benn@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP (Eldarion ap Aragorn) (11/15/85)
[] Sorry if that's a misleading title, but I can't stand seeing a good phrase like F & L only being used in net.news to insult poor spaf. Anyway. While we're talking about English, and debating "We are in the final boarding process" vs "Move it!" and "There is thunderstorm activity in the area" vs "It's raining" I figure I should make a positive contribution to the discussion (no, not that! anything but that!) and recommend a book: _Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace_ (I'm *pretty* sure that's the right title) by Prof. Joe Williams of the University of Chicago. Joe also teaches a course here at the U of C that covers most of major points the book does -- I took the course first, and have since bought four copies of the book: three were gifts. I digress. Williams' book has the only linguistic analysis I've ever seen of the mechanics of *composition*, which he bases on a linguistic analysis of English as a language. It is not just good advice, there is also some terrific insight and thought-provoking description. One point I extract [as best I can] from the course and the book: people use big passive-voice clauses full of complex construction when they A. have nothing to say; B. have something offensive to say and don't want it to have impact; C. want to sound authoritative regardless of the content of the message. How many "meteorologists" are there out there, talking about the "thunderstorm activity we are currently experiencing at the present time in the greater _______ area, as you can see on our funky color-radar- satellite here out in space"? Too many. Same with stewardesses (stewardi?): They want your attention, they haven't got anything terribly long to say, and if they just say it, you'll probably miss it. Plus they want to sound like the Voice of Authority, with their "We [royal 'we'] would like to welcome you aboard filght ___ bound for ___ today; we wish you a pleasant flight and hope we can make your travel today as pleasant as possible..." I could go on for Paragraphs! And what do they say, really? "Hi, we're glad you're here. This is flight x bound for y. I'm ___, this is ___, and if you need anything just buzz." Half the passengers are still figuring out the buckles on the seat belts, and she's done. Can't be. Throw in some padding. If you would enjoy some *excruciating* examples of prose both good and bad, Williams' book is full of pairs of passages. The bad one is always from real life . . . Hope this perked you up a little. If you want a full book citation, I'll post one. MAIL any such requests, do NOT post them.