Editor's Corner

Good morning!

Today’s comma rule and its examples are a little lengthy…but you can do it! Push through today and you will be rewarded with three things: Valentine’s Day candy if you are in the office, some love-song mondegreens to take you into the weekend, and three days off to relax and enjoy visions of presidents and sugarplums dancing in your heads. Today’s rule and examples are brought to you from the Purdue OWL.

Note: In case you are new to Editor’s Corner, I generally keep my comments and examples in blue text. If I “borrow” from elsewhere I may reformat the text, but I’ll provide the resource and put it in black font.

Do not use commas to set off essential elements of the sentence, such as clauses beginning with that (relative clauses). That clauses after nouns are always essential. That clauses following a verb expressing mental action are always essential.

That clauses after nouns:

The book that I borrowed from you is excellent.

The apples that fell out of the basket are bruised.

That clauses following a verb expressing mental action:

She believes that she will be able to earn an A.

He is dreaming that he can fly.

I contend that it was wrong to mislead her.

They wished that warm weather would finally arrive.

Examples of other essential elements (no commas):

Students who cheat only harm themselves.

The baby wearing a yellow jumpsuit is my niece.

The candidate who had the least money lost the election.

Examples of nonessential elements (set off by commas):

Fred, who often cheats, is just harming himself.

My niece, wearing a yellow jumpsuit, is playing in the living room.

The Green party candidate, who had the least money, lost the election.

Apples, which are my favorite fruit, are the main ingredient in this recipe.

Professor Benson, grinning from ear to ear, announced that the exam would be tomorrow.

Tom, the captain of the team, was injured in the game.

It is up to you, Jane, to finish.

She was, however, too tired to make the trip.

Two hundred dollars, I think, is sufficient.

Kara Church

Senior Technical Editor

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

www.symitar.com

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Good afternoon! I hope you enjoyed your break from commas with Donna’s excellent adventures in hyphenation. That’s what we’re all about here—having fun and living the dream!

Here is a brief rule that causes all kinds of commotion. The rule is to use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series. Some say the second comma isn’t necessary; others argue its necessity. This comma has several names: the serial comma, the Oxford comma, and the Harvard comma. No matter what you call it, it is required according to a rule in the Jack Henry Corporate Style Guide.

Here are a few examples:

· We visited Athens, Hydra, and Santorini on our summer vacation.

· My favorite names for a boy dog are Spartacus, Tobias, and Bob.

· Mr. Finley said he would fix the lock, repair the kitchen window, and check the water heater.

· Everyone on the block claimed that Cecil, who had the kindest parents, who had the best education, and who made the most money, was the saddest person they’d ever met.

And here is my favorite example of how not using it can change the meaning of a sentence:

“Among those interviewed were his two ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall.” (Merle Haggard)

Kara Church

Senior Technical Editor

Happy Friday! Donna will be giving you a break from commas during the beginning of next week, so here is a dose to last you for a few days.

RULE: Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause.

Here are some clues to help you decide whether the sentence element is essential:

· If you leave out the clause, phrase, or word, does the sentence still make sense?

· Does the clause, phrase, or word interrupt the flow of words in the original sentence?

· If you move the element to a different position in the sentence, does the sentence still make sense?

If you answer "yes" to one or more of these questions, then the element in question is nonessential and should be set off with commas.

Examples of commas with non-essential elements:

Clause: On Saturday, which happens to be National Kiwi Day, we are going to Belmont Park.

Phrase: When I’m in San Francisco, I love walking through the arboretum in Golden Gate Park. The Japanese Tea Garden, in addition, is a splendid place to spend the afternoon.

Word: You got to choose the restaurant last time. This time, therefore, Donny gets to choose the place we go for dinner.

And a little (missing) comma humor to start your weekend right. I think the magazine editor got so excited with the clever take on Eat, Pray, Love that he or she forgot the commas in the remainder of the text.

