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Purdue OWL News for August 23, 2004
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The Purdue OWL Staff
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Aug 23, 2004 11:34 PDT
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The Purdue OWL News
August 23, 2004
Welcome to the Purdue OWL News!
The Purdue OWL News is an online newsletter about happenings in the
Purdue University Writing Lab and the Purdue University Online Writing
Lab (OWL). You can visit our website at
<http://owl.english.purdue.edu>. To subscribe to the newsletter, visit
<http://www.topica.com/lists/purdueowlnews/subscribe/>. To unsubscribe
from the newsletter, click on the link at the bottom of this email.
Writing Question of the Week
In a museum team editing session, the use of the phrase "hundreds
others" is being debated. I contend that, while it is difficult to
pronounce and not commonly heard, the phrase is technically correct as
shown in the sample below. That is, it is not necessary to insert "of"
in the phrase, because "hundreds" acts as an adjective, and "others" the
now. In this sense, it acts like the phrase "many others." What is
your view? Here is the sentence:
A few people elected to go off to war. Hundreds others elected to
remain behind.
Thanks for your advice!
--Marge
Answer
Unfortunately, I can't explain exactly what it is about "hundreds" that
requires the insertion of "of", but it does. The best I can do is
explain my sense of it, so I do hope this makes sense.
There seem to be three classes of words that we're dealing with:
definite quantities (two hundred others, three thousand others);
indefinite quantities (many others, some others, a few others); and
approximate quantities (hundreds of others, dozens of others, thousands
of others). As you can see, the first two groups do not require (and do
not correctly permit) the insertion of "of." The third group, however,
is the opposite. "Of" must be inserted and can not correctly be omitted.
Gigi, Purdue Writing Lab tutor
The OWL Help Nest
Each week we'll publish a request for advice or information. If you wish
to contribute a response to the topic, please write to us at
owln-@owl.english.purdue.edu. Please let us know if you want us to
include your name and/or your email address when we publish your
response. The following week, we'll publish the best information and
advice that we receive in the newsletter. If you have a question for our
readers, please send it to us at owln-@owl.english.purdue.edu.
This Week's First Question
Should it be, "nicely done", or, "done nicely"? Many similar examples.
"Thinly slice", or "Slice thinly." I prefer, "slice thinly". Comments
or corrections please.
In usual usage in the English language, it seems that the adjective or
adverb is used before the noun or verb, in which case it would be
nicely done . . . nicely is telling HOW it is done
thinly slice . . . thinly is telling HOW it is sliced
--Sharon Sandahl
Adverbs of manner (mostly formed by adding -ly to the adjective) are
usually placed after the verb and after the object, respectively.
Examples:
Slice the bread thinly, please.
She is singing (that song) beautifully.
If, however, an adverb of manner modifies a past participle, the adverb
is placed before the verb.
Examples:
She is always well-dressed.
This job has been nicely done.
--Angelika Weichhart
This Week's Second Question
Could you explain in detail and give some examples for the difference
and similarity between "rather than" and "other than"?
"Rather than" suggests a preference; "other than" suggests a condition
or command, e.g.:
"Rather than go to the movies, I'd like to visit the museum."
"Other than lemonade, we have iced tea to drink."
or
"Can you recommend any movies other than comedies?"
--Jim
This Week's Third Question
Regarding MLA Style: When an author’s last name is used parenthetically
and you continue to cite the same author, you use only the page number
thereafter. However, when you go to the next paragraph and on, do you
need to recite the author’s last name parenthetically in each of the
following paragraphs to avoid confusion? Or do you just continue to cite
the page until a different author is cited?
This appears to be a matter of clarity, not rules. If you are clearly
and explicitly referring to the same author, page numbers should
suffice. But if there is any chance of confusion whatsoever, it's best
to err on the side of caution and go with author and page number in the
paranthetical site.
--Angela
Next Week's Question
I would like to ask about "storyboarding". To be more precise: how does
this technique (which is universally used by film-makers, many
writers...) promote creativity? Did anyone study this technique? What
would be the best way to use it? Who could give me more information
about it?
What's Happening on OWL
OWL Eye on...How would you organize the OWL?
A major part of our ongoing redesign involves organizing the materials
on OWL so they are much easier to find. If you have any suggestions
regarding organization and navigation, please send them along to Karl at
webma-@owl.english.purdue.edu.
What's Happening in the Writing Lab
OWL Eye on...Fall Schedule
We are still finishing the final details of the Writing Lab at Purdue
schedule for workshops and conversation groups. Look for a complete
listing in next week's Purdue OWL News.
OWL Eye on...Welcome, Shawna!
Shawna Burton has joined the Writing Lab staff to replace Mitch
Simpson's role in the lab and with the Writing Lab Newsletter. Good luck
this year, Shawna. We're glad to have you with us.
Final Thoughts
Thanks for reading our newsletter. You can email us at any time at
owln-@owl.english.purdue.edu. You can also email the OWL coordinator,
Chris Berry, at coordi-@owl.english.purdue.edu and the webmaster,
Karl Stolley, at webma-@owl.english.purdue.edu. (Chris and Karl take
turns writing the newsletter.)
If you received this newsletter as a forward and would like to get your
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http://www.topica.com/lists/purdueowlnews/subscribe/ to subscribe.
This newsletter is copyright (C) 2004 the Purdue University Writing Lab
and Purdue University. Purdue's OWL is located at
http://owl.english.purdue.edu.
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