Powerful Magical Symbols - TDelaney's Blog

Powerful Magical Symbols - TDelaney's Blog - Victoria Advocate http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney Writing is important--more important than one knows. As magic, writing can elicit all kinds of behavior from recipients. Also, it is important to cast the correct spells so one doesn't get the wrong effect. Enter here and learn some magic, or ask questions and get the spell needed. Writing is important--more important than one knows. As magic, writing can elicit all kinds of behavior from recipients. Also, it is important to cast the correct spells so one doesn't get the wrong effect. Enter here and learn some magic, or ask questions and get the spell needed. en-us It's time for my Fab Vocab introductory segment http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/9870 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/9870 All of us have favorite words. I am starting a series of blogs on such words. I encourage you to submit some of your favorites whenever I do these segments.<br />  <br /> Let's start with a fairly common favorite: Persnickety.<br />  <br /> <strong>Persnickety</strong> is a four-syllable word and adjective describing someone -- or maybe something like an old automobile -- that is too particular or precise. <br />  <br /> The teacher was persnickety when it came to grammar.<br />  <br />  <br /> Now for a couple of not-so common words that are great.<br />  <br /> <strong>Kerfuffle:</strong> The word is a noun, three syllables and means disorder, uproar and confusion.<br />  <br /> The activists caused a kerfuffle at the town meeting.<br />  <br />  <br /> <strong>Grandiloquent</strong>: The four-syllable word is an adjective that describes someone who uses high-flown, pompous, bombastic words and expressions.<br />  <br /> After the concert, the grandiloquent pianist impressed all who attended the party.<br />  <br />  <br /> Get it? Got it! Good. Soften the �T� in often http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/9672 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/9672 <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">People might think it’s being picky, but the correct pronunciation of the word “often” is “off-en.”<o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 9.35pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Many people think pronouncing the “T” hard in "often" is more sophisticated. But the <u>Webster’s New World College Dictionary</u> clearly shows the word’s pronunciation as “off-en.” Sophistication is not being incorrect. Pronouncing words incorrectly, in fact, can be hurtful if one is trying to work in a place where pronunciation is important and if one is trying to impress.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 9.35pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Still, people argue that “often” with a hard “T” is proper English - from Great Britain. Not so, the queen of England pronounces “often” as “awf’n,” and it’s said that those who use the hard “T” in the word are Bourgeoisie.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 9.35pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Further, consider these words with hard “T”s: soften, hasten, glisten, listen and christen. Try using a hard "T" in those words. Yes, there’s an entire family of words whose “T” is softened.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 9.35pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">In all fairness, dictionaries once had both pronunciations, but not anymore.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 9.35pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Vincent-Text; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><font face="Times New Roman">Get it? Got it. Good!</font></span> Basically, these adverbs are actually useless http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/8933 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/8933 <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"></span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" align="center"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">The title of this little tutorial has unnecessary words.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">At some point, all of us have caught ourselves using the words “actually” and “basically” (and less often “usually”).</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">But these words add little to a sentence.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Take the title of this piece. All the title needs is a tighter, cleaner sentence: “These adverbs are useless.” See how much better that is and sounds.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">“Basically” means generally. “Actually” means virtually. Both are unnecessary 98 percent of the time because they add nothing.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Here are some examples (imagine these sentences without the adverbs):</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span>I am actually going to the movies tonight.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span>Basically, there were four paths to the town square.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span>I actually was working on some research.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span>Basically, the project was almost finished.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span>They actually finished the project.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span>Basically, they were disappointed with the results.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Discard these two adverbs when writing and speaking, and your communicative skills will improve.</span></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Get it? Got it! Good.</span></div> This doctor has no abbreviation http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/8746 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/8746 <p>Lots of people write "Dr. Pepper" -- this is incorrect. The trademark for the company is Dr Pepper with no period after Dr --</p> <p>Get it? Got it. Good!