CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - November 29, 2009

CAUTION

I received a comment which was written entirely in Chinese or Mandarin or some character form. I have rejected that comment because I have no idea what it says or if it might contain a virus.
I thank the person for sending me a comment, but if one wants a comment published, it must be written in English; after all, this is an correct English usage blog.


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

Monday

Identify and correct the errors in the following pieces.
You get a GOLD STAR if you can identify the irony in the last entry. You must be sure to read the entire entry to find it.
You go to the head of the class if you can explain what is wrong with the word order of example three.

"Just as it would be for a CUPE insider to whisper the union's plans to management in the midst of a bitter stand-off."

This is not a complete thought; it is only a subordinate clause dependant upon the preceding sentence for its sense.

"It is a legal no-no, just as it would be for a CUPE insider to whisper the union's plans to management in the midst of a bitter stand-off."


"But my sense is Jones is going to need that lawyer; unfortunately for him."

The semi-colon is incorrect; it should be a comma.

"But my sense is Jones is going to need that lawyer, unfortunately for him."

"A group of homeowners on Windsor's west side have hired a lawyer and will approach city council tonight to push for demolition of dozens of unsightly homes on Indian Road owned by Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Maroun."
Dave Battagello, "Group pushes for demolitions", The Windsor Star, Monday, November 23, 2003.

“Group” is the subject and it is singular; its verb must also be singular.
The word order makes it appear as if Indian Road is owned by Matty Maroun whereas the intent is that Maroun owns the homes.
The irony is that the title of the articles has the subject/verb correctly structured but it is incorrect in the body of the article. Al least there could be some consistency, one would think.

"A group of homeowners on Windsor's west side has hired a lawyer and will approach city council tonight to push for demolition of dozens of unsightly homes on Indian Road owned by Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Maroun."


Tuesday

AFFLUENCE/EFFLUENCE

“Affluence” is abundant wealth or riches.
“The affluence of the neighbourhood was evident in the size of the houses.

“Effluence” is sewage.
“The effluence back-washed into his basement and created a terribly foul smell.”


Wednesday

GRAMMAR REVIEW - ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

“Active voice” refers the subject doing the action.
“He kicked the door so hard that it broke off its hinges.”

“Passive voice” means that the subject receives the action.
“The cruel trained was kicked by the wild horse.”


Thursday

VERACIOUS/VORACIOUS

“Veracious” (adj.) means conforming with truth, actual or genuine. It comes from the word Latin veritas.
“The Benedictine monk was a veracious witness in the trial.”

“Voracious” (adj.) means excessively greedy and grasping, devouring or craving food.
“The lion pup had a voracious appetite for something so young.”

BONUS

“Validation” is a noun referring to the finding or testing of the truth of something.
“Valid” is the adjective form.
“Validate” is the verb form.
“Validity” is a noun form referring to the soundness of an argument.


Friday

BREAK/BROKE/BROKEN

“Break”, as a verb, means to slow down.

“Broke” is the past tense of the verb “break”.

“Broken” is the past participle of the verb break.

The misuse occurs when “broke” is used when “broken” should be used.

“Broke” and “broken” are not interchangeable.

“His car is broke.” Wrong.

“His car is broken.” Correct.


WORTH REMEMBERING

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.”
Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862) wrote this.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

“Paroxysm” (n.) refers to an attack, a convulsion, an explosion or a fit.

“Gregarious” (adj.) means social or friendly or wanting to be with others.

“Remonstrate” (v.) means to argue in opposition to or in protest against or to plead in protest.
“Remonstrance” is the noun form.

“Vainglorious” (adj.) means boastful, bragging, arrogant or overbearing.

“Fatalism” (n.) is a philosophy that says that all events are subject to fate or are predetermined or inevitable. It is the acceptance that all things are inevitable.
“Fate”, “fatality” and “fatal” share the root of this word.