How to Write Usefully

Re:How to Write Usefully by cneurotic on Friday February 21, 2020 @07:53AM (#22382708)

Entering pedantic mode:

"But," in Paul's usage, isn't a preposition. And starting sentences with prepositions isn't considered "incorrect" by most grammarians[0]. Or even bad style.

If it's good enough for the Bible[1], it's probably good enough for you.

[0]https://wordcounter.net/blog/2016/10/26/102560_can-you-start...

[1]https://biblehub.com/nlt/genesis/31.htm

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by kasey_junk on Friday February 21, 2020 @08:02AM (#22382758)

I’m certainly no grammarian or even much of a writer, but the Bible seems a particularly odd piece of writing to use as a guide.

It’s been translated to the nth degree, is ancient & frequently obtuse on purpose...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by philwelch on Friday February 21, 2020 @09:11AM (#22383180)

Translations of the Bible, at least in historically Christian cultures, are usually treated as authoritative examples of proper written usage.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by normalnorm on Friday February 21, 2020 @09:19AM (#22383238)

No they aren't.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by tptacek on Friday February 21, 2020 @10:06AM (#22383603)

Where did you get this idea?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by philwelch on Friday February 21, 2020 @10:25AM (#22383752)

(deleted)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by tptacek on Friday February 21, 2020 @11:51AM (#22384557)

So you derived the idea axiomatically?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by philwelch on Friday February 21, 2020 @12:22PM (#22384840)

sighs No, but if you think I’m full of shit, I don’t really want to waste my time discussing how I developed this particular misunderstanding about the world for your amusement.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by tptacek on Friday February 21, 2020 @02:07PM (#22385795)

I'm sorry. It's the game I'm poking fun at, not the players (I'm as bad as anyone) and I can see how I could have communicated personalized contempt rather than general bemusement. I apologize and promise that I don't think you're full of shit.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by philwelch on Friday February 21, 2020 @03:36PM (#22386451)

Thanks. In retrospect it's kind of funny that I ended up making one of those mistaken remarks that the original essay explicitly recommends against.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by tptacek on Friday February 21, 2020 @03:43PM (#22386508)

I'm not sure I even agree with that, since I just spent my lunch down a 20 minute rabbit hole of researching the regard usage experts have for English translations of the bible, and it's actually a pretty interesting digression. I shouldn't have jumped on you for it; I made the thread worse.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How to Write Usefully by philwelch on Friday February 21, 2020 @03:49PM (#22386563)

I'd be interested to see what you found out!

[ Parent | on HN ]