The Grammar Logs -- Number Seventy-Five

The
Grammar
Logs
# 75

Question What's the difference between "die of" and "die from"?
Source & Date
of Question Shenzhen, China
23 February 1998
Grammar's
Response Is this a grammar question or a question for existential philosophy? If it's the latter, there's no difference: you're dead. Grammatically, there's not much difference either. You'd die from/of injuries/cancer/pneumonia/fright.

Question Forms of Address:
How do I address a Judge in an address? Is it "The Honorable Joe Smith" or "Honorable Joe Smith"?
Thank you.
Source & Date
of Question Hazlet, New Jersey
23 February 1998
Grammar's
Response On the envelope, you can use Hon. Joe Smith; inside, you'd probably want to use The Honorable Joe Smith.
Authority: New York Public Library Writer's Guide to Style and Usage HarperCollins: New York. 1994.

Question Hello!
I am writing a research paper and I can't seem to find Do I underline or quote or leave alone???
2. When using the name of a book in my text like
...Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Underline or quote?
Also, in MLA form, do you quote or underline or leave alone the title of your paper ex:
So-and-so Smith Mrs. Whoever English 12 AP 27 February 1998 Cloning
Thanks a million!!
Source & Date
of Question Charlotte, North Carolina
23 February 1998
Grammar's
Response You would either underline or italicize (one or the other, consistently) the names of books, newspaper, journals, magazines. The title of your own paper, however, you won't do anything to, not even quotation marks. (Unless someone else is talking about the title of your paper, of course, then it will have quotation marks around it.)
If you haven't visited the Guide to Writing Research Papers, I'd highly recommend it.

Question I am a college student looking for information on a paper I have to write for english. The paper is on the formal logical definition and has to be at least 750 words. I have no idea how to this type of paper.
My biggest problem is which word to do it on???. HELP PLEASE.
Source & Date
of Question Fort Lauderdale, Florida
23 February 1998
Grammar's
Response Frankly, I'm not sure what "formal logical definition" is myself. What if you were to define the concept of "libel." Would that do it? You could work off a contrast with the concepts of "slander" and "defamation of character." Maybe give some examples of what is and what isn't and maybe cite a famous case or two? Just don't get caught up too much in lawyer-talk.

Question Why is it that you say "a five minute interval" and not "a five minutes interval"? This rule seems to hold for other similar situations - a six metre/foot wall, a four mile walk, a four man bobsleigh team - but I can't find an explanation for it anywhere.
Source & Date
of Question Shropshire, United Kingdom
23 February 1998
Grammar's
Response Neither can I. See my response, from about a week ago, to someone from New York. Click HERE.

Question I have two questions:

When using a plural noun as an adjective, is it correct to change it to a singular (e.g. utilities, but utility companies)? What grammatical rule covers when to retain or change the plural?
When a bracketed phrase or sentence that ends in a question mark or exclamation point occurs at the end of a sentence, is it necessary to use a period?

He said that he'd accept the million-dollar prize (who wouldn't?)
OR
He said that he'd accept the million-dollar prize (who wouldn't?).

Source & Date
of Question Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
23 February 1998
Grammar's
Response I don't think there's a rule, exactly, but you're right, attributive nouns (nouns acting as adjectives) tend to become singular in that role. This is even true of nouns that don't normally have a singular form: "the trouser legs, a tweezer case." It doesn't always happen, but it often does. You'll still have "the arms race" and "the promotions committee." The phenomenon is described, but not explained, in Quirk's book (see below).
With the parentheses question, yes, put the period after the parentheses, as the sentence has not really ended until you do.
Authority: A University Grammar of English by Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum. Longman Group: Essex, England. 1993.

Question I'm having trouble rewriting sentences in inverted word order. Do you have any tips that might help me?
Source & Date
of Question Swainsboro, Georgia
24 February 1998
Grammar's
Response We use inverted word order quite commonly in two constructions -- when we ask questions (as you just did) and with expletive constructions. In those two cases, the subject comes after the verb. "Are you ready?" "There are two instructors in this classroom."
We can also use inverted word order to bring special focus on the predicate. Frankly, it's not a very good idea, as it will quickly seem unnatural and stilted. Occasionally, though, it will work to good effect. "Desperate were my circumstances and my spirits glum."

Question Is this a sentence:
No.
In other words, can the word No stand alone as a sentence?
Source & Date
of Question Unknown
23 February 1998
Grammar's
Response The word "No" is usually an interjection within a larger structure, as in "No, I don't believe that's true." It can stand by itself, however, for the sake of emphasis, usually with an exclamation mark. "You ask if we have bananas. No! We don't have any now and we never will." But that doesn't make it a sentence. We define a sentence as a complete thought, a construction containing a subject and a predicate (although sometimes the verb is only implied). The word "No," by itself, doesn't meet those requirements. So although it can stand by itself, it's not a sentence. If I had to call it something, I'd call it a stylistic fragment.

Question Will you please tell me what is "sweet water" mean? Does it have a special meaning?
Source & Date
of Question Shenzhen, China
25 February 1998
Grammar's
Response Sorry, but I have no idea, and I wouldn't even know where to look that up. I'll post your question in the Grammarlogs and maybe someone else will know and send us the answer. I wonder if it has something to do with club soda or tonic water -- something used in the preparation of mixed alchoholic beverages?
A writer tells us that "sweet water" refers to water that is not brackish or salty. It's a term, then, that comes from seafaring. It can also come, he suggests, from those parts of the world where fresh water is at a premium, particularly where there is water, but water is generally brackish or alkaline, and good-tasting waster, when discovered, would be called "sweet water." There are probably metaphoric overtones of "sweet salvation" in the term as well.

