The Grammar Logs -- Number Thirty-Four

The
Grammar
Logs
# 34

Question How do I cite a conclusion drawn by researchers who are cited in the articles I am using in my research paper?
Source & Date
of Question Rohnert Park, California
17 October 1997
Grammar's
Response I assume you're using the APA-style Guide for Writing Research Papers. Go to the section on citing secondary resources, and you should be able to find your answer there. If this isn't what you're asking for, please let me know.

Question I've always been told that using "that" instead of "who/whom" is improper English usage, but I can't find a source for that convention. Can you help?
Same for done vs. finished. It seems "that" and "done" are impolite when used to refer to people.
Thanks!!
Source & Date
of Question San Jose, California
17 October 1997
Grammar's
Response
It is quite acceptable to refer to people with "that" when the reference is generic. I myself nearly always use "who" when referring to people, but there really is nothing wrong with "that."
The children that pass the mastery test are ready to go on to fourth grade.
The Darling children, who passed the mastery test with flying colors, are ready to go on to fourth grade.
As for "done," you're probably right. Being "done" is too close to what you do to overcooked meat, too close to being kaput, overly ripe, wiped out. I'm finished.

Question What is the correct abbreviation to use when you are proofreading a name and it is spelled differently than it normally is, but you want to note that it is not a misspelling, such as the name Lary with only one r. Is it "cq" or "qc"?
Thanks.
Source & Date
of Question Somewhere in Florida
23 September 1997
Grammar's
Response Long after the news is of any use to you, I'm sure, I've found the answer to your question. When a word that is spelled in an unusual way and you want the typesetter to know that this is how it is to be spelled in your document, you circle the word and then put the letters cq in your margin (with a circle around the letters) to indicate the unusual but correct spelling. You could accomplish the same thing with ok or sic (circled, again). I have no idea what "cq" stands for, however.

Sorry this took so long.
Authority: Handbook for Proofreading. Laura Killen Anderson. Lincolnwood, Illinois: NTC Business Books, 1938.

Question What literary device is being used when making up these flavors of ice cream----lizard lemon, fingernail fudge, nicotine nectarine,mucous mocha. . . . I think you get the idea
Source & Date
of Question Unknown
18 October 1997
Grammar's
Response Indeed. That's alliteration, "the repetition of consonantal sounds in words close together, particularly using letters at the beginning of words or stressed syllables." I just quoted from the University of Victory Writer's Guide, which contains a handy definition of such devices, including their literary history. The history of alliteration just ended with your example.

Question Please help me! I am having problems. I have the book A Writers Reference but I cannot find anywhere how I am supposed to put my name my teacher's name and date on the first page. Can you help me please?? I can find all sorts of MLA Documentation but not one word on MLA style for this. I know my teacher said there was one but I can't find it! Thanks.
Source & Date
of Question Poplar Bluff, Missouri
18 October 1997
Grammar's
Response Go to our Guide to Writing Research Papers and click on "Formatting the Paper" to find your answer. Good luck with your paper.

Question Where does the thesis statement belong? I have always been taught that it should be the last sentence in the first paragraph. I have recently encountered a professor who ask that it be placed in the second paragraph. What is the correct placing of your thesis statement?
Source & Date
of Question Patrick Air Force Base, Florida
19 October 1997
Grammar's
Response The ending of the first paragraph is a perfectly good spot for your thesis statement. It leaves you room for a bit of a running start before telling your reader what you're really up to. Also, your first paragraph has nicely built up to something important. I suppose your professor is thinking along the same line: we don't want to give away too early the key, the main idea, to what we're saying. There's no one magic place for a thesis statement.
I hope this response isn't too much of a waffle.

Question Follow up to Log#32, Question 1:

Just one more question about 'among'. I have found 'among' referred to as the subject when it is part of a prepositional phrase in two different texts. (Weaving It Together, Book 4, Heinle & Heinle Pub., 1996, p. 280). According to their subject-verb agreement rules subects with the following prepositional phrases take a singular verb. The example they give is similar to the one I gave about Elton John's songs.
Exp: Among William Saroyan's works is The Human Comedy.
So if the among phrase is the subject here why is it not the subject when you list more than two things. I completely agree that the verb should be plural in such a case but I just can't make this grammar rule fit. There is also the same type of example given in The Heinle & Heinle Toefl Test Assistant: Grammar, 1995, p. 24.
Exp: Among her works is To the King's Most Excellent Health.
I guess my question is how do I interpret this grammar rule?
Source & Date
of Question Vancouver, B.C., Canada
20 October 1997
Grammar's
Response
The problem here is that you're writing to the wrong person. With all due respect, I think Heinle and Heinle (if you understand them correctly) are wrong. In the sentence
Among William Saroyan's works is _The Human Comedy_.
the subject is The Human Comedy. No two ways about it. How else can we account for what you point out: that if two things follow the verb, we will undoubtedly come up with a plural verb?
Among these poems are two of my favorites -- "Design" and "Birches."
The prepositional phrase in this case has an adverbial function: it tells where something is to be found. "Two" is the subject.

