Comments on: In defense of Strunk and White: Beware—the passive voice can kill http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/16/in-defense-of-strunk-and-white-beware-the-passive-tense-can-kill/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:01:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Chris Au http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/16/in-defense-of-strunk-and-white-beware-the-passive-tense-can-kill/comment-page-1/#comment-1057315 Chris Au Thu, 14 May 2009 17:29:32 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/16/in-defense-of-strunk-and-white-beware-the-passive-tense-can-kill/#comment-1057315 Uh...didn't some people in Holland invent the English language? Uh…didn’t some people in Holland invent the English language?

]]> By: HeavyG http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/16/in-defense-of-strunk-and-white-beware-the-passive-tense-can-kill/comment-page-1/#comment-1039106 HeavyG Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:28:48 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/16/in-defense-of-strunk-and-white-beware-the-passive-tense-can-kill/#comment-1039106 <i>"Perhaps someday I’ll even go along with “ebook” rather than “e-book."</i> Well since the standard usage in the United Kingdom is "email" and "ebook" those are therefore the proper forms. After all...they invented the English language. :) “Perhaps someday I’ll even go along with “ebook” rather than “e-book.”

Well since the standard usage in the United Kingdom is “email” and “ebook” those are therefore the proper forms.

After all…they invented the English language. :)

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/16/in-defense-of-strunk-and-white-beware-the-passive-tense-can-kill/comment-page-1/#comment-1039058 David Rothman Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:39:53 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/16/in-defense-of-strunk-and-white-beware-the-passive-tense-can-kill/#comment-1039058 Only partly a joke, alas. We probably don't know of all the fatalities associated with U.S. torture, or the memos associated with them. Torture does not just happen. It requires people--the "I's" the subjects. Ultimately, then, in this case, "irony" and "at face value" can blur. In general, the use of the active voice <em>can</em> make government and the military at least a little more responsible. Language reflects logic. I'm not saying that the active voice is a panacea, but the encouragement of its use can help. Thanks, David Only partly a joke, alas. We probably don’t know of all the fatalities associated with U.S. torture, or the memos associated with them. Torture does not just happen. It requires people–the “I’s” the subjects. Ultimately, then, in this case, “irony” and “at face value” can blur.

In general, the use of the active voice can make government and the military at least a little more responsible. Language reflects logic. I’m not saying that the active voice is a panacea, but the encouragement of its use can help.

Thanks,
David

]]> By: dw http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/16/in-defense-of-strunk-and-white-beware-the-passive-tense-can-kill/comment-page-1/#comment-1039007 dw Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:25:46 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/16/in-defense-of-strunk-and-white-beware-the-passive-tense-can-kill/#comment-1039007 <i>"S&W might actually have saved a few lives by reducing the use of torture, compared to what would have happened otherwise."</i> <i>Perhaps AIG could have stayed out of trouble if its people had rigorously followed the better rules in S&W.</i> I presume this article is a joke -- although you might want to make your irony more explicit in future. “S&W might actually have saved a few lives by reducing the use of torture, compared to what would have happened otherwise.”

Perhaps AIG could have stayed out of trouble if its people had rigorously followed the better rules in S&W.

I presume this article is a joke — although you might want to make your irony more explicit in future.

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