# Quick, get 'em now! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 2, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115 "2006-01-02T21:21:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/41 "2006-01-03T02:21:38Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Pish-tosh, my good fellow. Such frivolous quibbles over mundane technicalities are mere pettifoggery and beneath the notice of such staggering intellects. Me Harborwolf. You Jane? ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/42 "2006-01-03T02:24:30Z")
> [@drmark2000](#): > > Either form is acceptable. But you wouldn’t know that. Either form of what? GDs or GD’s? They are \*equally \*acceptable, in that both are wrong, but I suspect that’s not what you meant. The original word you are attempting to shorten to an acronym is Great Debates. Accepted usage for creating acronyms is to use the first letter of each word in a capitalized noun phrase. Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share becomes MPSIMS (an unpronounceable delight). Great Debates becomes… GD. **GD’s** means “that which belongs to GD” assuming that you are using the apostrophe in the standard literate fashion. The secondary possible use would be using the apostrophe to indicate elision of the “ebate” portion of “Great Debates.” Feel free to claim that as your intent – it’s at least technically correct, but any competent editor will fix it for you. I know your Internet persona is based on seeming highly educated, but please stick to your balloon animal schtick and leave English to those who use it correctly. ---
**Author:** ![drmark2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@drmark2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drmark2000)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/43 "2006-01-03T02:32:27Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Pish-tosh, my good fellow. Such frivolous quibbles over mundane technicalities are mere pettifoggery and beneath the notice of such staggering intellects. When you use big words, you must do so without pretense! You must demonstrate that you not only understanding the _meaning_ of the word, but also its apppropriate _use._ You choose words of little significance to the accomplished, bombastic circumlocutor. The words are obvious, and placed as they are, belying of a pedestrian intellect, at least as far as sarcasm is concerned. Work harder, and you’ll get there. I’ll put my money on it. ---
**Author:** ![drmark2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@drmark2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drmark2000)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/44 "2006-01-03T02:39:06Z")
> [@drmark2000](#): > > When you use big words, you must do so without pretense! You must demonstrate that you not only understanding the _meaning_ of the word, but also its apppropriate _use._ > > You choose words of little significance to the accomplished, bombastic circumlocutor. The words are obvious, and placed as they are, belying of a pedestrian intellect, at least as far as sarcasm is concerned. > > Work harder, and you’ll get there. I’ll put my money on it. Alright, I misspelled “appropriate.“ Sue me. ---
**Author:** ![drmark2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@drmark2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drmark2000)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/45 "2006-01-03T02:47:27Z")
> [@Brainiac4](#): > > Either form of what? GDs or GD’s? They are \*equally \*acceptable, in that both are wrong, but I suspect that’s not what you meant. > > The original word you are attempting to shorten to an acronym is Great Debates. Accepted usage for creating acronyms is to use the first letter of each word in a capitalized noun phrase. Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share becomes MPSIMS (an unpronounceable delight). Great Debates becomes… GD. > > **GD’s** means “that which belongs to GD” assuming that you are using the apostrophe in the standard literate fashion. The secondary possible use would be using the apostrophe to indicate elision of the “ebate” portion of “Great Debates.” Feel free to claim that as your intent – it’s at least technically correct, but any competent editor will fix it for you. > > I know your Internet persona is based on seeming highly educated, but please stick to your balloon animal schtick and leave English to those who use it correctly. My misunderstanding. I thought you were referring to my use of the apostrophe in **Aeschenise’s** , not in GD’s. So typical. I picked out the non-error, while you were harping on a still more trivial matter. I love you guys! ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/46 "2006-01-03T02:52:20Z")
> [@drmark2000](#): > > My misunderstanding. I thought you were referring to my use of the apostrophe in **Aeschenise’s** , not in GD’s. So typical. I picked out the non-error, while you were harping on a still more trivial matter. I love you guys! Kinda hard to miss it since he quoted exactly what he was referring to in his post. _GD’s_ 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/47 "2006-01-03T02:53:03Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > From now on, everything I read from **drmark2000** will be in the voice of Randy “Macho Man” Savage. Really? I keep getting Marvin. “Here I am, brain the size of a planet…” ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/48 "2006-01-03T02:57:32Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Really? I keep getting Marvin. > > “Here I am, brain the size of a planet…” Nah. With this whole “ultimate deconstruction” thing, he’s more Marvin the Martian. “Where’s the kaboom? There was supposed to be a board shattering kaboom.” ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/49 "2006-01-03T02:59:00Z")
