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Joined: Jan 2003
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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?
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I'm with you John - I think he was detracting from your clear meaning.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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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
Bingley
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Joined: Apr 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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>so terrified
it was those damn nuns, I'm telling you.
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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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"?
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I agree with Bingley's suggestion. I once had a copy editor exactly as described.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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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?
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
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>> 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.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 171
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" 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.
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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...and may he peacefully go to his rest.
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