Grammar question

[Amy]

What is the difference between "hung" and "hanged?"

Saddam was hanged vs. Saddam was hung.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care....

[Cheza]

Amy, I'm going to attempt to explain this because I'm an English teacher and I should be able to, but that being said I like literature better than grammar and this is one of those things that even gives me a bit of a loop-de-loop from time to time...so, (like a good teacher) when in doubt, refer to the textbook...so I grabbed my teacher's edition and looked it up.

The word "hang" is an irregular verb that has the same past and past participle. For example...the present tense is hang, the present participle is hanging, the past is hung and the past participle is (implied have) hung. *I think you understand this part of the equation*

Where the difference comes into play is the voice in which the verb is being used. The voice (active or passive) shows whether the subject is performing the action or not.

Let's look at the sample sentence: "Saddam was hanged."

If we look at the subject (Saddam) and he is performing the action (hanging himself)we would have active voice.

For example a sentence in active voice would be: Esteban sketched the bowl of apples.

If we look at the subject and the action is performed upon him (was hanged)...then it's passive voice because it tells what happened to the subject. Passive voice is often denoted by the use of "was" as part of the verb phrase.

The passive voice variation on the example sentence above would be: The bowl of apples was sketched by Esteban.

The voice is what makes it different. He did not hang himself...others hanged him...hence it should not be hung.

I hope I've helped instead of confusing you more!

Peace.

[jillywilly65]

I hope there's not a test coming up?? This whole thread is producing anxiety. Holy Cow!

Jilly

[Cheza]

No test here, Jilly

I love the literature and using grammar doesn't give me any trouble. However, explaining WHY something is written a certain way can be a challenge sometimes! The grammar is definitely the thing I have to study the most to prepare for class.

I used to teach all upperclassmen and that meant mostly literature (Shakespeare, Poe, Sophocles, Dickens, Cervantes, etc.), but this year I've been thrust back into full-out grammar again...because I have two classes of seventh graders.

Peace.

[Amy]

Thanks!

I also found this en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging

In standard usage, the past tense of the verb "to hang" when referring to an execution or death by hanging is "hanged", whereas in other contexts it is "hung". It should also be noted that when speaking of the punishment "hung, drawn and quartered"; "hung" is the correct usage, due to the fact that the victim is not intended to die from the hanging itself

[Cheza]

amy said:

Thanks!

I also found this en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging

In standard usage, the past tense of the verb "to hang" when referring to an execution or death by hanging is "hanged", whereas in other contexts it is "hung". It should also be noted that when speaking of the punishment "hung, drawn and quartered"; "hung" is the correct usage, due to the fact that the victim is not intended to die from the hanging itself

Right. In drawing and quartering they are to suffer from being cut open and their insides ripped out while they're still alive on the gallows *sorry, for the mental image overload*...that's in A Tale of Two Cities and it's a way to drag teenage boys into the story!

I'm glad I could be of assistance! Happy New Year!

Peace.

[starcrossed]

Please Stop!!!!! Oh, the High School flash backs.....so much red ink.....it's every where.....the pain.....fragments????run on sentence????spelling???



I need to go to my safe place

[Trees]

Now this is a wonderful question Amy Here's what happened to me yesterday relating to your question....

I was out of the wharf talking to a husband and wife team. The conversation came to the Hanging!! I said "Yes Saddam was hung". Much to my surprise the husband quickly corrected me and said "hanged". Of course I responded with "Doesn't matter he's dead" ;D

The wife is a writer for Educational Books and she just :giggled:

Thanks Cheze for the explination!!!
HTH

[Cheza]

Star, go to your safe place girl...it'll be okay.

Trees, that's too funny! It's really funny that HE corrected you and she giggled...but I think most of us try to sit on our hands and keep our mouths zipped on that kind of thing - out of courtesy. Yet, mom and I can be driving down the road and I'll see something mispelled on a sign or improperly written and just come unglued about it! We have a cable channel that sells ads that run all day and all night. I'm always catching their errors. I have a knack for that. I've been reading so many ill-written papers the past three days that I'm beginning to miss stuff...besides getting angry because it seems only maybe 1/3, if that many, of my students listened to my lectures on HOW TO WRITE THE RESEARCH PAPER AND WHAT NOT TO DO OR YOU WILL GET AN F *ahem* Sorry to shout, ladies.

I return to the classroom tomorrow.

Peace.

[starcrossed]

Cheza, why does the ink have to be red? Why not another bright color....less blood like?

I remember it looked like my papers were murdered......so much red.

[Cheza]

It's a subliminal message...*hehehe*

[starcrossed]

My papers are being killed? or my writing was killing my teacher?

I never wanted to have grammar problems.... My strength is my imagination, not my grammar.

I think I will be coming to you to edit my work-in-progress novel.....however, I do not want to punish you in a sea of red ink....

[Trees]

Ahemmmm *cough*

Your right Starcrossed!!!! Creativity needs to come first, due to the fact, we're the ones creating new words ie: slang, trendy, thought provoking and just plain sounds we like to hear and have expression of the times. We're the ones that continue to broaden the English language base of the world ;D ;D

I could go on and on [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/blahblah.gif"][/IMG] [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/blahblah.gif"][/IMG] Hey there's a word that someone who was creative and now has been added to our language [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/friends.gif"][/IMG]

I'll step down now and brush off the dripping eggs and rotten tomatoes Cheza just threw

Just kidding Chez.... This what I love [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/heart.gif"][/IMG] A person who know their frustrations with a red pencil and puts up *cough* with people like me

Modified to wave the white flag, do a spell check and say hummmm Uncle

[starcrossed]

Thank you Trees!!!!!!

