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Persona · Daedalian Member

Hopefully, this forum can become a compendium of the uses and abuses of the English language. Here's a starter query.

I was having a fine time playing Starshine. Until the final screen. I was all set to feel good about myself, when it gave me the following message.

*You won the game!

Now, I know this is an incorrect usage of won (hence the *), but one that is becoming increasingly common (I won that level, even). What I want is exactly which use this is preventing of the verb To Win. I know the intransitive (You won!), and what I think is transitive (You won the prize!), what's preventing "I won the game"?

Samadhi · +1

Courk · Daedalian Member

Wait, why is "You won the game" wrong?

Quailman · His Postmajesty

Shouldn't it say "You pwned the game?"

Courk · Daedalian Member

(How is "pwned" supposed to be pronounced? I tend to say "pwinned," but I wonder if it's properly just "owned.")

CzarJ · Hot babe

I believe it's most commonly "powned," though several of my friends say "pooned."

Bicho the Inhaler · Daedalian Member

Samadhi · +1

Courk: This live representation of on line chat might help your pronunciations.
http://www.greylabyrinth.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?p=420713#420713
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And he lived happily ever after. Except for the dieing at the end and the heartbreak in between.

MatthewV · Daedalian Member :_

You beat the game.

But that can sound like you just took a club and smashed it to pieces in frustration.

Samadhi · +1

How about "You're grammar beats me." ?
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And he lived happily ever after. Except for the dieing at the end and the heartbreak in between.

Scurra · Daedalian Member

Well that conjures up a picture of a little old lady with a stick hitting someone around the head.
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_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.

New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

Beartalon · 'Party line' kind of guy

They're grammar sux. There grammer proves their the stupid.

Navigator · Daedalian Member

I'd like to make an actual serious reply to Persona, unlike the rest of you. Razz

(Well, I guess Courk's post was serious.)

I think it's correct to say "You won the game." Look at the definitions here: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/win
If you use definition 7, it makes sense. When you say "You won the prize," that's using definition 5 or 6.

Courk · Daedalian Member

Only one was serious. The second was parenthetical (so it doesn't really count), and this one is pointless (it counts, but isn't serious).

Jack_Ian · Big Endian

Chuck · Daedalian Member

There is no bad grammar. There's only unknown context.

Mr Stoofer · Daedalian Member

Grammar pedantry... drools...

I'm with those who think that "You won the game!" is fine.

If you can't say "You won the game", then you can't say "The Allies won the War". And I'm sure that you can.