Messages

1

English & Linguistics / Re: Dear Expert

« on: March 31, 2016, 12:09:45 PM »

Rivka, I had seen that answer previously, and it does address the issue of using then between independent clauses (which the client in question doesn't like). But that's kind of what I was referring to when I called it wishy-washy: "The comma is necessary because it indicates the implied conjunction and prevents a run-on sentence; a semicolon would be even better." Although if it's okay between independent clauses, I imagine it's okay separating a compound predicate.

Jonathon, interesting that you think it sounds kind of stuffy at times. (CMoS agrees with you at least a little bit on that.)

Eh, as I said, mostly idle pondering, since I have to do what the client wants, even though it looks wrong to me.

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English & Linguistics / Re: Dear Expert

« on: March 30, 2016, 04:24:56 PM »

What do people generally think about then as a conjunction? (e.g., "She took off her shoes, then danced in the rain.") CMoS is wishy-washy on it. I don't like it, but at least one of my clients thinks it's peachy-keen (which means this is more idle pondering than anything else, since I pretty much have to do what the client wants in that regard).

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English & Linguistics / Re: I hate journalistic writing

« on: March 18, 2016, 09:51:50 AM »

The worst are the ones where the author pretends there's a book by the same title and most of the actual book is "reporting" all the wonderful things that happened to people who read the book.

Oh, yeah, the "business novel." Ugh.

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English & Linguistics / Re: I hate journalistic writing

« on: March 17, 2016, 03:06:11 PM »

I have worked with self-published books for nearly eight years now, and I probably see a minimum of two to three of these per week, every week.

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English & Linguistics / Grammar Gripe

« on: March 24, 2007, 07:27:00 AM »

I prefer the French "on." That one actually is gender neutral, as there's a "she" (elle) and a "he" (il).  

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English & Linguistics / Grammar Gripe

« on: March 23, 2007, 04:27:13 PM »

Break on through to the other side.