Kara Church

Senior Technical Editor

In a bit of a rush today, so today’s comma lesson doesn’t include my own examples. The following information was lovingly borrowed from the Purdue OWL.

Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause.

a. Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while.

While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door.

Because her alarm clock was broken, she was late for class.

If you are ill, you ought to see a doctor.

When the snow stops falling, we’ll shovel the driveway.

However, don’t put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme contrast).

Incorrect: She was late for class, because her alarm clock was broken.

Incorrect: The cat scratched at the door, while I was eating.

Correct: She was still quite upset, although she had won the Oscar. (This comma use is correct because it is an example of extreme contrast.)

b. Common introductory phrases that should be followed by a comma include participial and infinitive phrases, absolute phrases, nonessential appositive phrases, and long prepositional phrases (over four words).

Having finished the test, he left the room.

To get a seat, you’d better come early.

After the test but before lunch, I went jogging.

The sun radiating intense heat, we sought shelter in the cafe.

c. Common introductory words that should be followed by a comma include yes, however, well.

Well, perhaps he meant no harm.

Yes, the package should arrive tomorrow morning.

However, you may not be satisfied with the results.

Kara Church

Senior Technical Editor

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

www.symitar.com

NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended
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is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please
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Good morning and congratulations to Megan Altis for bringing over 30 new subscribers to the Editor’s Corner. Megan wins the coveted Amazon gift card! I’m also sending a huge thank you to Jim Vivoli who came in a close second and to everyone else who recommended the Editor’s Corner to their friends and co-workers.

Today we’re going to tackle a punctuation mark that is difficult for many people: the comma. It isn’t surprising that commas are tough. I have at least a dozen different rules for us to consider. Instead of throwing the whole list at you at once, I’m going to go through the rules one at a time and let you savor each one.

Most of these rules are from the Purdue OWL, one of my favorite grammar sites.

RULE: Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.

Examples:

The shop was out of frozen yogurt, so Mickey and Rachel decided to go home.

The Seahawks scored again, and the crowd went wild.

He rewrote the sentences a third time, yet the paragraph still confused the editor.

The wind was blowing and snow was falling, but Susan insisted on running the 5k without a jacket.

And for your entertainment:

Kara Church

Senior Technical Editor

Let’s start this week off with something easy. First, I send a warm welcome to you new readers! Second, I want to give high praise to all of you for taking a little extra time each day to learn more about English and how to use it better and more effectively. Third, I’m providing an excerpt for you to read so you can see how sad the world is for other people who don’t get a daily dose of learning in their email.

Excerpt from the San Diego Union-Tribune, written by Richard Lederer, founder of A Way with Words (radio show), lecturer, teacher, and author of over 30 books on English.

Recent reports indicate that new jobs are being created in some abundance but that there aren’t enough candidates who can speak and write clearly to fill those aborning positions. Part of the mismatch between job availability and the dearth of qualified applicants can be traced to lack of education in the art and craft of expository writing. When the Department of Education in 2012 published “The Nation’s Report Card: Writing 2011,” just 24 percent of eighth- and 12th-graders were proficient in writing.

The number of literate college graduates has also declined dramatically over the past two decades. Could it be that the global, speed-of-byte interconnectivity we enjoy through television, texting and social media comes at the expense of our fundamental language skills? We communicate more, but we say less.

That’s a crying shame because in a recent survey of corporate recruiters by the Graduate Management Admission Council, the organization that administers the standardized test for business school, 86 percent said strong communication skills were a priority—well ahead of any other skill. We must shrink this communications gap.

See how lucky you are? You are shrinking the gap every day by reading Editor’s Corner! Aren’t you amazing? I think you are. Have a fantastic Monday!

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Before you get your treat, this is the last reminder to send me new subscribers for Editor’s Corner. I am extending the contest to the end of the day in hopes that I can break the tie between Jim Vivoli and Megan Altis. Remember, all you need to do is recommend this column to your friends and coworkers and have them email me at kchurch to sign up. (They should tell me you sent them so you get the points.) The winner will be announced Monday. Now, down to business!

