Author: Patricia Nelson

Singular or Plural?

Some words can go either way, depending on how they fit into your sentence. I ran into this pair of sentences in an excellent book I just finished, page 217:

The estimated global migrant population is about 244 million, about 3.3% of global population. In other words, 96.7% of humanity continue to reside in their country of birth.

A population (of 224 million) gets a perfectly correct singular verb even though it refers to millions of people (“population” is singular; 224 million is the object of “of.”). But then we have “humanity,” also a singular noun, in front of a plural verb, “continue.”

What’s up? Well, “humanity” is the object of “of,” so it doesn’t count. The actual subject of the verb is “percent.” I guess being 96.7 percent is strong enough to make it a plural.

What do you think?

Antecedent Joke

I often complain about questionable antecedents being the bugbear of pronouns. Well, it can happen with prepositional phrases, too.

The Skin Doctor
https://www.buttersafe.com/2019/11/05/the-skin-doctor/

A part of good writing is thinking how you might be misunderstood, then preventing the misunderstanding. So how would you rewrite the statement in the first panel so the person with the mole wasn’t ambiguous?

Solecism or Sarcasm?

We grammar geeks like to criticize this expression. We say it’s the opposite of what the speaker actually means.

https://www.gocomics.com/working-daze/2019/11/03

And yes, I too prefer the direct approach: say what you mean.

But sarcasm is a recognized figure of speech; sarcasm is saying the exact opposite of what you mean. So if you want to be sarcastic and simultaneously irritate people who like good English, go for it. I could care less, but I don’t.

A Good/Bad Pun

Aren’t we supposed to say puns are bad if they’re good?

The last post was all work, so this post is all play.

https://www.gocomics.com/darksideofthehorse/2019/11/02

Okay, let’s go for two:

https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2019/11/02

I Had Forgotten this Word

This post is mainly for the language geeks among us. I have occasionally used the expression “verbing a noun” (use the search box in the upper right corner), mainly because I had seen that usage, and had forgotten that we have a technical word for that! Backformation. In fact, to use “verb” as a verb is example of backformation. But there’s more to it than that.

If you’re interested, here’s a pretty good article about backformation:

https://curiosity.com/topics/backformation-can-make-you-invent-new-words-without-realizing-it-curiosity

Sorry, no comic today.

Sandhi

Sandhi is a Sanskrit word meaning “a putting together.” We get our word (ice cream) “sundae” from “sandhi.” Technically, the word refers to the effect that the end of one word has on the beginning of the next. This happens all the time in Sanskrit, I’m told, and sometimes in spoken English. (I suppose the choice of whether to use “a” or “an” before a word could be attributed to sandhi.)

Anyway, here’s a good example of using sandhi to make a joke.

https://www.gocomics.com/frank-and-ernest/2019/10/28

You do know the scout motto, right?

Idioms Depend on Context

Idioms are phrases in a language not meant to be taken literally. When we don’t understand something, we might say “It’s Greek to me,” whereas in Germany you’d say (in German) “It’s a Bohemian village to me.”

Here are some idioms whose meanings depend on context:

https://www.gocomics.com/frank-and-ernest/2019/10/27

What are your favorite idioms? Feel free to put some in the comments.

This post first appeared on The Writing Rag.

New Contraction

I don’t think I’ve run into this one before. I can’t say it’s wrong, but it doesn’t save you much. Last panel:

https://www.comicskingdom.com/sherman-s-lagoon/2019-10-24

Tips to Choose a Reliable Plastic Surgeon

It is not a straightforward job to choose an expert plastic surgeon, and it demands attention to some particulars plus a sense of comprehending and evaluating the performances of a number of doctors in the identical domain. A plastic surgeon can be picked if he is suggested by your buddy or by another medical professional out there. You can search on the Internet the lists of reliable surgeons if you are eager to figure out more about this particular profession while choosing a cosmetic surgeon in Oklahoma City for your appearance improvement as well.

Choosing the Right One

We all know that the plastic surgeon will be suggested by any satisfied patient and this will make the physician quite popular and he will gain a great status. On the flip side, it is not such a sensible thing to depend only on the friend’s suggestions, since the plastic surgeon is specialized in some specific plastic procedures. Your friend’s types of procedures might be different than what you require and want. That is why it is much better to have the advice of another physician who understands your requirements and preferences.

Internet Can Certainly Help You

Websites will furthermore provide you with info about the type of plastic treatment you desire. You can also come across lists of reliable plastic surgeons on the internet sites, including surgeons who will be effective at performing that job in an immaculate manner. You just need to come across a good cosmetic surgeon in your vicinity and enjoy the outcomes after making an appointment. The Internet is a fantastic resource for many areas of our personal lives, which includes the medical field. The Internet provides info about special qualifications plus the necessary skills of a plastic surgeon out there.

Prior to commencing your serious searches, you ought to be aware of the fact that a plastic surgeon must operate only in certified medical establishments. Furthermore, it is essential for an expert cosmetic surgeon to have continuity as well as regularity in carrying out special requirements, medical standards, and anything relating to the security of the patient. A cosmetic surgeon who is dependable will never jeopardize the life of the patient and will take every step to preserve his safety.

Look for Skill and Experience

Make it a point to pick a knowledgeable plastic surgeon in Oklahoma City that has gone through proper training and can boast of having helped quite a few patients over the years. A correct treatment in addition to quality care offered by a plastic surgeon is an essential characteristic in him and you should look for these while choosing your cosmetic surgeon. It is also very essential for you to search for a plastic surgeon who is a national society’s member.

Conclusion

At present, it is simple to come across a plastic surgeon for any kind of plastic surgery procedure regardless of whether it is liposuction or facial contouring, body contouring or nose surgery or tummy tuck in OKC. An expert cosmetic surgeon will take every step to fulfill your requirements so that you can reestablish your self-image and self-confidence. It is sure to get a natural appearance if you pick an excellent plastic surgeon who will be using reconstructive treatments for getting the best effects. Always make the proper choice!

 

Contact US:

Sawan Surgical Aesthetics
Address:209 Lilac Dr #200, Oklahoma City, OK
Phone: (405) 285-7660

Lightweight Poetry

Limericks are poetry, right?

I discovered this in my files back from 2014! It’s a cheap lesson in poetic meter. I’ll let you figure it out.

A forgetful old gasman named Dieter
Went poking around his gas heater.
Touched a leak with his light
And blew out of sight!
And, as everyone who knows anything about poetry can tell you, he also ruined the meter.

And here are two of my favorites:

A limerick writer named Drew
Always ended his poems on line two…

A limerick writer, a Hun,

Feel free to send me your worst in the comments.

This post first appeared on The Writing Rag.