Hi again, James!  Much cheered by the thought that you probably didn't
notice the errors in my last message, I shall continue bravely on the same
path:

JB>  I'm excited about having a palace, and even more
JB>  flattered I've reached Sainthood, but to have an
JB>  infirmary named after me... Apropos, I guess.


          Hmm.  At least it's not something like "King Charles's
head", i.e. a recurrent & irrational obsession, from a novel by
Charles Dickens... [grin].



JB>  I'm just afraid the guide will only confirm my
JB>  distaste for the language, not increase my curiosity.


          Perhaps... but what did I say about decisions based on fear?  One
of the best *and* worst features of English, IMHO, is its hybrid vigour....
 :-))



JB>  why differentiate between syllable count on Pronouns,


          I didn't say anything about pronouns.  In the absence of examples
as to what you wanted to know about, I guessed it had to do with
"James".  If you wanted to know about pronouns... possessive
pronouns don't use the apostrophe.



JB>  and I've heard some Brits pronounce Charles with two.


          I've also heard Canadians pronounce "film" with two
syllables... but their pronunciation doesn't change the spelling!  I didn't
mean to suggest the number of syllables is the only important factor.  It's
just that one-syllable names don't include certain complexities you might
not care about anyway.  You might prefer to avoid the whole issue by using
the American spellings....  ;-)



JB>  Why do I *have* to place that punctuation mark inside
JB>  the quotations?


          You don't have to do it if you're quoting a single word in
isolation as you did with "syllable".  I'd place the question
mark outside the quotation mark, as I've done with the period here... but
that's not what I was taught to do in school either!  The Americans do as
you describe.  The British apply the rule of common sense, which makes much
more sense to me.  I did the latter for quite some time before I realized
it was British usage.  I also use the double quotation mark, though, as you
would.  Only in Canada, eh?  Pity... [chuckle].



JB>  With English, I'm afraid I have little patience. When
JB>  every answered question poses four more questions, and
JB>  sixteen exeptions...


          Okay... so here's my capsule summary of the history of the
language. England was a "green & pleasant land", and various
people came along & decided they'd like to have some of it for
themselves.  They all contributed something to what we now know as the
English language.  There are inconsistencies in the way we use the language
because of its mixed origin.  But you & I are carrying on this fine
tradition in Canada.  We use British & American English together. I've
also seen signs with descriptions like "Chinese smorgasbord",
"Vietnamese cuisine", and "BLT on a bagel"... another
aspect of the cultural mosaic.  :-))



JB>  I've been trying to learn a bit of Russian. I hear that
JB>  language is easier to understand. 


          I don't know.  Russia is a pretty big country... they may have
local dialects just as we have in English-speaking countries.  I understand
somebody was trying to start up a RUSSIAN_TUTOR echo not too long ago,
however....  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+