</p> <p> </p> A little dash of this, a little dash of that... http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/8483 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/8483 <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I promised a little primer on the dash – a loved and hated piece of punctuation. Personally, I don’t mind the use of a dash, but dashes can be annoying when overused. And often times, a comma works even better. So use the dash sparingly.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">The dash has two sizes: a medium dash (en dash) and a long dash (em dash). Medium dashes are found in newspaper and magazine articles primarily. The long dash is found in short stories and novels and on occasion newspapers. Sometimes, writers use two hyphens to form a dash (but don’t use one hyphen — that’s a hyphen).</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"> There is a difference of opinion on closed spaces on each side of a dash or open spaces like the examples above. I prefer following the Associated Press Stylebook, which calls for spaces on each side of a dash. However, you make your own choice, but be consistent.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">A dash is an interruptive, something that is an abrupt change in the course of a sentence. Or it can be used to set off additional information.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><strong>For example:</strong> She failed the writing test – she has written 35 books.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">A pair of dashes can interrupt and emphasize something.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><strong>For example:</strong> She failed – she has written 35 books (nine best sellers) – the writing test , so she wasn’t hired by the magazine.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Try to limit yourself to single dash usage. Double dashes can get complicated and complicate the punctuation, and, consequently, it can muddle the meaning of a sentence for a reader.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Finally, a dash can be used for attribution.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><strong>For example: <br /> </strong>“Words dry and riderless/The indefatigable hoof-taps.<br /> While from the bottom of the pool, fixed stars/Govern a life.” – Sylvia Plath</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><br /> Get it? Got it. Good!</div> Yeah, I am happy to let you know. Yea! http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/8213 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/8213 <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Lately, numerous people are confusing the pronunciation of these two words: yea and yeah. And then consequently they use the wrong word when using these words in writing.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">“Yea” rhymes with weigh or pay. And it is a celebratory exclamation. “Yeah,” is an affirmative response, like “yes.”<o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">A good source to hear these words is <a href="http://dictionary.com">http://dictionary.com</a>. Once you’ve called up “yea” or “yeah” online, you will see a little speaker “icon” to hear what these words sound like. Just click on the icon.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Also, you could find a music fake book that has The Beatles song, “She loves you” in it to see how they spell “yeah.” “Yeah, yeah, yeah…” as the song’s lyrics go.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">The Beatles did not sing, “She loves you yea, yea, yea.” <o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></span></p> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Vincent-Text; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><font face="Times New Roman">Get it? Got it! Good.</font></span> The little dash: the hyphen http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/7975 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/7975 <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I’ve had some reminders that I have this blog. I apologize for the absence, but I’ve been extremely occupied. </font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">One request I had was to address the little dash called a hyphen, and tell about its uses. Although people say Morse Code is a system of dots and dashes, the dashes are really hyphen-size in that code. </font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">But let's talk about the more common use of a hypen first.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">When writing, hyphens are used to break up a word to go to the next line (after a return on the keyboard). The break is placed after a syllable. For example, the word usu-</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">ally would be broken up like it is in this sentence.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">But hyphens play a bigger role when you want to form a compound adjective modifying a noun or pronoun. They help the reader understand that the compound adjective modifies the noun. Otherwise, without the hyphens, the sentence could get confusing.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">For example: According to <u>The Grammar Desk Reference</u> by Gary Lutz and Diane Stevenson, there’s a difference between a homeless outreach worker and a homeless-outreach worker.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The first outreach worker is homeless. The second outreach worker is one who helps the homeless.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Here’s a long compound adjective: The first-of-its-kind hybrid. You can see how awkward that might be without the hyphens: The first of its kind hybrid. Hmm, I never heard of a kind hybrid. Have you?</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">There are many more rules that apply to the hyphen, but the ones above are the most common for hyphen usage. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></p> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Get it? Got It! Good.