----------------------------------------------------------------- THE BETTER WRITING SKILLS NEWSLETTER, February 2008 By Tim North of Scribe Consulting (http://www.scribe.com.au) http://www.BetterWritingSkills.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to the February 2008 Better Writing Skills newsletter. IN THIS ISSUE 1. Sheepdog trials and English grammar 2. Choosing between "them" and "these" 3. When do plant and animal names need a capital? 4. Just for fun Welcome back to the Better Writing Skills newsletter for 2008. Here's hoping that you all had a festive and relaxing holiday season. Your comments and questions are always welcome. Just send e-mail to: info@BetterWritingSkills.com Cheers, Tim North Perth, Western Australia ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Sheepdog trials and English grammar ----------------------------------------------------------------- My first correspondent for 2008, Nan, starts our year with the previously undiscussed topic of sheepdog trials: I have an interest in sheepdog trialing, but have been unable to find the correct spelling for the word and also the word "trialers", meaning people who trial. These words are not in the dictionary and I have noticed it spelt both ways on other websites. I spell these words with the single 'L' as it seemed right but others have told me it is wrong. My favourite Aussie dictionary (The Macquarie) has entries for "trialling" and "trialled" both with two ells, so my short answer is two ells if you're a Pom or an Aussie; that is, if you live in a country that uses British English. It doesn't have an entry for "trialler". I think, though, that we can safely generalise from the other two and say that it would also be spelled with two ells in British English. What about users of American English though? My slightly rambling answer is to observe that after the American War of Independence from the British, one Noah Webster sat down and began to write the first dictionary of American English. As the work progressed, he chose (quite sensibly) to simplify certain British spellings. One such simplification that he often used was to replace double-ells with a single-ell. So if you find a pair of words like "trialing" and "trialling", the general rule of thumb will be that the American spelling is the simpler one (that is, one ell). In this case, "trialing" would be an American usage and "trialling" a British (and Australian) usage. Now, just so this doesn't become too simple, there are exceptions. :-) There are a few words that work in the reverse fashion. For example, "skillful" has two ells in the *American* form, but only one in the British form. If in doubt, take an Aspirin, have a little lie down then consult your local dictionary. :-) Hope this helps. -- (c) 2008 Tim North: http://www.BetterWritingSkills.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Choosing between "them" and "these" ----------------------------------------------------------------- My next correspondent, Satyabrata, wrote in asking about the correct usage of "them" and "these". He said: Traditionally, I use "them" against "human" and "these" against every other living or non-living objects. Whether this approach is correct? You know, I've never thought about these words before. Speakers of English as a second language ask the toughest questions. :-) "Them" is the objective form of "they". (I'll explain that jargon further in a moment.) It can be used for both living and non- living objects. For example: We should ask them to leave. (living) Karen: Where are the keys? Bob: I have them. (non-living) "These" is the plural form of "this". It can also be used for both living and non-living objects: These visitors have been here before. (living) These invoices are correct. (non-living) So we've established that the difference doesn't have anything to do with the nouns in question being living or otherwise. "Them" is only used as the object of a sentence. (That is, the verb is done to it.) For example: We should ask them. (subject) (verb) (object) "These" is more flexible and can act as either the subject or the object: These are broken. ("these" is the subject.) Who broke these? ("these" is the object.) That's more than enough grammar theory for one day. Hope this helps. -- (c) 2008 Tim North: http://www.BetterWritingSkills.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- Do you know someone who'd like this newsletter? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Do you have a friend or colleague who'd find the Better Writing Skills newsletter interesting? If so, please feel free to send a copy of this issue to them. Alternatively, please tell them they can browse back issues here: http://www.BetterWritingSkills.com/newsletter.html Thanks for helping to make this newsletter so successful! ----------------------------------------------------------------- 3. When do plant and animal names need a capital? ----------------------------------------------------------------- My final correspondent for this month, Cindy, wrote in with a question in two parts. Here's the first part: I am wondering if you can advise me about the most recent treatment of common names for insects, plants and diseases? Once they carried title capitalisation ('Bathurst Burr') then it went to just the first word ('Bathurst burr') then only words which are proper nouns ('Bathurst burr' but 'blue gum') now I have seen a few with no capitalisation at all regardless of proper nouns (bathurst burr). What is your call? One of my favourite sources of advice is a publication called "The Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers". (It's an Australian publication so it may be hard to find elsewhere.) It has this advice about common names: [1] [Scientific] names that have become common names ... are lower-cased and shown in Roman type [that is, without italics]: camellia acacia eucalyptus pterodactyl amoeba mammal [2] Common names are usually capitalised only if they contain proper names: red-back spider Norfolk Island pine Bennett's wallaby [3] In general usage, the names of common breeds of animals generally do not take an initial capital, even if they refer to a geographic area: labrador (dog) siamese (cat) fresian (cow) The Style Manual goes on to say that these conventions are not universally followed. Still, they seem like a reasonable set of guidelines to follow in the absence of anything better. Now let's turn our attention to Cindy's examples. Using the guidelines above, I'd write "Bathurst burr" (point 2 above) and "blue gum" (also point 2). The second part to Cindy's question asked about scientific names: Another twist is when the common name includes part of the scientific name. Should it be Cylindrocladium black rot or cylindrocladium black rot? I think this depends upon whether you feel that the scientific name has become a common name (point 1 above). I'd happily write "eucalyptus" with no capital because the word is in common use in day-to-day Australian English. "Cylindrocladium", though, isn't a common name, so I'd be inclined to keep the capital in that case. Hope this helps. -- (c) 2008 Tim North: http://www.BetterWritingSkills.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Just for fun ----------------------------------------------------------------- This month you might like to have a look at this wonderful US Government site on plain English: www.plainlanguage.gov It's possible that I'm stretching the definition of "Just for fun" with the inclusion of this link, but then I'm a very dull fellow and found the site fun. :-) Enjoy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Would you like more help with your writing? ----------------------------------------------------------------- On my Better Writing Skills web site, you'll find my range of jargon-free, downloadable e-books that will help you to become a better writer. 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