tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post8308886512920329879..comments2024-02-25T20:07:56.114-06:00Comments on Mr. Verb: Syntactic flexibilityMr. Verbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-33189915283885662152008-06-07T17:41:00.000-05:002008-06-07T17:41:00.000-05:00Oh, yeah. You know, I had seen that blog a few tim...Oh, yeah. You know, I had seen that blog a few times before I finally caught that it was WORDS not WOODS in the title. Sometimes I'm slow that way.<BR/><BR/>It's a nice blog, even nicer with the pup. I hope the Wings don't carry him around for the year hoisting him while they skate around. <BR/><BR/>Yeah, I guess I should do something on that poll. I wasn't expecting so many responses -- I NEVER do stuff that that on blogs normally -- but the results are kind of interesting.<BR/><BR/>Thanks.<BR/>Mr. VMr. Verbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-43166995900639641002008-06-07T13:08:00.000-05:002008-06-07T13:08:00.000-05:00Hello Mr. Verb,I look forward to seeing the end re...Hello Mr. Verb,<BR/>I look forward to seeing the end results to your poll. I am not telling you what my vote was.<BR/>Would you like to take a walk in the words sometime? http://www.walkinthewords.blogspot.comLaura Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05229426716936563690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-56025724838883701362008-06-04T05:28:00.000-05:002008-06-04T05:28:00.000-05:00Thanks. Yeah, my easy patch was a bust. One vote o...Thanks. Yeah, my easy patch was a bust. One vote out of over 40 so far. <BR/><BR/>I hadn't thought of the Strunk & White angle as something that would point toward this as a reasonable strategy, but that's intriguing at least.Mr. Verbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-32910096978159330592008-06-03T19:59:00.000-05:002008-06-03T19:59:00.000-05:00urk. "is seen AS BEING", of course, not "being as"...urk. "is seen AS BEING", of course, not "being as".The Ridger, FCDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01538111197270563075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-29315011499435982012008-06-03T19:58:00.000-05:002008-06-03T19:58:00.000-05:00I voted "fine" but I do agree with you in principl...I voted "fine" but I do agree with you in principle. The thing is, English speakers are used to omitting anything their hearers can be expected to be able to supply with minimum effort - part of "omit needless words" I guess ;-) - and English listeners are used to supplying. There's really only one thing that could reasonably come after "than" here. Also, your suggested fix is worse (to me) than the original. If I were editing this for a formal article, I'd say "while McCain is seen being as less than such" (or "less than one").The Ridger, FCDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01538111197270563075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-25309680139834072102008-06-03T19:19:00.000-05:002008-06-03T19:19:00.000-05:00Thanks. The meaning intended meaning is utterly cl...Thanks. The meaning intended meaning is utterly clear, of course, but 'awkward' doesn't quite capture my reaction to it ... I'm glad you'd want a rewrite!Mr. Verbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-60404352844904717062008-06-03T19:14:00.000-05:002008-06-03T19:14:00.000-05:00Mmm. If this came across my editorial desk, I woul...Mmm. If this came across my editorial desk, I wouldn't pull my hair out but I'd certainly be furrowing my brow in puzzlement and strongly urging a rewrite. Syntactically awkward? Yes. Wrong? I'm not sure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-8113924219005283912008-06-03T17:33:00.000-05:002008-06-03T17:33:00.000-05:00Thanks. Good point on the 'which', of course.Thanks. Good point on the 'which', of course.Mr. Verbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-53091419990543862682008-06-03T17:12:00.000-05:002008-06-03T17:12:00.000-05:00I voted "needs more help" but that was the closest...I voted "needs more help" but that was the closest I could get "needs a single word changed but not that one". My problem is with the "which"; I'd prefer "while" or "but" or "although". They all have different nuances and I don't know what the writer was aiming for. <BR/>[British English speaker]Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00378573527535458089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-11652620229266322452008-06-03T16:36:00.000-05:002008-06-03T16:36:00.000-05:00Great ... as soon as I posted this, a bunch of vot...Great ... as soon as I posted this, a bunch of votes came in saying it's not so good! Still, I'm surprised at the number of people who find it fine.Mr. Verbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.com