Wordsmith Talk		About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us

Active Topics

Active Posts

Unanswered Posts

Search

Advanced

You are not logged in. [Log In] Wordsmith.org » Forums » (Old) Weekly themes. (have been consolidated into a single forum above) » Meta-words » What's the meta with this? Register User    Forum List        Calendar     Active Topics     Search     FAQ

Topic Options #95379 - 02/12/03 05:37 PM What's the meta with this? wwh Carpal Tunnel Registered: 01/18/01 Posts: 13858 Anticipating resentment of my taking too much space in Q&A. here is a second item from The Vocabula Review archive, which I hope may elicit comment: "3. doubt that Misused for doubt whether. " Although I never fail to sympathize with the general concern, I doubt that it's possible to engineer a happy return to a world in which secrets could be kept." USE doubt whether. [Harper's] To me, "whether" always implies a comparison, a choice, and "whether or not" can be clumsy. Please comment. Top #95380 - 02/13/03 07:04 AM Re: What's the meta with this? Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 13653 comment. The TVR gang is a bunch of stuffed shirts that have no faith in the ability of the language to function without their shepherding. Top #95381 - 02/13/03 07:23 AM Re: What's the meta with this? Wordwind Carpal Tunnel Registered: 09/30/01 Posts: 6296 Loc: Piedmont Region of Virginia, U... I'm a Belle Whether. I like the word and try to use it whenever I find it appropriate. Makes me feel like I'm being oh-so-precise in this World of Shades and Shadows. Top #95382 - 02/13/03 07:50 AM Re: What's the meta with this? dxb Pooh-Bah Registered: 03/06/02 Posts: 1692 Loc: UK If I’ve got the hang of this, your proposition can be illustrated thus: Take 1: Statement: “I’m told that it is possible to engineer a happy return to a world in which secrets could be kept.” Response: “I doubt that (it's possible to engineer…).” In this case there is no choice to be made, so ‘doubt that’ may be used. Take 2: Statement: “Do you think it is possible to engineer a happy return to a world in which secrets could be kept?” Response: “I doubt whether it is (possible to engineer …).” In this case there is a choice implicit in the question, so ‘doubt whether’ should be used. The use of ‘whether’ in Take 2 feels clumsy. It would feel more natural to say ‘I doubt if it is’ or more simply ‘I doubt it’. I doubt if / whether / that I would normally find a need to use ‘doubt whether’ except when choices were distinctly stated as in, for example: “I have some doubt whether he will go east or west”. Even that is ambiguous as it leaves other alternatives available such as carrying on south. “I doubt whether he will go east or west” definitely introduces further options. But then I've probably got the wrong end of the stick anyway! I agree with Faldage; I don't believe it matters. Top #95383 - 02/13/03 08:31 AM Re: What's the meta with this? Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 13653 I have some doubt whether he will go east or west This seems incredibly imprecise if the choices are east or west. It seems to imply that the doubt is about whether he will go at all. Precision would require that one say, "I am unsure as to whether he will choose to go east or go west," or some such vebose gobbitch. Top #95384 - 02/13/03 08:41 AM Re: What's the meta with this? dxb Pooh-Bah Registered: 03/06/02 Posts: 1692 Loc: UK Absolutely. As I said: for example: “I have some doubt whether he will go east or west”. Even that is ambiguous as it leaves other alternatives available such as carrying on south. I think you have to be careful when using 'doubt whether'. Top Previous Topic Index Next Topic Preview Hop to: General Topics ------   Information and announcements   Q&A about words   Wordplay and fun   Words and languages in schools   Miscellany   Weekly Themes   Looking for (writers, speakers, ...) (Old) Weekly themes. (have been consolidated into a single forum above) ------   Words from medicine   Beheading words   Meta-words   Words from classical mythology   Animal Safari   Words with unusual etymologies   Eponyms or words derived from people's names.   Loanwords from German   English as a global language Moderator:  Jackie  Print Topic Switch to Threaded Mode View profile Send a PM Add to your Watched Users View posts View profile Send a PM View homepage Add to your Watched Users View posts View profile Send a PM Add to your Watched Users View posts View profile Send a PM Add to your Watched Users View posts View profile Send a PM View homepage Add to your Watched Users View posts View profile Send a PM Add to your Watched Users View posts Forum Stats 8421 Members 16 Forums 13686 Topics 209713 Posts Max Online: 3341 @ 12/09/11 02:15 PM Newest Members janbra, junebug, Stephen A, fgjhgjk, Nora Francis 8421 Registered Users Who's Online 1 registered (janbra), 35 Guests and 2 Spiders online. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters (30 Days) LukeJavan8 82 jenny jenny 65 wofahulicodoc 47 endymion6 42 BranShea 35 Rhubarb Commando 27 Buffalo Shrdlu 19 Jackie 16 zmjezhd 15 Faldage 14 May Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Board Rules · Mark all read Default StyleBlackNTanDrabeBayGooG_v2infopoprounded_cornersSlatesnowsunny_dropshadowthebluesTouch_Of_Greyubbthreadsubbthreads-dark Contact Us · Wordsmith.org · Top

Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 2013 Wordsmith