Length And Width Of Sail Boat

Department of pronouns: Play your cards but do not play

The first paragraph of this article on Florence Cassez French citizen, convicted of various crimes, has two grammatical errors that will be worth studying. (Abel Barajas, "Play Cassez last letter," Reform , August 30, 2010, "National", p.1). Errors are marked in red:

Cassez Florence is now plays his last card against the sentence of 60 years imprisonment imposed by a federal court you found guilty of three kidnappings, as well as transnational organized crimes and possession of firearms.

Consider first what happens with that him. It is assumed that is indirect object pronoun, also called dative complement - both for people as things of either sex. But it is not the example that concerns us today. Here are some examples of the dative singular pronoun him: "The Hospital of the Word you say the thanks." "Le sent my strongest protest to the school principal." "Investigators will not found no evidence incriminating the accused or his clothes or in their belongings."

In these three cases, the dative pronoun it represents the indirect object. Grammatically, the indirect object is the one who benefits or is harmed by the action of the verb. In the first example, the Hospital of the Word ( add indirect) benefits because someone thanked him (thank is the complement direct ) , the second, the director ( complement indirect ) was injured for the shipment was made of a strong protest ( my strongest protest is the complement direct ) in the third, the suspect ( complement indirect ) was auscultated not you find anything incriminating ( no evidence incriminating the complement direct ). We can say that the suspect suffered a move that was, ultimately, beneficial, because it not found anything wrong.

In the example of the newspaper Reforma , the pronoun you dative but should not be charged because their function is not is the indirect but direct: "[...] imposed by a federal court the found guilty." Florence Cassez was found culprit: the found guilty . Not that you have found nothing special about you, but she was found guilty. Incidentally, you and its plural they are invariant with respect to gender. But what is masculine the , female, and each has its plural: the and the .

The other error is curious. Not seen in the photo, but the headline of the newspaper raised the word correctly: the headboard wrote: "Play Cassez [his] last letter." (Let me clarify that I would have liked to have included the possessive adjective his , as this would have gained in clarity, expressiveness and precision). In the body of the note, however, we read "Florence Cassez is now plays his last card. " (Here we should note that Mr. Barajas did employ the possessive adjective his , although the verb is incorrect).

is a curious error also because it exists pronominal verb played. Means "risk" or "adventure", as in "Florence Cassez life was played when he became engaged to a kidnapper." It is clear that the emotional relationship with the abductor to be her boyfriend, risked his life, or at least freedom. But the meaning of the article is another: to say that plays his last card, you are "using" the action that still remains: is playing his last card. Not risking his last letter but, simply, is playing . What is played -what is at risk, is his freedom and the possibility of returning home.

Cassez "should play that card? In the wisdom of that strategy is being played the rest of his life. And to put it another way, it is playing .

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life Gerunds Department: With names such information or communication

a week ago, a careful reader of this blog, Paul Coltrin, sent me an email with a number of examples of gerunds well used as the New grammar of English recently published by the Association of English Language Academies and ESPASA editorial. Wondered if it was only recently permitted uses, if Academies were liberalized or if he had interpreted evil rules. Input, all examples I quoted Mr. Coltrin me except one seemed correct. I will quote another of the same class, also in this section of the New grammar ... (27.7g) because it is shorter, "Demosthenes, my foreman, a letter carrier explaining the situation. " [Esteban Navajas, The agony of the deceased (1977). Madrid, Fondo de Cultura Economica / Documentation Centre Theatre, CREA, 1992]. Indeed! I had always regarded this as improper use of the gerund. And not just me! Here's why.

We know that we should not give value gerund adjective, unless it is to modify the direct object of a verb of perception: "I saw my brother getting the envelope", "I heard the dogs barking during all night. " In this case the verb, portal , but perception is not an ordinary transitive verb as break or choose . The direct object is letter . The phrase explaining the situation , clearly modifies the direct object: letter . Is this a liberalization? A case in which the Academies end up accepting a well-spread use but not seen as right before?

I must say that I, Sandro Cohen, I'm not a grammarian. I've never made a systematic study English grammar or otherwise. I have read, yes, many grammars and consulted almost daily. I do it for fun and also to better my writing classes. One, if a subject taught as Writing, you must have knowledge of the facts, but the grammar itself is not my area of \u200b\u200bexpertise. I'm just a writer! And as such, language fascinates me. Learn to write well beyond mere questions of grammar, and grammar exceeds by far mere drafting points. Twin disciplines but are very different! This is a gerund use that to my knowledge, not previously formed part of what we understood as purism .

's explanation the New Grammar ... unless the point is incomprehensible to many readers. The will copy not leave ... But I can not get discouraged if you do not understand!

27.7g

constitutes a third group of nouns that support gerunds nominal predicate constructions in a number of NAMES OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION introduced which complements the content that is transmitted: letter, statement, e (e), decree , message, memo, news, cable, etc.. , as castaway's letter asking for help never reached its destination .

In other words, according to New grammar ... now support sentences like "I wrote a letter asking my opinion ", " was issued a decree banning the misuse of the gerund. " Manuel Seco, where Essential grammar of English (4 th ed., 1996) only provides for accepting this use of the gerund when it comes to people: "There was a boy selling postcards ", and argues that it is understood" a guy selling postcards " (9.1.9) . I have always accepted that use, and with the same argument Seco, but the great grammarian who fails a gerund used as well in relation to "name thing" as "a letter ( for help ) "or" a decree ( prohibiting the misuse gerund) " . States that it is preferable to use the form on "a letter asking help", " a decree prohibiting the misuse of the gerund." For those who had considered erroneous constructions of this kind, we can only go through with and move ahead.

But what happens in the photograph that appears at the top of this post? This is an ad that tells us (still can not get used to say "[...] an ad report ") where invoices are issued for parking at the Airport Benito Juarez of Mexico City. (The girl next to the listing is my daughter Leonora, doing screen, trying to distract the police stop me from seeking out this photo) .

As one of the most common uses of the gerund is Modal , we understand the action of the gerund as if it were an adverb: it tells us how action is performed the main verb. For example, if I say "The boy raised his hand threatening his master", I how raised his hand threatening the teacher. But in the photograph read "The issuance of the bills are held down ramp 1B level [...]." The question is: "How are bills issued?". Answer: " down the ramp." Can I issue invoices down the ramp or while you go down the ramp ? It would be dangerous. In addition, the person issuing them must be sitting in an office, not down the ramp .

celebrate the But we have an error unless corrected. But watch out! It is still wrong to say or write "a box containing books", or "the person coming first." This is not names information and communication . By the way: Is not there a smarter way to name this use of the gerund? It opens from now, the suggestion box!