CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - April 11, 2009

HAPPY EASTER!

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

Monday

PET PEEVES

Here is a list of errors and poor English use that have been cited over the last two years. They are totally unacceptable under any circumstances.
If you question these examples of poor writing, you need to review your basics.

1. Incomplete sentences.

2. Subject-verb disagreement.

3. "Went missing..."

4. Poor or non-existent proofreading.

5. "Where did you get that at?" (or variations of dangling infinitives or participles)

6. Comma splices.

7. "I seen..."

8. "I got..."

9. "Off of..."

10. "He says to me..."



Identify and correct the errors in the following pieces.

“Take Bill gates: one of the world's richest men, founder of Microsoft and philanthropist.”

This is one of those clichés that really makes no sense. Where should Bill Gates be taken?
The colon is completely misused.

“One example would be Bill Gates, one of the world's richest men, founder of Microsoft and philanthropist.”

“Until he comes up against Jack Bauer, that is.”

This is not a complete thought because of the subordinate conjunction, “until”.

“He wins, until he comes up against Jack Bauer, that is.”



Tuesday

EMINENT/IMMINENT/IMMANENT

“Eminent” (adj.) means famous or prominent.

“Imminent” (adj.) means threatening, coming up, about to happen or looming.

“Immanent” (adj.) means inherent, remaining within or taking place within the mind of a subject and having no effect outside of it.


Wednesday

"A"/"AN"

"A" is an indefinite article used before consonants denoting one entity.

"An" is an indefinite article used before vowels denoting one entity.

"A" is pronounced "a" as in "fat".

"A" is NOT PRONOUNCED "a" as in "hay".



PARAMOUNT/TANTAMOUNT

“Paramount”, an adjective, means best, top, supreme or vital.

“Tantamount”, an adjective, means equivalent, identical, synonymous or of equal value.


Thursday

EPOCH/EPIC

“Epoch”, a noun means a long period of time or an era.
The adjective form is “epochal”.

“Epic”, an adjective, means of large scale, or of grand scale.



PURISM PERSONIFIED

Identify the source of the following language truth.

“I understand a fury in your words,
But not the words.”
William Shakespeare penned this in “Othello”.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

“Diligence” (n.) means thoroughness, attentiveness or carefulness.

“Maladroit” (adj.) means awkward, inept, ungainly or gawky.

“Punctilious” (adj.) means meticulous, conscientious, thorough, strict or exact in the observance of forms or detail.
“Punctuation” has the same root as “punctilious”.

“Hubris” (n.) means insolence or wanton violence stemming from excessive pride and often resulting in retribution or nemesis. Thus, it often refers to fate or the results of one’s arrogance. The word is Greek in origin.


ANOTHER MILESTONE

Thursday's posting was # 600.
Thank you for the support.