The Grammar Logs -- Number Seventy-Nine

The
Grammar
Logs
# 79

Question When writing the statement "..eastern medicinal practices such as ---- should be incorporated into the way in which we think of medicine here in the west.", should eastern and west be capitalized?
Source & Date
of Question Sanford, North Carolina
3 March 1998
Grammar's
Response Yes. We would write about the eastern seaboard, but when we mean "that part of the world," (i.e., the East) we need "Eastern." The same is true of the West. We would travel west of the Mississippi (in the western United States), but that would mean that we were visiting the West. Here, you're referring to the West as a geographical entity.
Authority: Chicago Manual of Style 14th ed. U of Chicago P: Chicago. 1993.

Question Would you please advise whether the following sentence requires a comma between "task" and "such"? Thanks so very much.
Rotate activities to avoid spending prolonged periods of time doing only one task such as working at a computer.

Source & Date
of Question Unknown, AOLand
3 March 1998
Grammar's
Response I would use a comma there. I might even try a dash, as there seems to be a considerable break in the flow of the sentence there -- as if to emphasize what is to come. Which reminds me that I need to get away from this computer for a while, before my back goes out again!

Question How do I write a research paper?
Source & Date
of Question Chicago, Illinois
3 March 1998
Grammar's
Response Now that's a rather large question to ask online, isn't it? Go to the Guide on Writing Research Papers, and you will find many helpful suggestions.

Question how to find research for a snake
Source & Date
of Question Chicago, Illinois
3 March 1998
Grammar's
Response I don't know, but you might start with our college's Academic Weblist for biology and see if that might not take you along some serpentine paths. From there, try the hyperlink to the Electronic Zoo.

Question Need definitive information on Who and Whom....Thanks
Source & Date
of Question Unknown
3 March 1998
Grammar's
Response I don't think I have "definitive information" on who and whom. I think one of the best ways to learn how to use these Notorious Confusables, though, is to go to the section on Pronouns and take the quizzes about Who and Whom. By the time you're done, you'll either be a master or so hopelessly confused you'll never use the words again.

Question I find use of the phrase "early on" annoying. It seems pretentious in most instances. I must have learned early in my life to just use "early". May I have your comments on the useage?
Thank you.
Source & Date
of Question Ocean City, New Jersey
3 March 1998
Grammar's
Response I don't know if "pretentious" is the right word for it, but it certainly seems redundant in most cases. "early on in his career, early in his career" I'd never thought of this before.

Question I say that this is the wrong structure, but my boss says it right.. Here's the sentence:
We regret having to make this meter usage adjustment, however we greatly appreciate your patronage and look forward to continuing servicing your mail processing needs.
It sounds all wrong to me. How should it read?
Source & Date
of Question Abilene, Texas
3 March 1998
Grammar's
Response For one thing, it's a comma splice; you need a semicolon (at least) in front of "however." But it sounds to me as if you've got two rather conflicting sentiments that would be better served in two sentences. "We regret having to make this meter usage adjustment " (and maybe follow that up with some kind of condolence -- like helping people make payments or somehing) Then, even in another, final paragraph: "We great appreciate your patronage (business?), and look forward to continuing to serve your mail processing needs." ?? ("servicing" is kind of an ugly word there, isn't it? satisfying? meeting?)

Question Sorry to write you twice in the same afternoon, but I've wanted to ask both questions for years. So here's query number two:
I notice in one of your responses you write "There's a great deal to be said for using...".
How about "Much can be said for..."? It's shorter and means almost the same.
Even the song "There's a tavern in the town...", would work and scan as "In a tavern in the town...".
How did "there" enter the language? Can you make a case for its ever being preferable to a sentence without it?
Source & Date
of Question Unknown
3 March 1998
Grammar's
Response You're right. You're nearly always better off without that expletive construction, the "There is/are" or "it is" beginning. There will be times when immediately naming the subject of your sentence is either indelicate or inappropriate, and you're going to want that expletive construction, so do not completely banish it from your rhetoric. As for "there's a great deal to be said for . . . ," well, not much can be said for it.

Question The APA Publication Manual says not to use apostrophes for plural numbers (e.g. you write 1950s instead of 1950's). What about plural letters? For example, if I want to write the plural of "a," should I write "a's" or "as"? Since the p lural of "a" without an apostrophe is also a word (as), it seems like leaving out would be confusing for readers.
Here's an example:1) Grammar has two as. or 2) Grammar has two a's.
Which one should I use? In my opinion, the second one is much easier to read, yet the APA Manual seems to imply that the first one is correct. So here's my question: Is it allowable (under APA rules) to use an apostrophe to represent a plural letter when the absence of such an apostrophe might confuse the readers?
Source & Date
of Question Unknown
3 March 1998
Grammar's
Response I can't find anything in the APA Manual about this either, but there are many things I can't find in the APA Manual (in spite of its bulk and expense). You will find justification for that apostrophe in other places, including the Chicago Manual of Style. The tendency, clearly, is to eliminate the apostrophe in creating plurals of any kind. So we say he was a singer in the 1920s and that my sister and I have identical IQs. But the apostrophe is there when you need it to avoid confusion. Actually, if you're referring to the plural of the letter "a" itself, you would probably want to italicize the letter and then use the apostophe s to indicate the plural: s's (the apostrophe and the "s" are not italicized).