Perhaps what Heinle and Heinle are pointing out is that we mustn't let the plural object of the preposition ("works") confuse us (in the William Saroyan sentence) into choosing a plural verb when the real subject (the title of the work), which follows the verb, is singular?

Question Have metaphors led to the multiple meanings of words?

She is like an angel. ("angel" here = "fairy", i.e., a simile)
She is an angel. ("angel" here = "human", i.e., a metaphor)
In the distant past, Statement 2 was treated as a metaphor, as "angel" referred strictly to "fairy." However, as more and more people began to use this metaphor, current dictionaries are now giving an alternative meaning to "angel", which means, "a PERSON whose characteristics resembles that of an angel." Hence, Statement 2 can now be LITERAL. If this trend continues, will the increased multiple meanings of words wipe out metaphors completely? Also, do we say that the multiple meanings of words have spoilt the usage of metaphors, or the other way round?
Source & Date
of Question Singapore
19 October 1997
Grammar's
Response I think that when people say, "She's an angel," they're still being metaphoric, it's just that the power of that particular metaphor has been so dulled over the ages that it's become a cliché. The process you're alluding to, I believe, has more to do with the tendency of metaphor to become, eventually, just another way of saying something dull and predictable. The miracle of great poetry is that its metaphors still, after many, many repetitions, still surprise us.
Incidentally, there's not much of a connection between "fairies" and "angels," really. Fairies are little sprite-like creatures, most of whom live in the woods. They're much more -- what? -- naturalistic(?) than angels, who have a decidedly spiritual air about them.

Question
I hope you can help me with this problem. Which would be more correct:
"Of course, the guide contains only a small sample of our listings."
or
"Of course, the guide contains only a small sampling of our listings."
Is "sampling" in this instance simply a colloqualism? I look forward to your opinion on this matter.

Source & Date
of Question New York, New York
20 October 1997
Grammar's
Response I'd avoid using the word sampling when the word sample is what you mean. I would also avoid listings when you mean list. In any case, a sampling is, by definition, small, so I'd remove that redundancy. Second, I'd avoid the ing-ing sound of "sampling of our listings." Probably what you really want here is a "sample from our list."

Question When a story or book is written in the form of a letter from one person to another or to an audience, what style or type of writing is it considered to be?
Source & Date
of Question Arvada, Colorado
20 October 1997
Grammar's
Response I think the word you're looking for is epistolary, although I've seen that word applied only to novels, not short stories. Still, the word works in both situations, I believe.

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Question	I've always been told that using "that" instead of "who/whom" is improper English usage, but I can't find a source for that convention. Can you help? Same for done vs. finished. It seems "that" and "done" are impolite when used to refer to people. Thanks!!
Source & Date of Question	San Jose, California 17 October 1997
Grammar's Response	It is quite acceptable to refer to people with "that" when the reference is generic. I myself nearly always use "who" when referring to people, but there really is nothing wrong with "that." The children that pass the mastery test are ready to go on to fourth grade. The Darling children, who passed the mastery test with flying colors, are ready to go on to fourth grade. As for "done," you're probably right. Being "done" is too close to what you do to overcooked meat, too close to being kaput, overly ripe, wiped out. I'm finished.

Question	What is the correct abbreviation to use when you are proofreading a name and it is spelled differently than it normally is, but you want to note that it is not a misspelling, such as the name Lary with only one r. Is it "cq" or "qc"? Thanks.
Source & Date of Question	Somewhere in Florida 23 September 1997
Grammar's Response	Long after the news is of any use to you, I'm sure, I've found the answer to your question. When a word that is spelled in an unusual way and you want the typesetter to know that this is how it is to be spelled in your document, you circle the word and then put the letters cq in your margin (with a circle around the letters) to indicate the unusual but correct spelling. You could accomplish the same thing with ok or sic (circled, again). I have no idea what "cq" stands for, however. Sorry this took so long. Authority: Handbook for Proofreading. Laura Killen Anderson. Lincolnwood, Illinois: NTC Business Books, 1938.

Question	Where does the thesis statement belong? I have always been taught that it should be the last sentence in the first paragraph. I have recently encountered a professor who ask that it be placed in the second paragraph. What is the correct placing of your thesis statement?
Source & Date of Question	Patrick Air Force Base, Florida 19 October 1997
Grammar's Response	The ending of the first paragraph is a perfectly good spot for your thesis statement. It leaves you room for a bit of a running start before telling your reader what you're really up to. Also, your first paragraph has nicely built up to something important. I suppose your professor is thinking along the same line: we don't want to give away too early the key, the main idea, to what we're saying. There's no one magic place for a thesis statement. I hope this response isn't too much of a waffle.

