Redesigned

**gsthunder** · 26 July 2010, 04:12 PM

OY!

Some of you must be bored or something? The first thing we all should keep in mind is that this is a business motto not a sentence in a college thesis. So right there you have some leeway. However, with that said, what I wrote is still grammatically correct. I always try and use proper grammar whenever possible. That is how I was brought up( both my parents and one sibling went to school to be teachers ).

Using "with" as some of you suggested is correct as well. No argument from me on that point. Actually, there are three ways the motto could be written without any major changes and still be grammatically correct....

1 - Providing our customers high quality service, professionalism, and integrity.
2 - Providing our customers with high quality service, professionalism, and integrity.
3 - Providing our customers high quality service with professionalism and integrity.

* - modern grammar would remove the coma after professionalism in 1 and 2 above. I was taught to use it. Thought I should mention I was aware of the different ways comas may be used before anyone jumps on that next.

Why I am right about the motto as it is presently constituted...

Webster's New World Dictionary: School & Office Edition
Provide( vided, viding ): v.t. & v.i.
1(transitive ) - to get ready before hand
1( intransitive ) - to prepare for or against a possible situation
2( transitive ) - to make available; supply
2( intransitive ) - to stipulate
3( transitive ) - to furnish(with)
3( intransitive ) - to furnish support(for)

v.t. = Transitive Verb. Has both a direct subject and one or more objects
v.i. = Intransitive Verb. Does not have an object

Providing our customers high quality service, professionalism, and integrity

Providing( in this instance ) = v.t.
customers = subject
service/professionalism/integrity = object(s)

In reference Line 2 v.t. above R. Downing Quality Homes, LLC is supplying( providing )their customers the following three things = high quality service, professionalism, and integrity.

Service = craftsmanship level
Professionalism = they do what they say they will and when, no swearing on job site, house is cleaned after, etc...
Integrity = they abide by their estimates and contract conditions( i.e. $$$ ), always tell the truth to the customer, etc...

So when I use the motto as phrased it is actually grammatically correct. Their business is supplying their customers those three things. This is not to say it is incorrect using "with". As I previously mentioned there are three ways this could be said and all three as acceptable.

I have run this by a few people with the credentials to offer an educated answer.

My Dad. 30 years as a school teacher/principal. 10 years specifically teaching English. Bachelors Degree from Keene State(NH) University in Education. He actually has the credits for his Master's Degree in Education.

Sister #1. Has never graduated any level of education with less than a 4.0 GPA. Bachelor's Degree from Massachusetts Institue Of Technology(MIT) in computer engineering/software. Master's Degree from Harvard. Currently working on her Doctorate.

Sister #2. Bachelors Degree in Education from Keene Sate(NH) University. She never ended up teaching as she got married and started a family instead but she has the degree.

Friend. This man was consulted more from a business standpoint than for his education although he does have an Associates Degree from the University Of New Hampshire(UNH) in Business. I wanted him to look at it more from a businessman's standpoint.

All four people have concluded that what I have written is grammatically correct as well as clear( i.e. not confusing ). My Sister(MIT) would probably have used option #3 but she was perfectly fine with what I have used. Her reason was more of a writing style issue than a grammar issue.

I realize this may seem like an over the top response but I felt it was worth the time. I always accept criticism and will admit when wrong but in this case I am not.

Have a nice day to all.

**ss-kalm** · 26 July 2010, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by gsthunder

.........and will admit when wrong but in this case I am not .....

I also disagree. No matter who you've asked, the sentence is grammatically incorrect. None of the references you have supplied have actually supported your case, they've just been stated as verbs or sentence structure. Of course, this could be the difference between American English and English!

**salaam** · 26 July 2010, 05:19 PM

Thanks for showing us your research gsthunder. If I had such academic support I wouldn't see the need in changing it either.
As suggested it must be an American thing.

I'm glad you like my observation Frank. Americans like to use their faces; 'mug shots' to sell. Over here, only politicians do this (and we are taught not to trust them anyway). But apart from that it has that USA 'real estate' look.

