Re:I'm Kenyan. I Don't Write Like ChatGPT. ChatGPT Writes Li...
by lupire on Monday December 15, 2025 @11:44PM
(#46284869)
Elements of Style is reviled by modern linguists and writers.
Re:I'm Kenyan. I Don't Write Like ChatGPT. ChatGPT Writes Li...
by mmooss on Tuesday December 16, 2025 @12:40AM
(#46285176)
Some don't like it and many do, and it's been assigned for decades. Just a few years ago I looked at a website that collects college syllabi and it was one of the most assigned books.
It gives clear, practical advice in a very accessible style and format. If you have any comparable substitutes, I'm all ears.
Re:I'm Kenyan. I Don't Write Like ChatGPT. ChatGPT Writes Li...
by ThePowerOfFuet on Tuesday December 16, 2025 @02:19AM
(#46285709)
>Common advice is to use 'that' with people and 'which' with objects, though that isn't necessarily followed
Well played.
Use 'who' with people especially, often with other living beings ('my dog, who runs away daily, always is home for dinner') or groups of them ('the NY Yankees, who won the championship that year, were my favorite'), but never with objects unless pretending they live ('my stuffed bear, who sleeps in my bed, wakes me every morning').
If you care about these things, the Chicago Manual of Style is a large, technical, highly respected guide aimed at publishing. Fowler's Modern English Usage is more focused on usage. A short and beloved guide is The Elements of Style by Strunk & White. You can find all on the Internet Archive, I'm almost certain.