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From a notorious comma criminal.
You can't count on the Great Unwashed using commas in any rational fashion.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
old hand
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old hand
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Posts: 771 |
Thanks, b96 for > HEY MAV...........  pbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbt I second that!   And as for the Great Unwashed vis a vis comma usage, I know, I know... but I like to throw in a little worthless academia when I can. Otherwise, why bother paying off my student loans?
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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boyoungbalt suggested that the ambiguity may have been intentional. there's a word for this (of course!):
equivoque (n.) - an ambiguous statement or passage, often intentionally evasive or phrased to have two possible interpretations
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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After my glib comma criminal comment I have looked this over in some more depth and see no problem with a comma in the suggested spot if lives is to be taken as a verb and if one is using rhetorical punctuation. If one is using grammatical punctuation I'm still not sure that a comma would be out of place, if only to resolve the potential ambiguity.
My initial reaction was even more glib than my comma criminal post; the simple answer YES
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member
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Faldage says, "... the simple answer YES"
I agree, it could be read both ways. If it was written that way on purpose, bravo to the writer. It's my understanding the big book was written to be non-denominational, to attract a larger group of people it's less specific, allowing individuals the opportunity to fit their personal beliefs inside it's teachings. You are at the mercy of your own interpretation.
That's if we're going to believe it was done on purpose and not assume it's faulty craftsmanship.
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ladymoon agree(s), it could be read both ways
Unfortunately I wasn't even being that deep. I was referring to the first instance of lives as being a noun and the second a verb.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
That's if we're going to believe it was done on purpose and not assume it's faulty craftsmanship.
a) What's all this authorial priviledge? we don't even give Him that kind of say so.
b) find the missing comma *here*.
c) re: "b") above, fine one to talk are I, huh?
:) :) :) glad to meet you!!!
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Carpal Tunnel
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harrysiegal, I offer you my most 'umble apologies! I hope we see more interesting posts from you in future... I've come in at midnight *just to do that, too 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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equivoque (n.) - an ambiguous statement or passage, often intentionally evasive or phrased to have two possible interpretations
Do you ever use the expressions "sans équivoque" in English? This is quite common in French to mean not ambiguous at all. YET, we never use the word équivoque alone.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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I've never used "equivoque" or "sans equivoque," but then, I have no French. I think the usage you just pointed out is the equivalent of the common use of "without question" to indicate that something is obvious, while "with question" is never used.
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