# \#grammar

**URL:** https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/tag/grammar/4902.md

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## [Can Animals Use Grammar: Introduction and Teaching Grammar to Animals](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/can-animals-use-grammar-introduction-and-teaching-grammar-to-animals/4087)

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**Author:** [@johnwalker](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/u/johnwalker)\
**Replies:** 2\
**Last updated:** [20 December 2023 16:58 UTC](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/can-animals-use-grammar-introduction-and-teaching-grammar-to-animals/4087 "2023-12-20T16:58:11Z")

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This multi-part series explores communication in non-human animals and, in particular, whether in some cases it exhibits aspects of grammar as in human language. The introduction surveys the topic and lays out the plans…

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## [The Crazy Rules of Contractions in English](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/the-crazy-rules-of-contractions-in-english/3875)

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**Author:** [@johnwalker](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/u/johnwalker)\
**Replies:** 4\
**Last updated:** [19 October 2023 19:03 UTC](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/the-crazy-rules-of-contractions-in-english/3875 "2023-10-19T19:03:55Z")

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Much of what determines whether a contraction “sounds right” in English depends upon the theory of clitics, words which modify the meaning of other words but whose meaning derives from the host word. For m…