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Pastimes : SI Grammar and Spelling Lab -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: The Philosopher who wrote (2508)	5/21/1999 4:48:00 PM
From: Anaxagoras	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4711

BTW, I have a different take on the disagreement that started this whole interesting excursion. <<I sentence you both to 20 lashes.>> It is common for sentences to be elliptical, i.e. to have certain expressions left out. The advantage of ellipsis lies in brevity, but it can also lead to ambiguity. The expression above can be used elliptically for the following: <<I sentence you both to 20 lashes [each].>> Now, I'm not claiming that this is what the first person who used the sentence had in mind when he posted it. What I am claiming is that it would be perfectly acceptable to use the sentence elliptically for the sentence I fleshed out above. Now consider the meaning of the expanded version. Although it involves a legal fiction, the metaphor is one of the courts. Both stand before the judge, both are sentenced together (fiction), but each is to receive his own respective 20 lashes. :-) Fun, fun, fun.... BTW, nice school, my fellow alum. Anaxagoras

To: The Philosopher who wrote (2508)	5/21/1999 5:05:00 PM
From: jbe	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4711

I used the incomplete form deliberately, Christopher. I am, after all, a professional writer, for what that's worth (not much, I'll admit). And believe it or not, I take great care with these posts, although God knows why. I was joking about being insulted. But the way the tone around here is deteriorating makes me think that perhaps I ought to be. jbe