Question	Follow up to Log#32, Question 1: Just one more question about 'among'. I have found 'among' referred to as the subject when it is part of a prepositional phrase in two different texts. (Weaving It Together, Book 4, Heinle & Heinle Pub., 1996, p. 280). According to their subject-verb agreement rules subects with the following prepositional phrases take a singular verb. The example they give is similar to the one I gave about Elton John's songs. Exp: Among William Saroyan's works is The Human Comedy. So if the among phrase is the subject here why is it not the subject when you list more than two things. I completely agree that the verb should be plural in such a case but I just can't make this grammar rule fit. There is also the same type of example given in The Heinle & Heinle Toefl Test Assistant: Grammar, 1995, p. 24. Exp: Among her works is To the King's Most Excellent Health. I guess my question is how do I interpret this grammar rule?
Source & Date of Question	Vancouver, B.C., Canada 20 October 1997
Grammar's Response	The problem here is that you're writing to the wrong person. With all due respect, I think Heinle and Heinle (if you understand them correctly) are wrong. In the sentence Among William Saroyan's works is _The Human Comedy_. the subject is The Human Comedy. No two ways about it. How else can we account for what you point out: that if two things follow the verb, we will undoubtedly come up with a plural verb? Among these poems are two of my favorites -- "Design" and "Birches." The prepositional phrase in this case has an adverbial function: it tells where something is to be found. "Two" is the subject. Perhaps what Heinle and Heinle are pointing out is that we mustn't let the plural object of the preposition ("works") confuse us (in the William Saroyan sentence) into choosing a plural verb when the real subject (the title of the work), which follows the verb, is singular?

Question	Have metaphors led to the multiple meanings of words? She is like an angel. ("angel" here = "fairy", i.e., a simile) She is an angel. ("angel" here = "human", i.e., a metaphor) In the distant past, Statement 2 was treated as a metaphor, as "angel" referred strictly to "fairy." However, as more and more people began to use this metaphor, current dictionaries are now giving an alternative meaning to "angel", which means, "a PERSON whose characteristics resembles that of an angel." Hence, Statement 2 can now be LITERAL. If this trend continues, will the increased multiple meanings of words wipe out metaphors completely? Also, do we say that the multiple meanings of words have spoilt the usage of metaphors, or the other way round?
Source & Date of Question	Singapore 19 October 1997
Grammar's Response	I think that when people say, "She's an angel," they're still being metaphoric, it's just that the power of that particular metaphor has been so dulled over the ages that it's become a cliché. The process you're alluding to, I believe, has more to do with the tendency of metaphor to become, eventually, just another way of saying something dull and predictable. The miracle of great poetry is that its metaphors still, after many, many repetitions, still surprise us. Incidentally, there's not much of a connection between "fairies" and "angels," really. Fairies are little sprite-like creatures, most of whom live in the woods. They're much more -- what? -- naturalistic(?) than angels, who have a decidedly spiritual air about them.

Question	How do I cite a conclusion drawn by researchers who are cited in the articles I am using in my research paper?
Source & Date of Question	Rohnert Park, California 17 October 1997
Grammar's Response	I assume you're using the APA-style Guide for Writing Research Papers. Go to the section on citing secondary resources, and you should be able to find your answer there. If this isn't what you're asking for, please let me know.

Question	What literary device is being used when making up these flavors of ice cream----lizard lemon, fingernail fudge, nicotine nectarine,mucous mocha. . . . I think you get the idea
Source & Date of Question	Unknown 18 October 1997
Grammar's Response	Indeed. That's alliteration, "the repetition of consonantal sounds in words close together, particularly using letters at the beginning of words or stressed syllables." I just quoted from the University of Victory Writer's Guide, which contains a handy definition of such devices, including their literary history. The history of alliteration just ended with your example.

Question	Please help me! I am having problems. I have the book A Writers Reference but I cannot find anywhere how I am supposed to put my name my teacher's name and date on the first page. Can you help me please?? I can find all sorts of MLA Documentation but not one word on MLA style for this. I know my teacher said there was one but I can't find it! Thanks.
Source & Date of Question	Poplar Bluff, Missouri 18 October 1997
Grammar's Response	Go to our Guide to Writing Research Papers and click on "Formatting the Paper" to find your answer. Good luck with your paper.

Question	I hope you can help me with this problem. Which would be more correct: "Of course, the guide contains only a small sample of our listings." or "Of course, the guide contains only a small sampling of our listings." Is "sampling" in this instance simply a colloqualism? I look forward to your opinion on this matter.
Source & Date of Question	New York, New York 20 October 1997
Grammar's Response	I'd avoid using the word sampling when the word sample is what you mean. I would also avoid listings when you mean list. In any case, a sampling is, by definition, small, so I'd remove that redundancy. Second, I'd avoid the ing-ing sound of "sampling of our listings." Probably what you really want here is a "sample from our list."

Question	When a story or book is written in the form of a letter from one person to another or to an audience, what style or type of writing is it considered to be?
Source & Date of Question	Arvada, Colorado 20 October 1997
Grammar's Response	I think the word you're looking for is epistolary, although I've seen that word applied only to novels, not short stories. Still, the word works in both situations, I believe.