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Liz: I couldn't agree with you more!!!! These particular attorneys were unbelievably pompous, and they used "legalese" even in their speech! Argh. In Oregon, the courts are trying to get away from legalese, and I try very hard to eliminate it from my work whenever I can. It doesn't seem right to me for people to have to hire an attorney to "translate" something written in what is supposedly plain English! Fortunately, the attorneys I work for now really don't care much about punctuation. Their writing is horrible, but they don't mind having it changed if it's easier to understand! Very refreshing. I agree with you, too, that people who concentrate too much on punctuation and sentence structure aren't the most interesting writers in the world. Their writing is usually stilted and boring, in my opinion. I had one boss who used a German mechanic to repair his car. This man didn't understand English very well, and Steve wanted to be sure he understood what he wanted done, so he wrote him a letter. It was full of expressions like inter alia, words like tangential, herewiths, and therefores. In other words, it was hilarious, and there's no way that poor, little man could have figured out what it meant. Steve was only 28 at the time, and took himself very seriously. He's mellowed since then. I think the fact that I laughed at him constantly had something to do with it! We're great friends now. Anyway, I love Lil's writing -- punctuation notwithstanding -- and everyone elses', too! Love, Kathy
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Patterson [SMTP:eapat@ewa.net]
Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 1998 9:46 AM
To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com
Subject: RE: [MOL] Liz
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><color><param>0000,0000,FFFF</param><smaller>HI
Kathy,
Although I feel correct punctuation is important because it can make
written language clear, if I had to chose between a doctor who really
understood the medical aspect clearly and one who could punctuate his
report of it clearly, I would chose the doctor who really understood
his field. As for attornys, even with correct punctuation, much of what
they write is incomprehensible (legalese). On the other hand, I have
had many students with beautiful penmanship who wrote well punctuated,
grammatically correct papers which said nothing of consequence, were
illogically organized and were full of fallacies. Good writing involves
writing something worth being said.
Liz
Sorry, I am on my soapbox.
<excerpt>Liz: Good for you. Content really is the most important
thing, isn't it? However, I have been unfortunate enough in my career
to have worked for no less than four Harvard graduates (English
majors), and one Rhodes Scholar. These attorneys were sticklers on
punctuation! They taught me well, even though I was contemplating
homicide a good deal of the time. As I understand it, Lillian, the
punctuation goes outside the parentheses, just as the punctuation goes
inside quotes, i.e., "He is a jerk," or "I've attached his mustache
hereto as Exhibit 'A'." Does this add to your confusion? It does to
mine; in fact, I don't even want to THINK about it!! LOL Love, Kathy
</excerpt></smaller></color><smaller><excerpt><paraindent><param>left</param><smaller>-----Original
Message-----
<bold>From: </bold>Elizabeth Patterson [SMTP:eapat@ewa.net]
<bold>Sent: </bold>Tuesday, December 29, 1998 11:25 PM
<bold>To: </bold>mol-cancer@lists.meds.com
<bold>Subject: </bold>Re: [MOL] Liz
</smaller>I guess I am one of those teachers who is more concerned with
content than
with punctuation. And I alway critized those folks. There are some
punctuation areas that are really hard to figure.
Liz
>I would want to do it that way as well. That is where my dilemma lies.
Can
>you put a double period?
>I just read Liz's other post. Even if the sentence in parentheses was
not a
>question, but a complete sentence, would it not require it's own
period?
>Maybe we should just all type with no punctuation!
>Christine
>
>At 07:37 PM 29/12/98 -0500, you wrote:
>>Ok Christine, you had to spark my interest and I will no doubt fail
this
>>test. I think it should be written this way:
>>My mind has gone blank trying to find an example (what else is
new?). Ok.
>>teacher's correct my homework.....love ya all, lillian
>>
>>----------
>>> From: Christine White <<christine.white@sympatico.ca>
>>> To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com
>>> Subject: RE: [MOL] Liz
>>> Date: Tuesday, December 29, 1998 6:53 PM
>>>
>>> Maybe you can answer a question I have. I never know where to put
the
>>> period in a sentence, when there are parentheses at the end of the
>>> sentence. i.e. Now my mind has gone blank trying to find an example
(what
>>> else is new ).
>>> Maybe I have too much time on my hands. LOL.
>>> Christine
>>>
>>> At 01:29 PM 29/12/98 -0800, you wrote:
>>> >Hi Kathy, I teach English Comp at a community college. Liz
>>>
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