Tag: language
member name: Howard M.
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October 12, 2006 11:53 PM EDT --
Recently, I have had occasion to revisit an issue of grammar. It was not an issue in my mind but it arose in a discussion. I am going to try, mightily, to remain brief, but unequivocal. In short, . . . more
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November 29, 2006 04:59 AM EST --
The focus of this article is the semicolon, but it is impossible to have an intelligent discussion of this punctuation mark without some understanding of the other punctuations that can be used to separate . . . more
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December 10, 2006 05:29 AM EST --
This article was written for the Writer's workshop but I have modified it slightly for general applicability and I am posting it to some other groups that might find it useful.
In looking . . . more
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January 10, 2007 06:57 AM EST --
I shall return from the moribund with a brief note on word usage, if only to prove that I still live. For whatever reason, I have been asked three times in the last few weeks whether the . . . more
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November 27, 2006 04:20 AM EST --
Last week, I wrote two articles summarizing the use of the comma in non technical writing. These articles excited a few comments buried in a tidal wave of apathy. I had planned to continue the . . . more
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August 27, 2006 08:06 PM EDT --
The Bottom Line My co-author in the book this is from leaves these language rants to me. Why? "Because I have been a professor of English for 30 years. I have given up."
Data is a plural noun. . . . more
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November 19, 2006 02:53 AM EST --
As important a part of comma use as rules for when to use it, are the rules for when not to use it. There are many sources of advice regarding this issue, some of them even good. Perhaps the most entertaining . . . more
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December 01, 2006 05:37 AM EST --
Hyphen, minus sign, n dash, m dash?? These are all horizontal lines, at mid letter height; all are used in writing, and, aside from general morphology, they bear little relation to each other. Hyphens . . . more
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November 19, 2006 03:57 AM EST --
Soon after the incident with the southern drawl described in part one of this confession, I had another epiphany regarding the differences in language to which I had to adapt. This involved the friend . . . more
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September 14, 2006 01:44 AM EDT --
That is a definite pronoun. It is used to denote a characteristic or identifying position that defines the subject of the sentence.
Which is an indefinite article that introduces a characteristic . . . more
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February 13, 2007 10:12 PM EST --
A noun is a noun; an adjective is an adjective (most of the time); and an adverb is generally an adverb. A verb, however, is anything it wants to be. Gerunds, participles, and infinitives all began their . . . more
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September 29, 2006 08:54 PM EDT --
The semicolon is a punctuation mark with more than one purpose. It is, also, a mark that can always be replaced by a different one. Nevertheless, it exists for very good reasons. When can it . . . more
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November 16, 2006 12:48 AM EST --
Punctuation is simple. Right? There are clear rules to follow. Right? There is never any doubt of when to use a period (well, hardly ever). Question marks are entirely unambiguous in their meaning. Exclamation . . . more
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November 30, 2006 07:17 AM EST --
In part one, I introduced the role of the semicolon in separating independent clauses, either without conjunctions or with adverbial conjunctions. Recall that the rhythm of the passage, the degree of connection . . . more
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February 15, 2007 07:43 AM EST --
The Chicago Manual of Style, run by the University of Chicago Press, answers questions sent to it about writing issues. The editors who answer these questions have found ways to enjoy their task. I admire . . . more
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September 14, 2006 01:30 AM EDT --
Two years ago, I wrote an essay that is, properly, part of an ongoing book. It may 'go on' for quite some time, however, as it has taken a backseat to two other projects (fiction) which are . . . more
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September 29, 2006 05:31 AM EDT --
It appears that only guatami tripathy and I care to post anything in this group. I am willing to lecture, even pontificate, but I would really appreciate knowing what you want to hear about. Not all grammatical . . . more
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November 16, 2006 12:45 AM EST --
Punctuation is simple. Right? There are clear rules to follow. Right? There is never any doubt of when to use a period (well, hardly ever). Question marks are entirely unambiguous in their meaning. Exclamation . . . more
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September 18, 2006 01:05 AM EDT --
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In several recent articles and numerous comments, I have been espousing the merits of a prescriptive grammar. In brief, my position is that language . . . more
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September 23, 2006 05:33 AM EDT --
I am delighted with those of you have chosen to join this prescriptive grammar group. I really would like to discuss some issues in everything from word choice and sentence structure to . . . more
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