Question I am an NJROTC (Navy Junior Roserve Officer Training Corps) Instructor at a high school. When the term "NJROTC Instructor" is used, it is always preceeded with an instead of a. My question is why since the "N" is not a vowel? What rule of grammar applies?
Source & Date
of Question Dallas, Texas
25 February 1998
Grammar's
Response You are AN NJROTC instructor (as opposed to A NJROTC instructor) because the letter "n" begins with an "enn" sound. Try some other letters, like "b," and you'll see the difference. You would be a BJROTC instructor. So it's the same rule of grammar we've always used: use "an" before words beginning with vowel sounds.

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Question	Hello! I am writing a research paper and I can't seem to find Do I underline or quote or leave alone??? 2. When using the name of a book in my text like ...Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Underline or quote? Also, in MLA form, do you quote or underline or leave alone the title of your paper ex: So-and-so Smith Mrs. Whoever English 12 AP 27 February 1998 Cloning Thanks a million!!
Source & Date of Question	Charlotte, North Carolina 23 February 1998
Grammar's Response	You would either underline or italicize (one or the other, consistently) the names of books, newspaper, journals, magazines. The title of your own paper, however, you won't do anything to, not even quotation marks. (Unless someone else is talking about the title of your paper, of course, then it will have quotation marks around it.) If you haven't visited the Guide to Writing Research Papers, I'd highly recommend it.

Question	I am a college student looking for information on a paper I have to write for english. The paper is on the formal logical definition and has to be at least 750 words. I have no idea how to this type of paper. My biggest problem is which word to do it on???. HELP PLEASE.
Source & Date of Question	Fort Lauderdale, Florida 23 February 1998
Grammar's Response	Frankly, I'm not sure what "formal logical definition" is myself. What if you were to define the concept of "libel." Would that do it? You could work off a contrast with the concepts of "slander" and "defamation of character." Maybe give some examples of what is and what isn't and maybe cite a famous case or two? Just don't get caught up too much in lawyer-talk.

Question	I'm having trouble rewriting sentences in inverted word order. Do you have any tips that might help me?
Source & Date of Question	Swainsboro, Georgia 24 February 1998
Grammar's Response	We use inverted word order quite commonly in two constructions -- when we ask questions (as you just did) and with expletive constructions. In those two cases, the subject comes after the verb. "Are you ready?" "There are two instructors in this classroom." We can also use inverted word order to bring special focus on the predicate. Frankly, it's not a very good idea, as it will quickly seem unnatural and stilted. Occasionally, though, it will work to good effect. "Desperate were my circumstances and my spirits glum."

Question	Is this a sentence: No. In other words, can the word No stand alone as a sentence?
Source & Date of Question	Unknown 23 February 1998
Grammar's Response	The word "No" is usually an interjection within a larger structure, as in "No, I don't believe that's true." It can stand by itself, however, for the sake of emphasis, usually with an exclamation mark. "You ask if we have bananas. No! We don't have any now and we never will." But that doesn't make it a sentence. We define a sentence as a complete thought, a construction containing a subject and a predicate (although sometimes the verb is only implied). The word "No," by itself, doesn't meet those requirements. So although it can stand by itself, it's not a sentence. If I had to call it something, I'd call it a stylistic fragment.

Question	Will you please tell me what is "sweet water" mean? Does it have a special meaning?
Source & Date of Question	Shenzhen, China 25 February 1998
Grammar's Response	Sorry, but I have no idea, and I wouldn't even know where to look that up. I'll post your question in the Grammarlogs and maybe someone else will know and send us the answer. I wonder if it has something to do with club soda or tonic water -- something used in the preparation of mixed alchoholic beverages? A writer tells us that "sweet water" refers to water that is not brackish or salty. It's a term, then, that comes from seafaring. It can also come, he suggests, from those parts of the world where fresh water is at a premium, particularly where there is water, but water is generally brackish or alkaline, and good-tasting waster, when discovered, would be called "sweet water." There are probably metaphoric overtones of "sweet salvation" in the term as well.

Question	What's the difference between "die of" and "die from"?
Source & Date of Question	Shenzhen, China 23 February 1998
Grammar's Response	Is this a grammar question or a question for existential philosophy? If it's the latter, there's no difference: you're dead. Grammatically, there's not much difference either. You'd die from/of injuries/cancer/pneumonia/fright.

Question	Why is it that you say "a five minute interval" and not "a five minutes interval"? This rule seems to hold for other similar situations - a six metre/foot wall, a four mile walk, a four man bobsleigh team - but I can't find an explanation for it anywhere.
Source & Date of Question	Shropshire, United Kingdom 23 February 1998
Grammar's Response	Neither can I. See my response, from about a week ago, to someone from New York. Click HERE.

Question	I am an NJROTC (Navy Junior Roserve Officer Training Corps) Instructor at a high school. When the term "NJROTC Instructor" is used, it is always preceeded with an instead of a. My question is why since the "N" is not a vowel? What rule of grammar applies?
Source & Date of Question	Dallas, Texas 25 February 1998
Grammar's Response	You are AN NJROTC instructor (as opposed to A NJROTC instructor) because the letter "n" begins with an "enn" sound. Try some other letters, like "b," and you'll see the difference. You would be a BJROTC instructor. So it's the same rule of grammar we've always used: use "an" before words beginning with vowel sounds.