> [@drmark2000](#): > > When you use big words, you must do so without pretense! You must demonstrate that you not only understanding the _meaning_ of the word, but also its apppropriate _use._ > > You choose words of little significance to the accomplished, bombastic circumlocutor. The words are obvious, and placed as they are, belying of a pedestrian intellect, at least as far as sarcasm is concerned. > > Work harder, and you’ll get there. I’ll put my money on it. In other words, you got nothin’. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/50 "2006-01-03T03:00:06Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > Me Harborwolf. You Jane? Not exactly, but in the ballpark. Would you care for a banana? ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/51 "2006-01-03T03:02:07Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Not exactly, but in the ballpark. > > Would you care for a banana? Silly girl. You can’t play baseball with a banana. You’ll slip on the way to first base. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/52 "2006-01-03T03:04:51Z")
> [@drmark2000](#): > > My misunderstanding. I thought you were referring to my use of the apostrophe in **Aeschenise’s** , not in GD’s. So typical. I picked out the non-error, while you were harping on a still more trivial matter. I love you guys! I was “harping” on your often-repeated improper usage. I ignored the probable typo. Why is the repeated error more trivial? And as \*\*Harborworlf \*\*already asked, how could you _possibly_ miss what I referring to, as the only 4 characters of your craptacular post that I quoted were exactly the ones in question? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/53 "2006-01-03T03:06:32Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > Silly girl. You can’t play baseball with a banana. You’ll slip on the way to first base. But you might hit a home run if you’d ditch the “Jane” schtick and address me as [Josephine.](http://www.redhotjazz.com/bakerfb.html)\* \*Might not be work-safe despite its historical significance. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/54 "2006-01-03T03:07:44Z")
> [@Brainiac4](#): > > And as \*\*Harborworlf \*\*already asked, how could you _possibly_ miss what I referring to, as the only 4 characters of your craptacular post that I quoted were exactly the ones in question? He’s so smart he saw right through your ploy. You were out thought at a canter. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/55 "2006-01-03T03:15:40Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > But you might hit a home run if you’d ditch the “Jane” schtick and address me as [Josephine.](http://www.redhotjazz.com/bakerfb.html)\* > > \*Might not be work-safe despite its historical significance. My that is an a_peel_ing costume. Or if you prefer… In that outfit, you wouldn’t slip on the way to first base, but you’re bound to slip on the way to home plate. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/56 "2006-01-03T03:22:04Z")
So, **Harborwolf** , think you’re got enough on the ball to make swing with one high and inside? 😛 :: Grooving to the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ “Tuff Enough” :: ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/57 "2006-01-03T03:24:29Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > So, **Harborwolf** , think you’re got enough on the ball to make swing with one high and inside? 😛 > :: Grooving to the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ “Tuff Enough” :: Are you kidding? I’ve got so much on the ball that I had to get a second to share the load. ---
**Author:** ![drmark2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@drmark2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drmark2000)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/58 "2006-01-03T03:42:10Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > He’s so smart he saw right through your ploy. You were out thought at a canter. Canter. You had to look the word up, didn’t you. Not that that’s a bad thing. It’s just that I _know_ you had to look the word up. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/59 "2006-01-03T03:47:45Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > He’s so smart he saw right through your ploy. You were out thought at a canter. I’d be more inclined to call it piaffe. ---
**Author:** ![drmark2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@drmark2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drmark2000)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115/60 "2006-01-03T03:55:51Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > I’d be more inclined to call it piaffe. Good one! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-get-em-now/338115.md?page=4)