[raeski]

trees said:

Ahemmmm *cough*

Your right Starcrossed!!!! Creativity needs to come first, due to the fact, we're the ones creating new words ie: slang, trendy, thought provoking and just plain sounds we like to hear and have expression of the times. We're the ones that continue to broaden the English language base of the world ;D ;D

I could go on and on [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/blahblah.gif"]

[/IMG] [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/blahblah.gif"][/IMG] Hey there's a word that someone who was creative and now has been added to our language [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/friends.gif"][/IMG]

I'll step down now and brush off the dripping eggs and rotten tomatoes Cheza just threw

Just kidding Chez.... This what I love [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/heart.gif"][/IMG] A person who know their frustrations with a red pencil and puts up *cough* with people like me

Modified to wave the white flag, do a spell check and say hummmm Uncle [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/whistle.gif"][/IMG] [/quote]
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Arh, Arh, Arh!! Way too funny Trees!! Cheza - I'm sure
you'll be thrilled to get back to your students!!

[Trees]

raeski said:

trees said:

Ahemmmm *cough*

Your right Starcrossed!!!! Creativity needs to come first, due to the fact, we're the ones creating new words ie: slang, trendy, thought provoking and just plain sounds we like to hear and have expression of the times. We're the ones that continue to broaden the English language base of the world ;D ;D

I could go on and on [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/blahblah.gif"]

[/IMG] [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/blahblah.gif"][/IMG] Hey there's a word that someone who was creative and now has been added to our language [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/friends.gif"][/IMG]

I'll step down now and brush off the dripping eggs and rotten tomatoes Cheza just threw

Just kidding Chez.... This what I love [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/heart.gif"][/IMG] A person who know their frustrations with a red pencil and puts up *cough* with people like me

Modified to wave the white flag, do a spell check and say hummmm Uncle [img src="lovehammersecards.com/MCorg/smilies/whistle.gif"][/IMG] [/quote]
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Arh, Arh, Arh!! Way too funny Trees!! Cheza - I'm sure
you'll be thrilled to get back to your students!!
[/quote]

;D ;D ;D ;D

Good to see you haven't got a red pen raeski

[starcrossed]

[Cheza]

starcrossed said:

My papers are being killed? or my writing was killing my teacher?

I think it's a bit of both...Because the writer is being punished for his or her mistakes and the teacher is being punished because he or she is learning the students didn't listen to a blessed thing she's said (or at least didn't apply the lessons properly) and it's going to reflect on them when standardized test time rolls around.

I'll be glad to help edit. One thing I have noticed *and sat on my hands about* is you like to use apostrophes a lot when you don't need them. Apostrophes denote possession or a letter being left out (a la a contraction)...sometimes they pop up when you mean for the word to be plural. I'm not trying to take you to task I've just noticed this in our story thread and it's a pet peeve of mine...because it's something I see from the kids day in and day out - as well as adults I know.

I'll be glad to help you edit your novel as you get it done I've been the editor for several of my friends over the years.

[Cheza]

trees said:

#soapbox# Ahemmmm *cough*

Your right Starcrossed!!!! Creativity needs to come first, due to the fact, we're the ones creating new words ie: slang, trendy, thought provoking and just plain sounds we like to hear and have expression of the times. We're the ones that continue to broaden the English language base of the world ;D ;D

I'll step down now and brush off the dripping eggs and rotten tomatoes Cheza just threw #tapfoot#

Just kidding Chez.... #giveup# This what I love A person who know their frustrations with a red pencil and puts up *cough* with people like me

Modified to wave the white flag, do a spell check and say hummmm Uncle

Hey!!!! Me, throw eggs and rotten tomatoes...lil' ole' me? *Bats Eyes Innocently*

I'm all for creativity first as long as creativity is there! My rough drafts look like heck. It's in the revision that the editing kicks in...not the originals *shudders*. New words are great, BUT in my line of work the dear lil' minds are to stick to the tried and true and avoid slang and colloquialisms...per the English class dictates. Plus, some phrases make a piece dated...think "Awesome", "Gnarly", "Righteous Dude".

Plus your argument brings up an interesting point. You know how sophomores are...raging bags of pubescent hormones...plus dirty minds to accompany them? Well, the other day one of my colleagues used the word "pussyfoot" in her class. It was the talk of my class as the kids came in. One said she called him a pussyfoot and I said that is an adjective...not a name for a person. He asked what it meant and I told him to pick up the dictionary under his desk and look it up. He did and then asked if he could read the definition to the class...I made him come up there by me so I could be sure he STUCK TO THE DEFINITION and let him do so.

However, then he noticed the word "pussywillow" below it and the fact that a "pussywillow" is a bush...etc...and it was off. As a result of this exchange, there was a bit of an interesting conversation about how a word develops a negative connotation. I explained it was because they were used improperly long enough that those definitions (the slang ones) were also somewhat accepted by society as a whole.

Climb down off that soapbox, Trees...and while you're at it give me that white flag. It's not needed here.

[starcrossed]

I... told... you... that... I... have... a... run... on... sentence... issue..., ...too.

I... am.... an... writer...

creative... as... can... be.....

however.....I...need...help...with...the..editing...

thank....you...very....much...Mrs. Cheza...............................................................................



Just kidding. I realize the issue is there, I just was one of those students that honestly never understood the rules. I didn't have any help at home with homework. Moreover, my english teacher never made me feel stupid for asking questions (she thought I should know). I never learned...so here I am. Creating with no rules...he..he..he