From an AP wire story this AM:

For a while, the sun will be blotted out completely as the eclipse moves across the open Pacific, but it will be visible only to people at sea.

Huh? Surely I'm not the only one who finds it blindingly obvious that the "it" in the final clause refers to "the eclipse" and not "the sun"?

Just another case of a prescrip trying to torture out ambiguity where none exists. Not only is the obvious meaning the correct one but the pronoun has taken as its antecedent the nearest noun.

It may be time to refill my meds, but I read the sentence the same way TEd did.

Your profile says that you are an editor. Doesn't that automatically make you a prescriptivist? Also, isn't it significant how pleasing is the alliteration of prescriptivist and pejorative?

Your profile says that you are an editor. Doesn't that automatically make you a prescriptivist?

Not me; maybe others. I split infinitives with the wildest of abandon -- just a common-sense, eschew-ambiguity kinda gal am I. I refer you to Bill Walsh's book Lapsing Into a Comma and his website, http://www.theslot.com.


Also, isn't it significant how pleasing is the alliteration of prescriptivist and pejorative?

Alliteration hwæt?

Vernon:

This is what the writer said:

For a while, the sun will be blotted out completely as the eclipse moves across the open Pacific, but it will be visible only to people at sea.

I know that these people are writing to deadlines, but it takes only a couple of more seconds to use one's brain to think about what one wants to say.

I would have said:

For a while the moon will completely blot out the sun as the shadow moves across the open Pacific.

Or:

The total eclipse phase will follow a path across the open Pacific from point a to point b.

Both of these are active voice, short and sweet and do not condescend by telling you that only people who are in the sea will be able to see the total eclipse. It already said "across the open Pacific."

Yes, I'm a proud prescriptivist. But not prideful. Well not too. Most editors I have known would have said, "Strike one," and at strike three would have been inclined to can the reporter.

TEd

PS

Betsy, no need to check your meds. I took them for you.

TR

Well, my goodness.... am I the only one who laughed when I read it?
So, only people at sea will see it? Since being all at sea is my usual location (see Mensamania as an example)I will keep an eye open. Could some kind soul provide the date?

Three cheers, wow!

Dear Anna,

I want your frank professional answer to the following question,

"Is it permissible to deliberately, at length and with wild abandon split an infinitive?"

Waiting bravely for a reply

<<...frank...>>

If I may, it is permissible, at length, to split.

Could some kind soul provide the date? ~ wow

You'll have to run - the date is the 8th April. Better not blink though, you may miss it:

"Be prepared for a rare hybrid solar eclipse coming April 8 as the Moon sweeps
eastward across our planet.

Along a narrow swatch of the Pacific Ocean, the Moon completely covers the Sun
for up to 42 seconds. On the other side of the world, observers in Panama,
Colombia, and Venezuela will see a spectacular "Ring of Fire."

Across southern North America and western South America, the Sun appears
partially eclipsed the afternoon of April 8."

I know there's been a lot of geological activity of late, but could someone explain to me in what sense Panama, Columbia, and Venezuela are on the other side of the world from the Pacific?

Bingley

Stop picking nits, Robert!

<<I know there's been a lot of geological activity of late, but could someone explain to me in what sense Panama, Columbia, and Venezuela are on the other side of the world from the Pacific?>>

Columbia, at least, is on the other side of the continent.

Anna: Actually, I was thinking of Columbia University. I guess I don't get out of town enough.

But what means "to serve up on toast points," exactly? -- I've seen it/heard it, but I don't quite get it

is the district where the US capital is located. [/nit]

Edit: oops! Insel, did I just serve you up on toast points?

Toast points are when you cut your toast into - wait for it - little pointed pieces, as opposed to "soldiers", which are strips of bread or toast for diping into a softboiled egg.
Following the discussion of "books on paper" and "books on toast" in another part of this site, I tried doing an origami number on my toast to fold it into points, but it didn't work. ANd I got butter all over my cat, who is now floating about two feet above the ground......

...I take it toast points are for serving up chopped liver?

Lotta butter!

>>ANd I got butter all over my cat, who is now floating about two feet above the ground.

HA!

Last time I looked, British Columbia was still on the Pacific.

Also, since the Pacific is almost a hemisphere, if the "narrow swatch" of the Pacific were on the eastern side, calling the American Pacific the other side of the world would not be the much of a stretch.