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The Grammar Logs # 312 |
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| QUESTION |
| How do you determine if a word is a compound word?
Would today and/or because be considered compound?
Thank you in advance. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey  Mon, Apr 19, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| It depends on your definition of compound word, I suppose. By the strictest definition, yes, those two are compound words because they're composed of parts that are identifiable words. I think that most writers, however, reserve the notion and name of "compound word" for words that are made up of words in such a way that the very act of compounding becomes, in fact, problematical; e.g., when do we put a hyphen between time and sensitive in time-sensitive? how does a screen door become a screen-door or a screendoor? what happens when a six-year-old turns seven years old? etc. |
| QUESTION |
Is the following one okay (to be used as a headline):
Wake Up America: How to Learn More About Sleep Disorders(Wake Up America is a national program) |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Schifferstadt, Germany Tue, Apr 20, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
I think you'd be better off with a gerund phrase as opposed to the noun phrase you've got now:
Wake Up America: Learning About Sleep DisordersOr something like "Wake Up America: Sleep Disorder Programs in the United States"? |
| QUESTION |
I am also confused by this type of construction:
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| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Princeton, New Jersey Tue, Apr 20, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Since this is being expressed as a kind of general truth (whether it is, in fact, true or not doesn't really matter), using the present tense is OK. See the section on Verb Tenses. |
| QUESTION |
Could you answer which one is correct and give me a reference on your website.
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| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Moscow, Russia Tue, Apr 20, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| I can't give you a reference to what we have in the Guide on this issue; I'm not aware that the issue is addressed. The word "that" is simply not adequate here; we need the noun clause "what is available" to make it clear what we are comparing—this function to what is available elsewhere. Left as is, the reader will ask "that what?" |
| QUESTION |
| We are having a debate at work. What is the proper way to address an envelope. Does the PO Box go before the street address? and where should the Suite or Room Number appear. I have been addressing my letters in the following manner: Mr. Paul Smith Electronics Corporation P.O. Box 46 23 Main Street Boston, MA 02101 Also where does the Suite go? Ms. Ana Jones Wigets Are Us Suite 45 10 Maple St Natick, MA 01760 Thank you for your help. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Natick, Massachusetts Tue, Apr 20, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
I highly recommend the U.S. Postal Services publication (which you will need an Acrobat Reader to download and open) called Postal Addressing Standards. It's a biggie—800+ kilobytes and 128 pages—but well worth the wait. (It's available from what's called the Postal Explorer, which provides several other publications from the U.S. Post Office. The answers to your questions are as follows:ANA JONESThe U.S. Post Office prefers all uppercase letters, although readable lowercase is permitted. Notice the lack of commas and other punctuation marks, as well as the absence of Mr., Ms., etc. Finally, of course, the Post Office greatly encourages the use of the nine-digit zip codes. I don't see any examples for addresses that include both a street address and a post office box number. |
| QUESTION |
| Some surnames in many languages include a preposition that usually
translates to English of. Examples of this are, from German, Wernher Von
Braun, from Dutch, Vincent van Gogh, from French, Simone de Beauvoir, from
Spanish, Lope de Vega and from Italian, Joe DiMaggio. There is a term for
this element in names; do you know what it is? (Hint: If you give us the
correct answer, we'll think very "nobly" of you.) The above question came up on a language quiz. Do you know the answer, or perhaps you could refer me to someone who can. Thank you, |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Unknown Wed, Apr 21, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| The Chicago Manual of Style calls these words (which are often prepositions meaning "of") particles. But I have a feeling there are other words for them, depending on what language you're referring to, etc. Also, that answer doesn't seem to ring any bells with your hint. Authority: Chicago Manual of Style 14th ed. U of Chicago P: Chicago. 1993. p. 742. A helpful reader tells us this element is called a "nobiliary particle." So now we know. |
| QUESTION |
| Please clarify the use of more than versus over regarding numerical amounts. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| New York, New York Wed, Apr 21, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| According to Burchfield, this is a peculiarly American hangup. In the U.S., we write more than when we mean in excess of or greater than ("There are Authority: The New Fowler's Modern English Usage edited by R.W. Burchfield. Clarendon Press: Oxford, England. 1996.
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| QUESTION |
Is there a preferred usage as between the two following forms, probably both acceptable; and if so, what is the authority and general rule?
This sentence will appear in a document that will be widely circulated around the world, with several contributing authors, who strongly disagree on the matter. We would greatly appreciate any help you can give. |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Cambridge, Massachusetts Wed, Apr 21, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| The problem with "90 percent civilian" is that it sounds like each individual of the 35 million was composed of a peculiar mixture of nine parts civilian and one part—well, whatever. The first version has no such ambiguity. I don't think there's much contest: go with #1. Seize the keyboards of the contributing authors who disagree with that. |
| QUESTION |
From your Rules for Comma Usage page, Rule #1:
"Using a comma between all the items in a series, including the last two avoids this problem."My question: Shouldn't there be a comma after the word "two"? |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Pasadena, California Wed, Apr 21, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| Wow, that's embarrassing! What a place to have a mistake in comma usage! I've fixed the error and I thank you for pointing it out to me. This is one of those moments when I'm very happy this is not a hard-copy document. I can still fix things. |
| QUESTION |
I have a doubt regarding the use of the word "substitution". For example: substitution of margarine for butter. What does it mean:
Sorry for the inconvenience, but although it seems a simple question it has created a great confusion in my work. I'd very much appreciate your help. Thanks |
| SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE |
| Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil Thu, Apr 22, 1999
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| GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE |
| It means you'll use margarine instead of butter. Once you get the role of the prepositions straight, it will seem easier. |
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