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Question	Would you please advise whether the following sentence requires a comma between "task" and "such"? Thanks so very much. Rotate activities to avoid spending prolonged periods of time doing only one task such as working at a computer.
Source & Date of Question	Unknown, AOLand 3 March 1998
Grammar's Response	I would use a comma there. I might even try a dash, as there seems to be a considerable break in the flow of the sentence there -- as if to emphasize what is to come. Which reminds me that I need to get away from this computer for a while, before my back goes out again!

Question	I find use of the phrase "early on" annoying. It seems pretentious in most instances. I must have learned early in my life to just use "early". May I have your comments on the useage? Thank you.
Source & Date of Question	Ocean City, New Jersey 3 March 1998
Grammar's Response	I don't know if "pretentious" is the right word for it, but it certainly seems redundant in most cases. "early on in his career, early in his career" I'd never thought of this before.

Question	I say that this is the wrong structure, but my boss says it right.. Here's the sentence: We regret having to make this meter usage adjustment, however we greatly appreciate your patronage and look forward to continuing servicing your mail processing needs. It sounds all wrong to me. How should it read?
Source & Date of Question	Abilene, Texas 3 March 1998
Grammar's Response	For one thing, it's a comma splice; you need a semicolon (at least) in front of "however." But it sounds to me as if you've got two rather conflicting sentiments that would be better served in two sentences. "We regret having to make this meter usage adjustment " (and maybe follow that up with some kind of condolence -- like helping people make payments or somehing) Then, even in another, final paragraph: "We great appreciate your patronage (business?), and look forward to continuing to serve your mail processing needs." ?? ("servicing" is kind of an ugly word there, isn't it? satisfying? meeting?)

Question	Sorry to write you twice in the same afternoon, but I've wanted to ask both questions for years. So here's query number two: I notice in one of your responses you write "There's a great deal to be said for using...". How about "Much can be said for..."? It's shorter and means almost the same. Even the song "There's a tavern in the town...", would work and scan as "In a tavern in the town...". How did "there" enter the language? Can you make a case for its ever being preferable to a sentence without it?
Source & Date of Question	Unknown 3 March 1998
Grammar's Response	You're right. You're nearly always better off without that expletive construction, the "There is/are" or "it is" beginning. There will be times when immediately naming the subject of your sentence is either indelicate or inappropriate, and you're going to want that expletive construction, so do not completely banish it from your rhetoric. As for "there's a great deal to be said for . . . ," well, not much can be said for it.

Question	The APA Publication Manual says not to use apostrophes for plural numbers (e.g. you write 1950s instead of 1950's). What about plural letters? For example, if I want to write the plural of "a," should I write "a's" or "as"? Since the p lural of "a" without an apostrophe is also a word (as), it seems like leaving out would be confusing for readers. Here's an example:1) Grammar has two as. or 2) Grammar has two a's. Which one should I use? In my opinion, the second one is much easier to read, yet the APA Manual seems to imply that the first one is correct. So here's my question: Is it allowable (under APA rules) to use an apostrophe to represent a plural letter when the absence of such an apostrophe might confuse the readers?
Source & Date of Question	Unknown 3 March 1998
Grammar's Response	I can't find anything in the APA Manual about this either, but there are many things I can't find in the APA Manual (in spite of its bulk and expense). You will find justification for that apostrophe in other places, including the Chicago Manual of Style. The tendency, clearly, is to eliminate the apostrophe in creating plurals of any kind. So we say he was a singer in the 1920s and that my sister and I have identical IQs. But the apostrophe is there when you need it to avoid confusion. Actually, if you're referring to the plural of the letter "a" itself, you would probably want to italicize the letter and then use the apostophe s to indicate the plural: s's (the apostrophe and the "s" are not italicized).

Question	How do I write a research paper?
Source & Date of Question	Chicago, Illinois 3 March 1998
Grammar's Response	Now that's a rather large question to ask online, isn't it? Go to the Guide on Writing Research Papers, and you will find many helpful suggestions.

Question	how to find research for a snake
Source & Date of Question	Chicago, Illinois 3 March 1998
Grammar's Response	I don't know, but you might start with our college's Academic Weblist for biology and see if that might not take you along some serpentine paths. From there, try the hyperlink to the Electronic Zoo.

Question	Need definitive information on Who and Whom....Thanks
Source & Date of Question	Unknown 3 March 1998
Grammar's Response	I don't think I have "definitive information" on who and whom. I think one of the best ways to learn how to use these Notorious Confusables, though, is to go to the section on Pronouns and take the quizzes about Who and Whom. By the time you're done, you'll either be a master or so hopelessly confused you'll never use the words again.