"But, by the same token" - 10/19/09 01:51 AM
Our first grammar question today comes from concerned reader Brian Cameron of Elora, Ontario, who writes: ``Just what does it mean when someone says, `But, by the same token'?''
A. In grammatical terminology, this is what is known as a ``constipating conjunction.'' It is used to separate two statements that would sound stupid if they were right next to each other.
EXAMPLES:
-- ``Unemployment will definitely decrease. But, by the same token, it could increase.''
-- ``In 27 years of marriage, Todd never noticed Marie's tentacle. But, by the same token, he was a fine tennis player.''
Q. How come we say ``tuna fish''? I mean, tuna IS a kind of fish, right? We don't say ``tomato vegetable'' or ``milk dairy product'' or ``beef meat,'' do we? And how come we call it ``beef''? How come we don't say, ``I'll have a piece of cow, rare''? And how come we say ``rare''? And how come the waiter always says, ``DID you want some dessert,'' instead of, ``DO you want some dessert?'' Does he mean, ``DID you want some dessert, before you found those hairs in your lasagna?'' And how come everybody says ``sher-BERT,'' when the word is ``sher- BET''? And how come broadcast news reporters end their reports by saying, ``This is Edward M. Stuntgoat, reporting.'' What ELSE would we think he's doing? Hemorrhaging?
Q. Last year, when your son, Robby, was doing a fourth-grade homework assignment that required him to use the word ``combine'' in a sentence, what sentence did he write?
A. He wrote: ``Unfortunately, many people have died being shredded by a combine.''
Q. Are you making that up?
A. No.
Q. Are you concerned about it?
A. No. But, by the same token, yes.
Dave Barry
Courtesy of Max's Useful Language Links.
A. In grammatical terminology, this is what is known as a ``constipating conjunction.'' It is used to separate two statements that would sound stupid if they were right next to each other.
EXAMPLES:
-- ``Unemployment will definitely decrease. But, by the same token, it could increase.''
-- ``In 27 years of marriage, Todd never noticed Marie's tentacle. But, by the same token, he was a fine tennis player.''
Q. How come we say ``tuna fish''? I mean, tuna IS a kind of fish, right? We don't say ``tomato vegetable'' or ``milk dairy product'' or ``beef meat,'' do we? And how come we call it ``beef''? How come we don't say, ``I'll have a piece of cow, rare''? And how come we say ``rare''? And how come the waiter always says, ``DID you want some dessert,'' instead of, ``DO you want some dessert?'' Does he mean, ``DID you want some dessert, before you found those hairs in your lasagna?'' And how come everybody says ``sher-BERT,'' when the word is ``sher- BET''? And how come broadcast news reporters end their reports by saying, ``This is Edward M. Stuntgoat, reporting.'' What ELSE would we think he's doing? Hemorrhaging?
Q. Last year, when your son, Robby, was doing a fourth-grade homework assignment that required him to use the word ``combine'' in a sentence, what sentence did he write?
A. He wrote: ``Unfortunately, many people have died being shredded by a combine.''
Q. Are you making that up?
A. No.
Q. Are you concerned about it?
A. No. But, by the same token, yes.
Dave Barry
Courtesy of Max's Useful Language Links.