right, it should be Chat with contact, or start a conversation with contact
RE: start a chat by Tochjo on 01-09-2005 at 05:16 PM
The word chat can be used as a noun. I don't see a problem with the current description.
RE: start a chat by user27089 on 01-09-2005 at 05:19 PM
basically
start a chat with someone, you generally have a chat with someone, and you can start to chat with someone, but to say 'start a chat' wouldn't make grammatical sence, whereas, start a conversation, would make sense.
RE: start a chat by Tochjo on 01-09-2005 at 05:20 PM
quote:Yes it would. In that sentence the word 'chat' is used as a noun. This is an acceptable use of the word chat. Chat can be used as a synonym for conversation.
Originally posted by traxor
to say 'start a chat' wouldn't make grammatical sence
RE: start a chat by John Anderton on 01-09-2005 at 05:29 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Tochjo
The word chat can be used as a noun. I don't see a problem with the current description.
Actually what traxor and saralk said are rite.
This is the exact option. I mean one of these should be present.
quote:
Originally posted by saralk
he's right, it should be Chat with contact, or start a conversation with contact
quote:Thats grammatically incorrect !!
Originally posted by Tochjo
This is an acceptable use of the word chat. Chat can be used as a synonym for conversation.
RE: start a chat by Tochjo on 01-09-2005 at 06:26 PM
English is not my native language, but nonetheless I'm quite sure the current phrase is correct. Please explain in further detail why it would be wrong 
RE: start a chat by saralk on 01-09-2005 at 06:45 PM
its a random quirk of the language. No language follows rules exactly, there is always something that happens that no-one can explain. of the top of my head, in French some adjectives follow the noun, and others precede the noun, however there is no justification for it.
RE: start a chat by *Saint* on 01-09-2005 at 06:52 PM
i think conversation is right but will anyone really care
RE: start a chat by user27089 on 01-09-2005 at 06:57 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Saint
i think conversation is right but will anyone really care
If people review it or something, or look throughout it, they may see some grammar errors, and thats not really going to go down very well is it?
RE: start a chat by ayjay on 01-09-2005 at 07:05 PM
It sounds wrong to me, but tbh it isn't really an important problem.
RE: start a chat by saralk on 01-09-2005 at 07:26 PM
after a 1 hour agrument on IRC, me and Tochjo think it should be "Start a conversation with Contact"
RE: start a chat by Tochjo on 01-09-2005 at 07:34 PM
That means I am still not convinced it's wrong, just that changing the text would prevent future arguments and sounds better
RE: start a chat by John Anderton on 01-09-2005 at 07:52 PM
quote:I think it should be "Start a conversation with aContact"
Originally posted by saralk
after a 1 hour agrument on IRC, me and Tochjo think it should be "Start a conversation with Contact"
U missed out a "a" in that. I'm telling since we're talking 'bout grammatical mistakes. I think that "A" should be there
RE: start a chat by andrey on 01-09-2005 at 07:56 PM
quote:
Originally posted by John Anderton
quote:I think it should be "Start a conversation with aContact"
Originally posted by saralk
after a 1 hour agrument on IRC, me and Tochjo think it should be "Start a conversation with Contact"
Err..no.
They are talking about the desktop-contacts. If you right click on a (desktop) contact, "Start a conversation with contact" would be correct because you already selected the one to start the conversation with.
RE: start a chat by ayjay on 01-09-2005 at 08:19 PM
I've been thinking about it for hours, and have decided that start a chat with contact is definately wrong. Start a conversation with Contact sounds a lot better 
RE: start a chat by andrey on 01-09-2005 at 08:25 PM
Yes, "Start a conversation with contact" does definately sound better. MSN Messenger itself uses "Start a conversation with a contact" not "Start a chat with a contact", so it should really be "start a conversation...".
RE: start a chat by TheBlasphemer on 01-10-2005 at 12:03 AM
Hm...
I think chat is more like an action, somehwat like the word talk:
"I talk with blah" "I chat with blah"
And "Start a talk with blah" sounds weird, instead something like "Start talking with/to blah" or "Start chatting with/to blah" sounds better.
Anyway, "a chat" is not an object, and in my eyes not valid.
"a conversation" sounds a lot better to me...