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Posted By: JohnHawaii Rearranging adverbs - 09/13/03 11:34 PM
Last year, I submitted an article to a magazine for publication. It survived the editorial process pretty much as written, with one exception. In every case, where I had inserted an adverb after the helping verb (e.g., "... I will always have..."), and ( "...I was also responsible..."), the editor revised the phrases to read:
"...I always will have..." and "...I also was responsible..."
In the last example, I think he actually blurred the meaning of my statement. I was trying to convey that, among other responsibilities, I was required to, blah, blah.
As revised, it could be interpreted that I was one of several who had that responsibility.
Did I stray from a grammatical rule, or was the editor just expressing his stylistic preference?

Posted By: maverick Re: Rearranging adverbs - 09/13/03 11:40 PM
I'm with you John - I think he was detracting from your clear meaning.

Posted By: Bingley Re: Rearranging adverbs - 09/13/03 11:43 PM
Apparently there are some people in the US (I first heard of this in a US publication and have never noticed it in printed material from elsewhere) who are so terrified of splitting an infinitive that they refuse to countenance any extraneous material dividing the verb phrase.

Bingley
Posted By: tsuwm Re: Rearranging adverbs - 09/14/03 12:10 AM
>so terrified

it was those damn nuns, I'm telling you.

Posted By: Jackie Re: Rearranging adverbs - 09/14/03 01:08 AM
it was those damn nuns, I'm telling you.
Ok--as one who did not go to Catholic school, this one took me a minute. I guess you meant like the nuns in "The Blues Brothers"?

Posted By: AnnaStrophic Re: Rearranging adverbs - 09/14/03 02:43 PM
I agree with Bingley's suggestion. I once had a copy editor exactly as described.

Posted By: belMarduk Re: Rearranging adverbs - 09/14/03 07:25 PM
I agree with your interpretation JH. I does give the impression that you are sharing responsibility. Can you argue about it or is it too late?

Posted By: Capfka Re: Rearranging adverbs - 09/15/03 12:36 PM
>> it was those damn nuns, I'm telling you.

What, you been watching reruns of "A Very Peculiar Practice" again? The nuns were almost the best part.

Posted By: JohnHawaii Re: Rearranging adverbs - 09/16/03 01:25 AM
" Can you argue about it or is it too late?"
The article appeared in a May 2002 magazine. I was not aware of the changes until I saw the published version.
It was not worth going to GQ over, post facto.
The editor was a retired U.S. Army Colonel who probably merited some special understanding. Incidentally, he passed away just a few months ago.

Posted By: Jackie Re: Rearranging adverbs - 09/16/03 02:12 AM
...and may he peacefully go to his rest.

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