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02 March 2011

Grammar check requested Calling all prescriptivists! I wanna do a Mefi post about H.W. Fowler but me grammar ain't good enough: can someone check the text below?[More:]

The "King of English", H.W. Fowler, helped by his brother Francis, wrote A Dictionary of Modern English Usage. Although "modern linguists are almost by definition incapable of understanding the function of a book like Fowler’s Dictionary", the "half-educated Englishman of literary proclivities" who just wants to know: "Can I say so-&-so?’" may now buy the classic first edition of the Dictionary again. An earlier book, The King's English, is free for any one seeking advice on Americanisms or Saxon words.
H. W. Fowler, known as the "King of English," wrote A Dictionary of Modern English Usage. He was helped in this effort by his brother Francis. Although "modern linguists are almost by definition incabable of understanding the function of such a book," one may now buy the classic first edition of the Dictionary again. An earlier book, The King's English, is free for anyone seeking advice on Americanisms or Saxon words.

I took out the "half-educated Englishman of literary proclivities" who just wants to know: "Can I say so-&-so?" and just wrote one. I think it reads better this way and you can still link "one" to that url. I think it reads better, but if I changed what you MEAN, that was not my intention.

posted by danf 02 March | 10:51
I like the original; it has character and quirk.

Some of the fun in the comments on this post will be provided by people attempting to pick apart your grammar.

Anyone is a single word, at least in American English usage. Or did you purposely write it that way because this is a post about a British usage manual .. wait, *is* the way you wrote it an example of British English usage? Should I check the OED? ..

See how this will work?
posted by initapplette 02 March | 11:21
Well, the "The King's English" begins:

ANY one who wishes to become a good writer should endeavour, before he allows himself to be tempted by the more showy qualities, to be direct, simple, brief, vigorous, and lucid.


But thinking about that, the split between "ANY" and "one" there might just because of the capitalization. He might have preferred "anyone" in this case.
posted by TheophileEscargot 02 March | 11:35
I'd throw "helped by his brother Francis" into parens like "(with some help from his brother Francis)" and move it, because having multiple things set off by commas in a row really chaps my stick, and also because I love parentheses too much.
posted by fleacircus 02 March | 11:37
Also just being a pain here, I'd suggest a little less linking. Not that you shouldn't include the links, but linked text shows up as bold on MeFi so this will make almost your entire post look bold. Alternately, you may want to skip some of the Wikipedia links assuming people can look that sort of thing up themselves. Looks like a nice post.
posted by jessamyn 02 March | 14:17
Thanks folks! Posted a slightly modified version here.

Countdown to bombardment of grammar flames: 3,2,1...
posted by TheophileEscargot 03 March | 04:21
Mirroring reality || Bunny! OMG!

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