The Grammar Logs
#587

At the end of the Lord's prayer is the phrase "For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory" correct? Shouldn't it be "For thine are …" ? Or is it that long usage makes it correct. Would it be the same using modern English (For yours is/are)?

"Thine" is a lovely old pronoun, but you will probably never hear or read it outside of literary or ecclesiastical language or (in contemporary speech) in a Quaker meeting house. It means "that which belongs to you" and, as such, it represents a clause that can serve as the singular subject of this sentence. (Another example: "All that matters IS that you pay attention and submit your essays on time." If you translated the phrase into more modern idiom, "yours" would work the same way.

I am working on a letter and the author wants to say:

On behalf of Pam, myself and the entire staff please let us know how we can serve you.

My question is where is the best place for myself to be placed.

I'm never convinced that doing something "on behalf of myself" ever makes sense. Also, in this sentence, you end up asking someone else to do something on your behalf, which I'm sure is not your intent. What if you offer your services to someone on behalf of Pam and the entire staff? "On behalf of Pam and the entire staff, I gladly offer the services of __________ "?

When talking about client's, is it 's or no apostrophe?

In fact, we measure each of our client's needs in order to facilitate a certain solution that will not cause further attention, and in many cases, prevent further occurrences.

First, let's pluralize the word "client" and make it possessive (because the needs belong to the clients), so we'll have "each of our clients' needs" (note that we're not talking about each of our clients, but each of their needs). If you wish to make the sentiment seem more individualized, try "each client's needs.") After that, the sentence gets snarled in its own unseemly efforts to please. Can you omit the word "certain"? And maybe change "cause" to "require"? I would leave off the entire end of the sentence (beginning with "and"), but if it is required, you need to satisfy yourself that it's possible to prevent the occurence of a need. Perhaps "analyze" would be a better word than "measure"?

What is correct

• Outstanding Education Leadership Achievement Award
or

• Outstanding Educational Leadership Achievement Award

It was the person's leadership in education not the person's education impacting on education.

What is "leadership achievement"? How about "Award for Outstanding Leadership and Achievement in Education"?

It seems to be in vogue to say, "You can see John Smith and me as well." As well instead of "also" or "too." I was taught not to use two words if one would do. Your thoughts please. Also what is the correct pronunciation of "Often"?

I was not aware of the voguishness of "as well." The phrase means pretty much the same thing as "in addition" or "also" (and sometimes even "and"), but it's not exactly breaking the bank on the wordiness scale. I wouldn't want to substitute "too" in that sentence, but "also" would work.

"Often" should be pronounced with a silent "t," as if it were spelled "offen." I don't know where the silent medial "t" comes from, historically, but it persists in words like "whistle," "hasten," "hustle," "listen," and a host of others.

Can you use the adjective word 'serene' to describe a person? Example:

Greeting Card title- For a Serene Father

It's a bit unusual. We usually read about the father's serene countenance or how he moved with a serene grace. Or we use "serene" as a predicate adjective, "He was, to the very end, serene." Maybe the problem with "a serene father," is that it doesn't seem to mean much; it is rather ambiguous. Is this a guy so irretrievably calm and imperturbable that he never gets excited about anything? Is he zoned out, stoned? Is there something august about his presence? But yes, the word is possible as a pre-noun modifier. The following comes from an essay by the poet Donald Hall in the online Atlantic:

I grew up loving my quiet father with a love that was equally quiet; I desperately loved my serene, passionate mother.

We have a little office argument above when not to use "Have" when writing a business letter.

This is the sentence that my co-worker wrote:

We have reviewed your arguments supporting your ability to supply the services and goods required by our client. We also have discussed the situation with our client. We have come to the conclusion.....

I was corrected before for using "have" in these type of sentences. Is it best to leave as is or remove. for e.g. Is it better to write:

We reviewed your arguments supporting your ability to supply the services and goods required by our client. We discussed the situation with our client. We came to the conclusion.....

The only reason for moving to the simple past is to put the action into a specific time frame: you reviewed the material yesterday or last week. The present perfect "have reviewed" means that the action has happened within a time frame that includes right up to the present moment — which seems quite appropriate in this context. I'd keep the "have." What you might consider changing, though, is the way three sentences in a row have identical beginnings. That can be tedious or give your text the sensation of lurching forward. How about combining those last two: "We have discussed the situation with our client and come to the conclusion that … "?

"Does the Proposed Insured have any chronic illness or condition which requires periodic medical care or may require future surgery?"

Please tell me if the adjective clause modifies both of the direct objects (illness or condition) or if it only is describing "condition." Could you please tell me the rule for this? Our English Department is having a great debate and we await your answer.

I can't even explain why the adjective clause is introduced by "which" instead of "that." Be that as it may, the "or" choice here makes the sentence structure ambiguous. The "any" seems to apply to both "chronic illness" and "condition," which lumps those two together — and, therefore, I would say the clause that follows also modifies both illness and condition, together. If the writer wanted the clause to apply only to "condition," the two things should probably have been separated by more careful modification: "Does the proposed insured have a chronic illness or a condition requiring periodic medical care …"

Correct use of word and capitalization in a song title.

Title is Oh Glorious Love, or O Glorious Love?

What are the rules for capitalizing the words in a song title.

The rules for capitalization in a song title are the same as they are for any other title (poem, short story, etc.): first, last, and all important words. As for "Oh" versus "O," the single letter O denotes either a wish or a classically stylized address, as in "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem." It is always capitalized, wherever it appears in a sentence (or title). "Oh" we use to express all kinds of emotions — tiredness, frustration, surprise, pain, etc.

Authority: Garner's Modern American Usageby Bryan Garner. Copyright 2003 by Bryan A. Garner. Published by Oxford University Press, Inc., www.oup-usa.org, and used with the gracious consent of Oxford University Press.

Is the following really just casual or just plain wrong? I hear people, and read, consistent misuse of adverbs. It sounds so much better to say "She certainly drives slowly in that old Buick of hers." Is it really optional to use slow? What really is a casual situation? When is it optional and when is it right or wrong to use the -ly? In most cases, however, the form without the -ly ending should be reserved for casual situations:

She certainly drives slow in that old Buick of hers.

Thanks for you fine web-site. Appreciate any input you can provide re my question.

This is what Bryan Garner has to say about the adverbial use of "slow":

Slow has long been treated as an immediate adverb, i.e., one not requiring the -ly suffix. It is ill-informed pedantry to insist that slow can be only an adjective. Though slowly is the more common adverb, and is certainly correct, slow is often just as good in the adverbial sense.

Occasionally, slow will sound better, and you'll have to let that be your guide. I agree with you, that "slowly" sounds better in the sentence you provide. Personally, I find myself using slow in shorter, simpler statements, like when I tell my two sons (habitually, constantly, annoyingly) "Drive slow!"

From Garner's Modern American Usageby Bryan Garner. Copyright 2003 by Bryan A. Garner. Published by Oxford University Press, Inc., www.oup-usa.org, and used with the gracious consent of Oxford University Press.

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