CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - November 9, 2008

Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's postings.


Monday

There is an error in the unit below. Find it and correct it.

“Palin, herself, isn't gaffe-proof. Her often rambling, incoherent answers...generated fodder for her critics and inspired the hilarious parody by Saturday Night Live alumnus Tina Fey.”

“Alumnus” is masculine. Tina Fey is an “alumna” not an “alumnus” of Saturday Night Live.

“Palin, herself, isn't gaffe-proof. Her often rambling, incoherent answers...generated fodder for her critics and inspired the hilarious parody by Saturday Night Live alumna Tina Fey.”


Tuesday

“Well, yeah, ya know…”

A professional could use better than street lingo. I begrudge sloppy articulation and allow some leeway, but I cannot accept “yeah”. And “well” is just empty air fill.

“Yes…”


“You've got temperatures over there…”

I am not “over there“. I do not have “temperatures” over there. "You've got..." is a ridiculous regionalism.

“The temperatures in the west (or east or anywhere)…”


“Yeah, ya know…”

Check above. Consistency is an asset. “Ya know…” is empty air fill also.

“Yes…”


Wednesday

Fix any errors you find in the following:

“About 50 people worked at the plant. When the government announced a $950,000 grant to the operation in August 2007 - just months after loaning it $2 million - it said the plant was using the money to employ 134 people, growing to 250 employees within four years.”

“Loan” is a noun. “Lend” is the verb form needed.

“About 50 people worked at the plant. When the government announced a $950,000 grant to the operation in August 2007 - just months after lending it $2 million - it said the plant was using the money to employ 134 people, growing to 250 employees within four years.”


Thursday

INSTANTS/INSTANCES

Examples of anything are “instances.” Brief moments are “instants”.

“He exhibited several instances where his team played poorly.”

“The loud sound scared him and, in an instant, he was running frantically away”.


Friday

MORE IMPORTANT/MORE IMPORTANTLY

“More importantly” is pompous and, because of context, is usually wrong. It should never be used.
“More important” is the correct form.


EASY QUOTE

“While there's life, there's hope.”
Cicero, a Roman orator, created this.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

“Eponymous” (adj.) means giving one’s name to a tribe, a place an institution. It is from the noun “eponym”.

“Hermaphrodite” (n.) means androgynous, genderless, sexless or being both male and female.

“Ominous” (adj.) means threatening, gloomy, menacing or portentous.

“Phantasmagoria” (n.) means a shifting series of phantasms, illusions or deceptive appearances as in a dream. It can mean a series of optical illusions.

“Condescension” (n.) means disdain, arrogance, to treat with contempt or aloofness.