Language & Grammar discussion

Hi, people! I’m sure you know more about this stuff than I do so I’m going to ask what you think.

I joined another group on this site called Jane Austen and lady authors. This was a few months ago. I sent a message just to say hi. I also sent a message asking how I could find books by Fanny Burney. I never got any answer. I noticed that there seem to be only four members, counting the moderators, and maybe less than half a dozen messages. I tried sending a private message to one of the moderators more than a month ago and never got an answer.

Is this an abandoned group? Do people do that, just up and leave a group? I’m really disappointed. I love Jane Austen and so many women writers, especially English women from those times, and was really excited with what I thought was an opportunity to talk about these books with other women who like them.

I also belong to a group for Italians on this site. The members of this group are very nice and have helped me on more than one occasion. But I left two messages saying I’d like to put together a little discussion group, maybe just two or three people, to meet in person to discuss books, and I’ve never had an answer. (I live in a small city in central Italy.) So there’s another disappointment!

Well, I’m going to look for other groups, one to discuss books online and one to find people to meet in person. My problem is that I haven’t got internet at home so these things take a while, especially since my computer is a piece of junk and keeps playing tricks on me—such as throwing me off the internet or telling me an available site isn’t available—and this free Wi-Fi cafe is noisy as hell.

(You people obviously know that “as hell” is used to mean “very,” as in “This is hard as hell” or “It’s hot as hell.” Well, one of my favorite expressions in English is “It’s cold as hell.”)

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Welcome, Rosabeatrice. I've found groups that seemed to have died, too. Looking at the dates on their posts should give you an idea how active a group is. Meanwhile, for book discussion you might try Constant Reader. We've been going strong for 20 years.

I'm in California, but my father was born in Santa Margherita di Belice in Sicilia.
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Rosabeatrice wrote: "Hi, people! I’m sure you know more about this stuff than I do so I’m going to ask what you think.

I joined another group on this site called Jane Austen and lady authors. This was a few months ago..."

You might type in the group search for members close to you. But as Ruth says, you have to view the comments to see how active. I joined Constant Reader 4 years ago, and it has wonderful discussions. Ruth and I live near enough to meet on occasion, but not to really discuss books. I do attend her poetry readings when I can.

Yes, groups are abandoned and become ghost towns. You can still join them and talk to yourself, however. I do this frequently late at night when I cannot sleep. I find myself boring as an auger. Then I go to bed to grail for more Z's....

Boring as an auger, you are a funny man.

Well, I received an answer from someone in that Jane Austen group. Finally! So I'm happy.