</span> Learn how to not trip up or run to the period http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/7088 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/7088 <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The little symbol -- </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 26pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">,</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> -- in sentences usually means yield or pause. I am referring to the punctuation mark, the comma, when I say "yield" or "pause." About a million rules apply to commas, but there is one basic rule (several points to it, however) that can lead you to learn all the rest. Well, maybe a "million rules" is over exaggerating, but it seems that way, doesn’t it? I bet many of you have problems with where to place a comma. Correct?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Here's a list of related topics to get the basics of comma usage:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1. Know that there are only seven coordinating conjunctions: A mnemonic to remember these conjunctions is FAN BOYS, which stands for the following: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. So what does coordinating conjunctions have to do with comma usage?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">2. Coordinating conjunctions separate two or more independent clauses (an independent clause is a fancy name for a complete sentence). For example, Mary was a teacher, and Sam was her student. Notice the comma in front of the coordinating conjunction in the example sentence.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">3. All coordinating conjunctions take a comma in front of them if they are separating two or more independent clauses.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">4. On the other hand, lots of words that are subordinating conjunctions can confuse writers. For example, "because" and "when" are subordinating conjunctions and take no comma in front of them. So let's not broach the topic of subordinating conjunctions and commas (there are numerous subordinating conjunctions, hence no mnemonic for them although that would be interesting if someone could think of one or maybe several).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Here's a few examples:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">* Eighteen letters were submitted to the representative, but none reached the state official (two independent clauses separated by a coordinating conjunction).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">* The letters didn't make it because the representative had a new address ("because the representative had a new address" is a subordinate clause led by a subordinating conjunction, so no comma is needed).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">One more thing: The definition of a "mnemonic" is a tool to help you remember. More on commas in blogs to come.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Get it? Got it! Good!</span> How does this [impact / have an impact on] you? http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/6890 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/6890 <font size="2"> <p>Many people are confused by the usage of "impact" as a verb vs. a noun. But it seems that about 80 percent of people agree that impact should not be used as a verb, according to the book, "100 words almost everyone confuses & misuses" compiled by the editors of American Heritage Dictionaries.</p> <p>However, that same reference book says that "impact" was used as a verb as far back as 1601 to mean "to fix or pack in." </p> <p>Needless to say, many books bypass this word because of the controversy. One such book is "The Most Common Mistakes in English Usage," by Thomas Elliott Berry. Whether "impact" and its use as a verb is common is opinion. I would say it's pretty darn common.</p> <p>The "Associated Press Broadcast News Handbook," a reference that broadcasters everywhere use, simply states under the entry for impact, "Do not use as a verb."</p> <p>And Paul Brians' popular "Common Errors in English Usage" takes the middle road. Brians recognizes that many people use "impact" as a verb and many more use it as a "noun." He suggests "...you risk offending more people by using impact as a verb than you will by <strong>substituting more traditional words like "affect," or "influence." </strong></p> <p>OK. There you have it. <strong>I recommend not to use "impact" as a verb</strong>. Maybe one day, those who do use the word as a verb will be overwhelming in number, and they will rewrite the rules. You know they are rewriting rules for English usage every day.</p> <p>The verb usage group can impact "impact" as a noun and the English language will be impacted.</p> <p>Get it? Got it! Good.</p> </font> What�s new in the wide, wide world of English? http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/6661 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/TDelaney/6661 <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">“Wide” is a confusing suffix, those endings of words that define more closely what the word means. Ha! There, I have simply explained a suffix.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If you look up “suffix” in the American College Dictionary, Third edition, you’ll find this definition: “An affix added to the end of a word or stem, serving to form a new word or functioning as an inflectional ending, such as –ness to gentleness or –s in sits.”</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Wow! Did you get that? What the heck is an “affix”? It means to put an ending to something. That’s all. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">OK. Back to the point of this blog: -wide is a suffix that many don’t know how to attach to a word.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">First, there is no hyphen involved when adding –wide to a word. For example, city-wide is incorrect.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">All you have to do is attach the suffix. Examples: citywide, communitywide, nationwide, worldwide, countywide, countrywide, corporatewide, companywide, and many more. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If your spell check does not recognize these words, your spellchecker is wrong. You should educate your machine.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Got it? Get it? Good. I’m glad you got it audiencewide!</span>