Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

I have to assume you're trying to either be sarcastic or trying to make some point that eludes me. The language is really pretty clear for anyone with grade school education. This being a generation gap thing is insulting to both the younger and older generations. Just being dim isn't something that should be blamed on age.

from:

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/when

when At what time. They were told when to sleep.




If when = "at what time", then you can't say "Let me know when works for you" because you can't say "Let me know at what time works for you". By saying "when works for you", you're trying to use "when" as a noun phrase. But "when" is not a noun, "time" is.

Would you also use "how" in this way? "Let me know how works for you" instead of "Let me know what way works for you"?


In my 40+ years of speaking English, I've never heard this phrase used this way. Call me kooky. And I've been through a very nice set of elementary, secondary, and undergraduate schools.

Maybe it's the "works for you" that throws off my grammar sense.


I'm also a native English speaker, and I also presumed that a word had been omitted in the title. It was easy enough to figure out from context once in the article, but from the title alone I didn't even try to guess.


Disclaimer: I'm not getting this from a rulebook. This is just about what makes me cringe.

- "Where froze over?" (bad)

+ "What place froze over?" or even "What froze over?" (good)

+ "You went where?" (good, if emphasized)

+ "Where did you go?" (good, official version)

- "When works for you?" (bad)

+ "What time works for you?" (good)

Question form vs. "Let me know ..." "I wonder ...":

"What time works for you?" ("Let me know what time works for you.")

"When do you want to X?" ("Let me know when you want to X.")

"When can we X?" ("Let me know when we can X.")

"When are you available for X?" ("Let me know when you are available for X.")

"Do you X?" ("Let me know if you X.")

"Where did you come from?" (Let me know where you came from.")

etc.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: