tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343608.post4796089379775487572..comments2024-03-27T16:02:25.334-05:00Comments on Orange Crate Art: Strunk and White and SeidelMichael Leddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05547732736861224886noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343608.post-75603469137924428832009-04-13T11:32:00.000-05:002009-04-13T11:32:00.000-05:00Thanks for the link to Daring Fireball, Matt.I'm g...Thanks for the link to Daring Fireball, Matt.<BR/><BR/>I'm going to try to form some further thoughts about Strunk and White and Pullum later today.Michael Leddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05547732736861224886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343608.post-89108004368703629022009-04-13T10:41:00.000-05:002009-04-13T10:41:00.000-05:00When I first read Pullum's piece, I thought it was...When I first read Pullum's piece, I thought it was a joke. Upon reflection, he strikes me as a humorless, distinctly British fuddy-duddy. See also <A HREF="http://bit.ly/kfKZf" REL="nofollow">John Gruber on Strunk & White's critics</A>.Matt Thomashttp://mattthomas.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343608.post-63324653836616438022009-04-12T08:49:00.000-05:002009-04-12T08:49:00.000-05:00With brand names, I'd say that context is everythi...With brand names, I'd say that context is everything. Frank O'Hara can mention Gauloises and Picayunes (in "The Day Lady Died"), and these cigarette brands are details of dailiness.<BR/><BR/>I can't venture any general opinion about Pullum and <I>The Elements of Style</I> (which I haven't read in years), but I've long thought that many of Strunk and White's precepts ("Omit needless words") are less than helpful to a developing writer.<BR/><BR/>But I just read the section "Use the active voice," and I'd say that Pullum's discussion is very misleading. Strunk and White do not present as examples of the passive voice the sentences that Pullum cites. The passage preceding these sentences in <I>TEoS</I> mentions <I>there is</I>, and the three sentences Pullum cites as mistakes are all sentences with forms of <I>to be</I>, all then revised with active verbs. So on this point at least, Pullum is misreading the plain sense of the text.Michael Leddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05547732736861224886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343608.post-82794311538390613602009-04-11T17:27:00.000-05:002009-04-11T17:27:00.000-05:00So, do you agree with Pullum?So, do you agree with Pullum?Geo-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09228768953715204493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343608.post-73792219307077073392009-04-11T13:25:00.000-05:002009-04-11T13:25:00.000-05:00Is the question about the use of brand names in po...Is the question about the use of brand names in poetry (vs. a noble warrior object like a shield)? I am not familiar with the poet, but I'd have to agree—reference to brands makes me think "product placement" vs. poetry.Slywyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01424323662407341123noreply@blogger.com