Oh yeah, the thread title! It maybe apt to your posting but it is also apt to many others. IMO titles should be unique to the thread to facilitate easier browsing and searching. If I want to return to this thread at a later date, I will use search words relevent to my memories of your web site.

Could you comment on my site as I am feeling a little guilty over giving you so much headache over your site.

**handrawn** · 26 July 2010, 08:52 PM

well now there's a thing...

no one ever said it was confusing.. just incorrect grammer

BTW: you misunderstand subjective: the subject of your business motto is implied, and it is R. Downing Quality Homes, LLC who are doing the providing; all the other nouns in it are objects

still no matter - TG is not an English forum, just thought it worth pointing out..

**Big Frank** · 26 July 2010, 10:59 PM

It makes no sense at all in French, that's for sure. Tell your dad from me I think he's a hero. Anybody who can stand teaching for 30 years has to be a superhero.

Back on topic... what was the topic again...?

**gsthunder** · 26 July 2010, 11:23 PM

The site owner likes it and the target audience seems to understand it so that is all that matters to me. I certainly am not losing sleep over someone from France or the UK picking my site apart over a "with".

I was bored myself this AM with a little time to kill so I responded as I did to those questioning the grammar issue. I stand behind what I have posted as to the grammar being correct however and I have some very highly educated folks supporting my position. Used on that site, where it is placed as their business motto( slogan ), it is 100% fine. It is grammatically correct for it's use. Maybe I did not convey my meaning clearly on that point?

Obviously I would not write it the same way if I were doing so in a brochure, or even a paragraph on the site itself, if I was describing the business. That would be something like "we provide", "RDQH provides", etc... As written it is not a complete sentence and I never intended to say it was. For use as a motto or business slogan as I was doing it is perfectly acceptable and clear. It is correct grammatically for a motto/slogan as well.

I do think the issue with some of you is based on where you are at. I know someone mentioned it makes no sense in French. Another poster chopped it up into pieces which showed it was being read incorrectly( they had the flow of it wrong ). English( American English if that makes you feel better )does not translate well in other languages and vice versa. I took Spanish in high school and had a heck of a time because the translations made no sense. I do understand what some of you overseas are saying but I have to worry about people here understanding the site.

The way different cultures put sentences together and the way they say things overall varies greatly. Some of that is happening here I think. Folks from the USA will have no trouble with it. What I did is a very common and accepted way to write things when used in this manner as a motto or business slogan.

That will be my last word on the grammar debate. As the other poster mentioned this is not a grammar forum but I wanted to make these last few points before moving on.

To those who offered their honest feedback and constructive criticism on the site as a whole, and to those who offered help with the slideshow issue I had, my most sincere thanks. Hopefully someday I can return the favor.

Cheers to all and have a great day.

**gsthunder** · 27 July 2010, 01:39 AM

What the heck. If anyone is interested to know I will mention this. I did a lot of the interior finish work( hardwood floors, kitchens, interior trim, etc... )on a few of the houses shown. I used to do that before I got sick and had to stop in early 2009. Worked on most of the houses shown on the site( 75% at least )but they didn't start taking interior photos or doing the web site until a couple years ago so a lot of the work I did is not there.

I did the interior finish carpentry work on these houses with my Brother...

http://www.rdowninghomes.com/page6.htm
http://www.rdowninghomes.com/page10.htm
http://www.rdowninghomes.com/page11.htm

NOTE - I do not do this work anymore so I am not trying to get business( nor would I take any if asked ). I am not related to nor am I a partner with the business owner. I only know him through my former job which is how I got the webmaster gig. I only posted this info as a side note to the web site.

**handrawn** · 27 July 2010, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by gsthunder

The site owner likes it and the target audience seems to understand it so that is all that matters to me. I certainly am not losing sleep over someone from France or the UK picking my site apart over a "with".

of course
and
no reason why you should

your knowledge of your business is what counts - and producing a good site, which you have

as for the rest of it - you have made your position and your understanding clear