CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - January 10, 2010

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

Monday

Find and correct the errors in the following examples.

“By sharply increasing the maximum penalties for those he says don't follow the rules.”

This is not a complete thought.

“He will reward drivers by sharply increasing the maximum penalties for those he says don't follow the rules.”


“Just as we missed the debate on lowering the blood alcohol limit to .05 and the option of jailing a driver under the recently instituted 'street racing' legislation without that person being able to launch a legal defence.”

This, also, is not a complete thought.

“If there was any debate, we missed it, just as we missed the debate on lowering the blood alcohol limit to .05 and the option of jailing a driver under the recently instituted 'street racing' legislation without that person being able to launch a legal defence.”


Tuesday

Identify and correct the errors in the following pieces.

“More than 9,000 investors lost over $100 million in funds that went missing from Norbourg over a five-year period.”

How many times do I have to say it? “PEOPLE AND THINGS DO NOT GO MISSING!”

“More than 9,000 investors lost over $100 million in funds that disappeared from Norbourg over a five-year period.”

“Particularly since, as McGuinty noted, these workers have 'been sheltered from the full ravages of this private-sector recession.’ ”

This is an incomplete thought.

“McGuinty noted these workers have 'been sheltered from the full ravages of this private-sector recession.’ ”


Wednesday

THEORY/HYPOTHESIS

A “theory” is a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.
“Einstein’s theory of relativity was the seminal addition to the understanding of speed and light.”

A “hypothesis” is a proposition proposed as an explanation for the occurrence of some specified group of phenomena. It can be thought of as a mere assumption or guess to guide an investigation of facts.
“The detective used the concept of greed in trying to understand a motive for the crime.”


Thursday

MAJORITY ARE/MAJORITY IS

“Majority” can be either singular or plural.
“Majority” should be used only with countable nouns.

“Majority is” must be used when referring to a group in its entirety.
“The majority council opinion is that DRIC is short-changing the city.”

“Majority are” must be used when referring to the group as individuals.
“The majority of callers are opposed to daylight savings time changes.”


Friday

TORTUROUS/TORTUOUS

“Torturous” means painful or unpleasant as with torture.
“The constant loudness of the amplified drumming was torturous and harmful to her sense of hearing.”

“Tortuous” means tangled or twisted.
“The winding path through the brambles was brutally tortuous.”


DO YOU AGREE?

“The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.”
Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher who lived from 1844 to1900, wrote this idea.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

“Matriculate” (v.) means to enroll as a student, to enter or to sign up for something.

“Voluminous” (adj.) means large in volume or bulk, sizable or large.
Other forms of the word are “volume”, “voluminously”, “voluminousness” and “voluminosity”.

“Minion” (n.) refers to a follower, a parasite or a servile or base favourite of a prince or parton.

“Meticulous” (adj.) means precise, finicky, fussy or excessively concerned about niceties.
The noun form is “meticulosity”.

“Rakish” (adj.) means dashing, jaunty, modish or stylish.