Quote: "You may want to inform Encyclopedia Britannica about this recent name change, as they still have their article under the name Opossum."
Well, Encyclopedia Britannica may want to inform Webster's, AND the world book encyclopedia of this issue, because Im looking at both right now, and they disagree. My 12th grade Biology textbook disagrees as well.
Quote: "Even if it is correct to omit the "and" in American English, it is apparently not correct in British English, so no, not in "any English" as you so confidently stated."
Right. So Im going to believe your random generic website that no one's ever heard of, which could have been put up there by any crackhead weirdo, and your yahoo answers question which could have been answered by a two year old or some idiot just trying to trick people, RATHER than believing 3 individual high school math teachers, 2 individual college math professors, and my own mother, who is also a high school teacher. All 6 of those people have, at one point or another told me, or a classmate of mine, that you do not use the word "and" when saying numbers. Not to mention that the yahoo answers question was about using and with decimals, not in the way we're talking about.
And regardless of ANY sources, all you have to do is look at the numbers.
"2010" Where in there do you see the word "and"?
You can't just add words in. How about I pronounce your user name "Gil AND Galvanti" If the word "and" (or an ampersand) is not included in "2010" (or any number) then there is no "and". End of story.
Would you say "I am twenty and nine years old"? No, of course not, cause it sounds stupid, ridiculous and makes no sense. So why would you add in the "and" just because there are more digits?
Quote: "This is just an arrogant and ignorant statement. It does not make much more sense, because it is not going from smallest to largest unit, it goes middle-smallest-largest (month-day-year). It obviously sounds better to YOU (and me, since I'm American as well), because that's how we most often hear it and how we say it."
It is not ignorant, and it is not arrogant. If me (an American) saying our way makes more sense and sounds better is ignorant and arrogant, then it is equally ignorant and arrogant for someone else (who is European) to say that their way makes more sense and sounds better.
According to you, the fact that I'm
American makes me saying the EXACT SAME THING that others are saying about their way ignorant and arrogant, and the others being European makes them correct.
It works both ways, buddy. Both parties are saying that their way sounds better and is more logical, based largely on the fact that they were raised using their way. So who is to say which one is correct?
And largest, middle, smallest or vice-versa is irrelevant. See my earlier post about the Billy's house analogy.
Quote: "So yes, they are related species, but not the same thing."
Wow. Pay attention, man. I never
said they were the same thing. I said the the NORTH AMERICAN Opossum/Possum was once called an Opossum, but is now called a Possum.
Quote: "You seem very confident in your knowledge of Opossums..."
No, but I am very confident in my textbook's and dictionary's knowledge of Possums.
Quote: "Starting to remember how you were proven wrong every time now?"
Uhh... Nope!
Can't remember something that never happened. I think you are confusing memory with imagination.
So what if I talk to myself? Its the only way i can have an intelligent conversation around here.
