The
Grammar
Logs
# 344

QUESTION
The teacher sent this home. Onomatopoeia is the use of a word that sounds like what it means. Purr sounds like the purring of a cat. Write five words that sound like what it means. Example moo-cow. Am I making this harder than it is or would something like quack-duck work. thanks for your help.
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Pine Knot, Kentucky Mon, Aug 30, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
I suppose a "quack" is certainly as good as a "moo." It might be time to move beyond the realm of animals sounds -- all that buzzing and hissing -- and write about the murmuring of bees and the tintinnabulation of the bells.

QUESTION
I just want to know if theese two sentences make sense:
  1. I am writing using my computer
  2. Can I attend the school being here as a tourist? (meaning:without having a Visa)
In my own language theese two sentences would make sense. (The first one explaining how I am writing, the second explaining that I am a tourist). If they don't make sense, could you explain me why and how to re-write them. I usually tend to avoid using the participle when possible, but in this case, I don't see any other way to explain what I want to say.

Thanks for your help (this is a useful web site).

SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Franklin Park, Illinois Mon, Aug 30, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
I think if we said that first sentence in casual conversation, the other person would know exactly what we meant. I don't think it works so well in writing, though. The two "-ing" endings kind of gang up on each other. I'd change it to something like "I am using my computer to write . . . ."

The "being here as a tourist" has the misfortune of being closer to the "school" than it is to you, and thus it looks as though the school is trying to be a tourist. Again, we can figure the sentence out if we just hear the sentence, but in writing we ought to be more careful. Subordinating the second part of the sentence into a dependent clause might help: "Can I attend school here when I am only a tourist?"


QUESTION
I recently wrote a letter using the following sentence:
We will continue to support the system, so long as you pay for the extended warrenty.
My colleague made me take out ", (comma) so long as" and replace it with "as long as". Was my wording incorrect? I thought his way sounded harsh.

Thanks for your time.

SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Phoenix, Arizona Mon, Aug 30, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
I don't know that "as long as" sounds any more harsh than "so long as," especially if we read "as long as" in the sense of "for the duration of." On the other hand, Burchfield says that "so long as" is an acceptable substitute for "as long as." I don't think the comma is required in either version, though. What about "We will continue to support the system during the period of the extended warranty."?

Authority: The New Fowler's Modern English Usage edited by R.W. Burchfield. Clarendon Press: Oxford, England. 1996. (under "long") Used with the permission of Oxford University Press.
QUESTION
I am perplexed over use of my name in all CAPS, especially by government agencies, banks, and credit card companies. Why the use of capitals? Further, when did I give permission to do so? I was not born with my full name CAPITALIZED, so what gives? Thanks for helping me understand.
SOURCE OF QUESTION & DATE OF RESPONSE
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Tue, Aug 31, 1999
GRAMMAR'S RESPONSE
I think it has something to do with machine readability; at least that's why the post office likes ALL CAPS. But probably it's a mistaken notion that you'll like seeing your name in lights. I don't particulary like it either—it's certainly not aesthetically pleasing. But it might be one of the many prices we pay for technology.

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