May
28
2012
Is there a space before a question mark?
In English, there is no space between the last word of a sentence and the question mark.
Thus, you will write:
How are you?
The rules differ from one language to another that’s why translators are constantly careful when translating. In French or in Portuguese, it is required to add a space between the last word of a question and the question mark. So, in French you will write:
Comment allez-vous ?
In Portuguese, you can write:
Foi brilhante !
This rule is applied with the exclamation mark as well.
By STAR Translation Services
May
10
2012
“Its” or “It’s”?
The dreaded contraction! Whilst it looks hard this is a relatively simple question to answer.
It’s
It’s is the contraction of it is or it has.
Example:
It is always a pleasure to help you.
It’s always a pleasure to help you.
Its
“Its” is the possessive form.
Example:
John is ready to help the company grow its business.
I find the best way to ensure you are using the correct one is to expand “it’s” to “it is” and read it out loud. If it sounds correct you are correct. Its it sounds wrong use the other one.
What grammar question would you love to ask us?
By STAR Translation Services
May
08
2012
STAR’s Monday Question : Is it “Data” or “Datum”?
Data comes from Latin. It used to be considered as a collective singular noun. In formal documents for scientific or scholarly writing data is mostly used as a plural and datum is the singular form. When you choose one or the other check that the nouns and verbs tally with the selected form.
Yet, for non-scientific use data is nowadays commonly used as a singular noun. So it is acceptable to write a sentence like: “STAR’s Translation’s data was available on its website”.
Definition
“data n, pl. 1 Facts on which a decision is to be based. 2 Facts to be processed by computer.
datum n. (pl. data) item of data”
Reference: Oxford Quick Reference Dictionary and Thesaurus – Oxford University Press
In addition, here are a few more words whose the plural form don’t ends in -s.
Plural >>>>>>>Singular
Bacteria Bacterium
Dice Die
Formulae Formula
Graffiti Graffito
Candelabra Candelabrum
Data Datum
Media Medium
Opera Opius
Paparazzi Paparazzo
Men Man
Women Woman
By STAR Translation Services
May
02
2012
“Between You and I” or “Between You and Me”?
Do you still struggle to decide which is correct between “Between you and I” or “Between you and me”?
Between you and me is the most grammatically correct one. In this preposition, the pronouns “you” and “I” are objects of the preposition so this is the reason why the correct phrase is “between you and me”.
Nevertheless it is alright to say “Between you and I” as it is appallingly common.
Source: Garner, The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style
By STAR Translation Services