Back by popular demand, for the end of FUN week, I have a collection of mondegreens for you. In short, mondegreens are misheard song lyrics. For an extended description, see the Wikipedia article here. The following are some of the cleaner mondegreens I borrowed from When a Man Loves a Walnut and from ‘Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy, both collections by Gavin Edwards.

I’ve listed the singer first, followed by the name of the song. On the second line are the misheard lyrics, followed by the actual lyrics in parentheses. Yes, sometimes the actual lyrics sound crazier than the misheard ones. It’s easy to understand how some of these mix-ups occur!

Enjoy!

Bread (Baby I’m-a Want You)

Baby I’m a warm shoe, baby I’m a neat shoe. (Baby I’m-a want you, baby I’m-a need you.)

Michael Jackson (Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’)

Mamma say mamma saw my moccasin (Ma ma se mama sa ma ma coo sa)

Elton John (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)

Goodbye yellow brick road/With the darkened sorority house. (Goodbye yellow brick road/ where the dogs of society howl.)

Nirvana (Smells Like Teen Spirit)

I’m blotto and bravado/I’m a scarecrow and a Beatle. (A mulatto, an albino/A mosquito, my libido.)

The Beatles (Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds)

The girl with colitis goes by (The girl with kaleidoscope eyes)

Pearl Jam (Glorified G)

Forty-five versions of a pelican. (Glorified version of a pellet gun.)

Peter Gabriel (Shock the Monkey)

Jaques the monkey. (Shock the monkey.)

Carl Carlton (She’s a Bad Mama Jama)

She wears bad plaid pajamas. (She’s a bad mama jama.)

TLC (Waterfalls)

Go, go, Jason Waterfalls. (Don’t go chasin’ waterfalls.)

Def Leppard (Pour Some Sugar on Me)

Poor son, shoot your own leg. (Pour some sugar on me.)

The Pretenders (Brass in Pocket)

· Gonna use my sausage.

· Gonna use my soft-sell.

· Gonna use my senses.

· Gonna use my sauté.

· Gonna use my sassy.

(Gonna use my sidestep.)

Elton John (Rocket Man)

· Rocket man, burning up the trees on every lawn.

· Rocket man, turning out his shoes for everyone.

(Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone.)

David Bowie (Space Oddity)

Clown Control to Mao Tse-Tung. (Ground control to Major Tom.)

Kara Church

Senior Technical Editor

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

www.symitar.com

NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended
exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message,
together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information.
Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution
is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please
immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies.

Good morning, everyone! I have returned from yesterday’s Olympic tangent as promised, with a little trick for figuring out when to use who vs. whom. Instead of getting into the subject and direct object discussion, we’re going to head straight to the “he/him” trick that many people use to get to the right answer.

The He/Him Trick

he = who

him =whom

You are facing the question, “Should I use who or whom in this case?” Ask yourself whether the answer to your question would be he or him. If the answer is “he,” then you use “who.” If the answer is “him,” you use “whom.”

Examples:

Who/whom broke the vase?

He broke the vase. (Not “Him broke the vase.”) Therefore, who is correct.

For who/whom does the bell toll?

The bell tolls for him. Therefore, whom is correct.

We all know who/whom won the gold medal.

He won the gold medal. Therefore, who is correct.

Does anyone know to who/whom the gold medal was given?

The gold medal was given to him. Therefore, whom is correct.

Now, apply this rule to other examples and see how you do. You can try either of these quizzes and sites for more information: Grammar Girl or the Grammar Monster.

Kara Church

Senior Technical Editor

Good morning! If you are an employee who is lucky enough to go into the office each week and you are there today, you should be able to join in the Office Olympics!

I started out my email today ready to talk about a helpful hint for remembering when to use who or whom, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for that. Instead I will go off on a bit of a tangent to talk about the Olympic flag, in honor of the day’s festivities and the XXII Olympic Winter Games (Sochi), which begin on Friday, February 7, 2014.

