tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1695280310697378421.post5617265594221473076..comments2024-03-25T02:15:02.505-07:00Comments on Nancy's Blog: Writerly Crankinessadminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11442349453021015062noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1695280310697378421.post-53847249503713707192009-07-07T12:51:09.895-07:002009-07-07T12:51:09.895-07:00Of course it's much edgier to have a character...Of course it's much edgier to have a character choke on someone else's vomitTheOFloinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14756711106266484327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1695280310697378421.post-16124911949803408292009-07-07T12:42:40.047-07:002009-07-07T12:42:40.047-07:00i actually did have to correct "he could have...i actually did have to correct "he could have choked on his own vomit" once.<br /><br />see also: <i>spinal tap</i>.sdnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298423833124213171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1695280310697378421.post-64835484683002145322009-07-06T10:52:02.573-07:002009-07-06T10:52:02.573-07:00In re physical descriptions being unnecessary verb...In re physical descriptions being unnecessary verbiage: So true. I don't outright quit reading a novel often, but this is one thing that has lead me to do so. <br /><br />One of my faves is Heinlein's Starship Troopers. In the book there are references to Johnny Rico being Philipino (Tagalog speaker, boyhood in Manila, etc.) but RAH kept it in the background to avoid bogging down the pace with needless detail. I thought it was hilarious that aryan Caspar Van Dien played Rico in the movie, but the action movie doesn't have much to do with the book anyway.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16962224347551157239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1695280310697378421.post-69655880778924415832009-07-03T23:25:50.497-07:002009-07-03T23:25:50.497-07:00Great list! The first one made me laugh.Great list! The first one made me laugh.Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09127409362906807882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1695280310697378421.post-88251664765474845622009-07-02T17:47:02.240-07:002009-07-02T17:47:02.240-07:00The subjunctive mood is not quite obsolete, but it...The subjunctive mood is not quite obsolete, but it is fast on its way to becoming a strictly literary verb form in the United States.<br /><br />My observation is that it is still used in speech by people over the age of forty or so. It is passively understood, but not active employed, by the under-forty crowd. Today's parents are not teaching it to their children, and so it is well along the road to extinction. I expect that it will hobble along for a couple more generations on paper before it disappears as completely as "thou" did.Orionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08818431929827830349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1695280310697378421.post-34133580126635679852009-07-02T08:46:19.912-07:002009-07-02T08:46:19.912-07:00Were that it were so. Latin is so much more preci...Were that it were so. Latin is so much more precise. How about: <br /><br />The plane flew him to Paris. <br /><br />Unless the plane is an AI, it was the pilot who flew him. <br /><br />OTOH<br /><br />He smiled with his lips. <br /><br />need not be redundant, if you want to get across the phoniness of his smile.TheOFloinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14756711106266484327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1695280310697378421.post-58750699170473051432009-07-01T09:33:11.684-07:002009-07-01T09:33:11.684-07:00That last one always bugs me, it grates to hear so...That last one always bugs me, it grates to hear someone say that.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14435504234445244195noreply@blogger.com