Community Chat

[Susan in California]

@WenGirl42,  Absolutely agree--an English major myself as well.

[MacDUFF]

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@Isobel Archer

@WenGirl42

@Zita

@Mindy D

And a few others...

Thank you!  For a second there I started doubting myself!

[Desertdi]

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@Daisy wrote:

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@Brinklii wrote:

Being a cautious mother, I said, "Do you not think that you should put the lighter fluid on first and then light the charcoal?"

My DIL (who is actually very sweet and was an English major) corrected me by saying that my question should have been, "Do not you think that you should put the lighter fluid on first...?"

She was probably "joking" with you because of what you had said.

You had said - Do you not think you should...

Most people would have said - Don't you think you should...

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I would have said......"doncha think"...............

[KALLIE]

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@Brinklii wrote:

OK, here is a question for you. We got into a discussion about this at a BBQ the other night. My son was going to light the charcoal and then throw the lighter fluid on.

Being a cautious mother, I said, "Do you not think that you should put the lighter fluid on first and then light the charcoal?"

My DIL (who is actually very sweet and was an English major) corrected me by saying that my question should have been, "Do not you think that you should put the lighter fluid on first...?"

My husband chimed in with, "Don't you think you should put the lighter fluid on first works for me."

My DIL said, "That's exactly why, 'Do not you think' is correct. Do not stands for don't."

About that time, I was wishing I had kept my mouth shut.

Just curious...which way would you have phrased the question? Thanks!

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Your DIL is WRONG, and your husband is correct.

[sunshine45]

i am going with the husband on this. who knew a bbq could be so controversial. LOL

next i will go ask my english major daughter (with honors in her major and a magna ****** laude) which one SHE would have said.

[jackiejenny]

WenGirl42 is correct. I had a REALLY tough English teacher who still lives in my head! 

[shoekitty]

I say, just light the darn charcoal!  I like chicken and scampi

[ECBG]

The DIL was being rude to even say something like this.

As for the question, I would have said "The fire can go into your container.  The lighter fluid goes on, then light the coals.

When I was six years old, with blonde hair all the way down my back, I added gasoline to my dad's smouldering grill fire where he planned to cook for company on the patio.  The fire went into the glass bottle and exploded in my hands. The flames went up and my parents looked down from the picture window in their bedroom where they were dressing.  

 Some of my hair was singed and I had a burned finger.  The guests held me all night and fed me cheese crackers!

[qualitygal]

Pennsylvania Dutch do, I think. Use to hear it when much younger.