Grammar

[danaeris]

What do you think? (note: in the last question, the option "That used to be the rule, but these days using 'which' in that context is acceptable" should read "That used to be the rule, but these days ending with a preposition is considered acceptable."

[Poll #464651]

Comments

Think there's an error in the last question.

[jadasc.livejournal.com]

It repeats the "which" entry from the previous question. In any case, my position on that one is, "Do not end a sentence in a preposition. That said, certain idioms and cliches contain prepositions, and following this rule leads to awkward, disjointed phrasing. For informal texts, end with a preposition. If formal, recast the sentence." I'm thinking of the Churchill quote ("That is something up with which I will not put!") and U2. Can't imagine "I Still Haven't Found The Thing For Which I Am Looking."

Re: Think there's an error in the last question.

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

Thanks for pointing that out. Too bad I can't change a poll once it has been posted!

[qedrakmar.livejournal.com]

While the grammar should be tight, journalism seems to be taking on a more informal feel over the years. If you're writing a technical document, you'd want to make sure everything is on the up and up, but when presenting in journalism, don't you wan't everything to be as accessible as possible, and isn't the ideal way to accomplish that to present your wording as vernacular to the greatest population cross-section? While you still want to be careful with words whose meanings have slid over time, I think the placement of "that" vs "which" or even "so" vs "but" as a segue is less concerning.

Has anyone written on the evolution of language from this perspective?

[roozle.livejournal.com]

On the question of ending a sentence with a preposition, I think the level of formality matters. Generally, I think the level of formality at which you have to worry about ending a sentence with a preposition is "stuffy", but sometimes that's appropriate anyway.

[dicedork.livejournal.com]

Unless you're producing formal writing, which should be...formal. MLA and such are just frameworks. But language is a communication tool. Writing things like "to whom the book belonged" sounds very awkward in casual writing, and starting a sentence with but (without an IDC ) can sometimes give it the oomph of a new idea. The thing is that if I take an idea from my head, and put it into yours, I've succeeded, even if I make up words, ignore every rule of grammar and use casual language conventions that defy technical rules. In fact there are some ideas that go over better BY defying the rules a bit.

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

That was a very cromulent answer!

;)

[dicedork.livejournal.com]

You used a word I had to look up. Marry me.

Sometimes the web surfs you....

[marius23.livejournal.com]

Argh! I started out looking up "cromulent"...and before I knew it, I was on to "feedbackgooglewhackblatt"....

Terrifying to think

[vokzal.livejournal.com]

that merely because small newspapers print my press releases, I am now published! (Of course, does it count if its been translated?)

Your poll!

[iceblink.livejournal.com]

I am a technical writer, and I write and edit for a living. (It wasn't an option on your poll.) However, I do not write for the press.

When writing in the formal style, I do not end my sentences with a proposition. I do occasionally end sentences with prepositions when writing in my journal. I figure that my journal is more of a speaking style and not a formal writing style. That being said, when I am journal writing I do like to follow the rules of grammar and punctuation as much as possible.

[wytetygryss.livejournal.com]

Much of what I write and want to write is fiction, where you should generally follow the rules of good grammar, but can be granted more leeway for sentences/structures that provide more dramatic "punch" than more formal forms. I wrote rather differently in my MA thesis, for example, than in the novel I'm working on! And, of course, in my personal writing (journal, letters etc) it's even less formal.

[ebenezer.livejournal.com]

What is your writing/editing background? (please check the first one which applies)

"Please check the first one THAT applies". Thanks :)

[kgola.livejournal.com]

I work for Tech News, my school paper (and it's the third school paper I've worked for), but I also write fiction (and poetry), and my writing style for class, Tech News and fiction vary based on formality. I'm not going to repeat things others have said, but I figured I would share this with you.