A Fine Distinction

Having trouble viewing this message? [Click here to view it online.]( [Right-click here to download pictures. Jane Straus]( Hi, {NAME}. Welcome to your [GrammarBook.com]( e-newsletter. I'm reading The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, which has been a godsend, and I'm taking the quizzes on [GrammarBook.com](. With your help, I will be able to return to college. —Sidney R. I am a physician educator, and am amazed at the poor grammar (especially the use of apostrophes) in presentations by my physicians-in-training. I am planning on using [GrammarBook.com]( to educate them, and I appreciate this valuable resource. —Bret I have enjoyed reading the grammar lessons in your e-newsletters. They've been a great help to me in my classes. I also like the humor in your wordplays. —James L. A Fine Distinction How valid can a rule be if nobody knows or cares about it anymore? That all depends on what the definition of “nobody” is. A lot of people I’ve been around seem to feel “nobody” applies to just about everybody 15-plus years younger or older than they are. Generational outcasts—the nerds, wonks,[] and misfits—also get labeled nobodies, although some of them grow up to be the next Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. In many circles, alas, nobody is more of a nobody than a grammar geek—those verbal neat freaks with all their precious little rules. But if those of us who rail against diseased English shut up and went away, we like to believe the world would soon miss us. Amid the rampant demagoguery and disinformation, our guiding principle is sound: clarity and precision are worth the bother. Here is a short list of increasingly ignored fine distinctions: Transpire The errant celebrity issued a statement through his attorney that he was “sorry and saddened over what transpired.” Make it “sorry and saddened over what happened.” Put a big shot together with his lawyer and brace yourself for pompous verbiage. This usage of transpire, though common, is a lethal combination: pretentious and incorrect. The word doesn’t mean occur or happen. Something that transpires is revealed or becomes known over time. It’s not simply what happened so much as what it all means in the bigger picture. The Oxford online dictionary gives this example: “It transpired that millions of dollars of debt had been hidden in a complex web of transactions.” Condone vs. endorse “I do not endorse or otherwise condone this,” intoned some anonymous official. Isn’t “condone” redundant in that sentence? Not at all—there’s a substantial difference: When you endorse something, you’re all for it; you’re proud to recommend it. To condone is to pardon, overlook, disregard. When you condone, there’s not much enthusiasm or pride involved. Someone who condones is being tolerant, not enthusiastic. Persnickety It’s a colloquial term for “too particular or precise.” (Some would say it describes people who maintain that convince and persuade aren’t synonyms.) How’s this for world-class persnickety: there are nitpickers who reject the word in favor of pernickety, which preceded persnickety by about a century. Substitute vs. replace “The chef substituted chocolate with carob in the brownie recipe.” Make that “replaced chocolate with carob” or “substituted carob for chocolate.” Don’t confuse the two or you’ll end up with shaky English to go with those ghastly carob brownies. —Tom Stern Because of the e-newsletter’s large readership, please submit your English usage questions through [GrammarBook.com]( “Grammar Blog.” Free BONUS Quiz for You! {NAME}, because you are a subscriber to the newsletter, you get access to one of the Subscribers-Only Quizzes. [Click here]( to take a Vocabulary Quiz and get your scores and explanations instantly! --------------------------------------------------------------- More Good News for Quiz Subscribers We are pleased to announce that we have added even more quizzes to help you challenge yourself, your students, and your staff. 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Get Amazon’s No. 1 Best-seller in Four Categories! No. 1 in Grammar No. 1 in Reading No. 1 in Lesson Planning No. 1 in Vocabulary The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus, Lester Kaufman, and Tom Stern The Authority on English Grammar! Eleventh Edition Now Available [Have You Ordered Your Copy Yet?]( An indispensable tool for busy professionals, teachers, students, homeschool families, editors, writers, and proofreaders. Available in print AND as an e-Book! Over 2,000 copies are purchased every month! [Order Your Copy Today!]( - Hundreds of Grammar, Punctuation, Capitalization, and Usage Rules - Real-World Examples - Spelling / Vocabulary / Confusing Words - Quizzes with Answers The publisher of The Blue Book, Jossey-Bass, A Wiley brand, is offering a 35 percent discount for those of you who order the book through [Wiley.com](. Shipping and tax are not included. Simply go to [bit.ly/1996hkA]( and use discount code E9X4A. *Offer expires December 31, 2017. --------------------------------------------------------------- Wordplay --------------------------------------------------------------- [68 One-Minute English Usage Videos] [English In A Snap: 68 One-Minute English Usage Videos FREE]( Learn all about who and whom, affect and effect, subjects and verbs, adjectives and adverbs, commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and much more by just sitting back and enjoying these easy-to-follow lessons. Tell your colleagues (and boss), children, teachers, and friends. [Click here]( to watch. --------------------------------------------------------------- Forward this e-newsletter to your friends and colleagues. [Newsletter]( If you received this FREE weekly e-newsletter from a friend, [click here]( to have it sent to you each week. Look for more Hot Tips from [GrammarBook.com]( next week. [Miss a recent newsletter? 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