The flag, as we know it now, is white with five interlocking rings. It was designed in 1912 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the co-founder of the modern Olympic Games. The reason for five rings? Each one represents the five continents that participated in the 1912 games: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia/Oceania, and America (North and South). Contrary to popular belief, the ring colors do not represent specific continents.

So what do the colors represent? The colors, including the white background, represent the colors of all of the nations’ flags at the time it was established. For example, the Swiss flag is red and white; the Greek flag is blue and white; the Kenyan flag is black, red, green, and white, etc. The intention was for this to be a true international symbol.

Though the Olympics originated in Greece, the motto is Latin. It was also provided by Baron de Coubertin in 1912 and reads: Citius, Altius, Fortius. In English, this means “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” Not quite the Six Million Dollar Man’s theme, but close.

Oh, and one more detail. In the ancient Olympics, winners received a wreath of olives, not a wreath of laurels. What else would you expect for a proud Greek Olympian?

Go forth this day and show us that you deserve the Office Olympics gold! (Or send me new subscribers for the Editor’s Corner by Friday and win the Editor’s Corner Amazon Gift Card [$25].)

Kara Church

Senior Technical Editor

The other day I was in the shower trying to remember a joke I’d heard about shampoo. Maybe it was just a quote, but it was kind of disgusting, and it made me wonder where we got the word shampoo from. Serendipitously, I got the answer today in an email about English words with origins in Hindi, Urdu, and Sanskrit. For the entire list see DailyWritingTips.

· Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is the manifestation in human or animal form of a god, especially Vishnu. The word first appeared in English in the 18th century and derives ultimately from the Sanskrit word avatara meaning descent. More recently the word has gained additional senses, for example to refer to a computer user’s visual representation within a game, on a forum etc.

· Bangle
A rigid ornamental bracelet worn around the wrist (or ankle). Its appearance in English dates back to the 18th century. It derives from the Hindi word bangri meaning a glass ring or bracelet.

· Bungalow
A one-storied house. Derives from the Hindi word bangla meaning, literally, in the style of or belonging to Bengal. The word bungalow in English dates back to the 17th century when it was used to refer to a type of cottage built in Bengal for early European settlers.

· Cot
This word has several meanings, but in the sense of a portable bed or a high-sided child’s bed, it derives from the Hindi word khat, meaning a bedstead or hammock. It arrived in the English language during the 17th century.

· Guru
Originally a Hindu or Sikh spiritual guide, guru entered English in the 17th century, where it now also means any important and respected intellectual guide or mentor. The original word in the Hindi and Sanskrit, also guru, means venerable.

· Juggernaut
In English, a juggernaut is an unstoppable force or movement that sweeps aside or destroys anything in its path. In the UK it is also used to refer to very large lorries (trucks). The word arrived in English in the 19th century and derives from the word Jagannath, a form of the Hindu deity Vishnu.

· Loot
Loot is both a noun and a verb. As a verb it means to ransack, to steal from someone or something, often in a violent way. The noun means whatever is stolen by the act of looting or, simply, any money. The word derives from the Hindi verb lut, meaning to plunder or steal.

· Pyjamas/Pajamas
A set of loose-fitting sleeping clothes, consisting of a jacket and trousers. The pajama spelling is used in North America. The word entered English in the 19th century. It derives from the Hindi word payjamah, meaning leg (pay) and clothing (jamah).

· Shampoo
A soapy liquid for washing the hair (or other things such as carpets). It arrived in English in the 18th century and derives from the Hindi word champo, meaning to squeeze, knead, or massage.

· Thug
A brutal or violent person, it derives ultimately from the Hindi word thag meaning a thief or a cheat. It entered the English language early in the 19th century.

Kara Church

Senior Technical Editor

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

www.symitar.com

NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended
exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message,
together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information.
Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution
is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please
immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies.