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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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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.
TEd
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Joined: Jun 2001
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
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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"?
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 13,803 |
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.
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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It may be time to refill my meds, but I read the sentence the same way TEd did.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 273
enthusiast
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enthusiast
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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?
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
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?
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
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
TEd
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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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?
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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newbie
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newbie
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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
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