CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - June 1, 2008

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

Monday

Identify and fix the errors in the following:

“A final that features two puck-possession teams.”
This is an incomplete thought and is not a sentence.
“[This will be] a final that features two puck-possession teams.”

“Two high-end skills clubs who put the emphasis on playing an up-tempo, fast-paced brand of attacking hockey.”
This is an incomplete thought and is not a sentence.
“[The series features] two high-end skills clubs who put the emphasis on playing an up-tempo, fast-paced brand of attacking hockey.”

“Many of whom will skate on both sides of the ice in this best-of-seven set.”
This is an incomplete thought and is not a sentence.
“Many will skate on both sides of the ice in this best-of-seven set.”
(I have no idea what is meant by this. Is it one of those esoteric clichés known only to hockey jocks? Does it mean top-to-bottom or side-to-side? Or, does it have any meaning at all?)


Tuesday

INTERMURAL/INTRAMURAL

“Intramural” means within the walls; therefore, intramural means within an institution itself. House league games are competitions within a school itself and have nothing to do with outside schools.

Intermural” is not really correct and “intercollegiate” should be used.


Wednesday

TACTICS/STRATEGY

“Tactics” is the science and art of handling troops and military units. The connotation is of adroitness and cleverness.

“Strategy” is the study or science of military position on a broad scale for winning in a war. It can also be applied to business or politics.


Thursday

The three entries below are all from the same newspaper story.
Are there any errors in the entries?
I suggest that newspaper writers should use correct English sentence formatting and avoid using “poetic license” that should be reserved for poetry.

"Or perhaps, Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final."
This is not a sentence because there is no verb.

“For a night, or for the remainder of the series? Hard to say.”
The first is not a sentence because there is no verb.
The second also has no verb and is not a sentence.

“No one in black and gold was fooling themselves into thinking the guys in red and white are about to fade away.”
“No one” is singular. Therefore, “themselves”, which refers to “no one”, should also be the singular, “himself”.
The verb “are” should be “were” to keep tenses consistent.
“No one in black and gold was fooling himselve into thinking the guys in red and white were about to fade away.”


Friday

WHEELBARROW/WHEELBARREL

A “barrow” is an open container used for carrying people or goods. Add a wheel and it becomes a “wheelbarrow”.
There is no such thing as a “wheelbarrel”.


A POSER?

Is there an error in the example below?

"He was the second driver Wednesday who face more serious charges because Lambton OPP believe the use of cellphones while driving contributed to the driver committing the traffic violation."

The verb “face” is the problem. The principal clause is in the past tense, so the subordinate clause should also be in the past tense and the verb should be “faced”.

"He was the second driver Wednesday who faced more serious charges because Lambton OPP believe the use of cellphones while driving contributed to the driver committing the traffic violation."



CODE OF CONDUCT

Identify the author of the following:

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln was the creator.


THIS WEEK’S WORDS

“Vilify” (v.) means to malign, belittle, libel, denigrate or run down.

“Sedition” (n.) means agitation, treason or subversion.

“Foment” (v.) means to stimulate, stir up or provoke.

“Suffused” (adj.) means covered, submersed or inundated. The verb form is “suffuse”.

“Bilious” (adj.) means pertains to an excess secretion of bile. It usually refers to the character traits of peevishness, testiness or crossness.