Mark Landin wrote: >>Is this correct, >>or am I asking the poor phrase to do too much work? >> >> > >How surreal. An internationally-known author is (indirectly) asking my >input on grammar. As my mother once said "People who don't know >grammar ... hmm, now how can I put this?" > > As long as there are writers, there'll be editors (the nobody's perfect temporization). And something I've noticed when I'm writing and I'm unsure of how a phrase should be used: the more I play it back and forth in my head (and even aloud), the less it makes sense; it's like the phrase (or word!) loses its meaning by my replaying it like that. So I have to turn to somebody to hit the grammatical/contextual reset button and pronounce it or define it or whatever it is that I need. I would chalk this up to being a foreigner (sort of), but I find that I can recreate this effect in my native language just as much as in English. Jose -- Jose Marquez | There are 10 types of people in jhereg69 at earthlink.net | the world: those who understand http://www.hackwater.com | binary, and those who don't.