I've created something like that a while ago: http://wappr.com
p/s: looking to sell it. anyone interested?
I need a software that ....
31–40 of 59 posts
Re: I need a software that ....
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
On the other hand, frequency defines correct grammar eventually, doesn't it? If enough South Asians use that phrasing consistently, you can't argue it's bad grammar in that context. Personally I find 'a software' and 'softwares' extremely annoying.
No doubt. I'm not trying to be some irksome grammarian making a fusty point about dangling prepositions here. In current written English 'a software' is simply bad. This could change, but we're nowhere close to the point where it has. For all we know 'your welcome' might be just fine in another century. Right now, though, it's simply bad writing.
My point was that it is hard to say when something is 'simply bad' in the sprawling and multifarious carnival that is the English language.
I vaguely recollect from reading the blog Language Hat that modern linguists sometimes decide which variant of a class (for instance, 'software' vs 'a software' vs 'softwares') is more correct by counting how many Google search results each variant returns. No doubt they need to filter this data in many ways, but it would seem that it is no longer possible to say 'X is correct, all else is not.'
Re: I need a software that ....
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
On the other hand, frequency defines correct grammar eventually, doesn't it? If enough South Asians use that phrasing consistently, you can't argue it's bad grammar in that context. Personally I find 'a software' and 'softwares' extremely annoying.
"extremely" Lighten up on the coffee :). When was the last time something newsworthy happened because someone said 'a software'?
I'm a snob at heart :) or so I am informed.
Re: I need a software that ....
#34A native speaker of english from the west would never use this phrasing — software is abstract rather than individual. Your usage stands out as south asian as much as "do the needful" would. "I need software that…" or "I need a program that…" would both be correct.
The depressing part is that when you fix the query to "I need software that...", you get almost exactly the same list of responses.
There's simply nobody using it correctly.
Re: I need a software that ....
#35A native speaker of english from the west would never use this phrasing — software is abstract rather than individual. Your usage stands out as south asian as much as "do the needful" would. "I need software that…" or "I need a program that…" would both be correct.
The depressing part is that when you fix the query to "I need software that...", you get almost exactly the same list of responses. There's simply nobody using it correctly.
That's because many of the top results are referring to this story. If you scroll further down the results for that query, most results just have those words, not necessarily in that order.
Re: I need a software that ....
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
No doubt. I'm not trying to be some irksome grammarian making a fusty point about dangling prepositions here. In current written English 'a software' is simply bad. This could change, but we're nowhere close to the point where it has. For all we know 'your welcome' might be just fine in another century. Right now, though, it's simply bad writing.
My point was that it is hard to say when something is 'simply bad' in the sprawling and multifarious carnival that is the English language. I vaguely recollect from reading the blog Language Hat that modern linguists sometimes decide which variant of a class (for instance, 'software' vs 'a software' vs 'softwares') is more correct by counting how many Google search results each variant returns. No doubt they need to…
There are certain terms (like "a software") that are never used by people who's first language is English. IANAL (I am not a linguist), but I'd consider myself a "descriptivist" when it comes to defining a language. I think that a living language is defined by its usage by native speakers. Forms that are never used by native speakers can be defined as "incorrect". Of course, languages change (especially English), so those forms can and do become incorporated into the language over time. But, as English stands in 2010, "a software" is less correct than simply saying "software".
Re: I need a software that ....
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
My point was that it is hard to say when something is 'simply bad' in the sprawling and multifarious carnival that is the English language. I vaguely recollect from reading the blog Language Hat that modern linguists sometimes decide which variant of a class (for instance, 'software' vs 'a software' vs 'softwares') is more correct by counting how many Google search results each variant returns. No doubt they need to…
There are certain terms (like "a software") that are never used by people who's first language is English. IANAL (I am not a linguist), but I'd consider myself a "descriptivist" when it comes to defining a language. I think that a living language is defined by its usage by native speakers. Forms that are never used by native speakers can be defined as "incorrect". Of course, languages change (especially English), so…
I guess by your argument and the prevalence of usage by native speakers, who's is correct as well.
Re: I need a software that ....
#38A native speaker of english from the west would never use this phrasing — software is abstract rather than individual. Your usage stands out as south asian as much as "do the needful" would. "I need software that…" or "I need a program that…" would both be correct.
A significant fraction of my coworkers talk like that, and I've noticed lately that I'm starting to occasionally think/talk that way as well (note I'm from the U.S. midwest and only speak english). It's a bit disturbing, really.
It is your innate ability to learn that takes over automatically there. You probably couldn't stop such assimilation of things done around you even if you wanted to, it's how our brains are wired.
If you had to consciously decide to learn something you'd be a baby forever stuck in a 'dead-lock' of not having the reasoning ability to start learning-by-imitation, so it's 'on' by default.
So given extended exposure to some behaviour it is very hard to resist imitating it to some extent, even if you know better.
Re: I need a software that ....
#39A native speaker of english from the west would never use this phrasing — software is abstract rather than individual. Your usage stands out as south asian as much as "do the needful" would. "I need software that…" or "I need a program that…" would both be correct.
I need a software that detects countable and uncountable words.
Re: I need a software that ....
#40A native speaker of english from the west would never use this phrasing — software is abstract rather than individual. Your usage stands out as south asian as much as "do the needful" would. "I need software that…" or "I need a program that…" would both be correct.
who cares about the 3 native english speakers?