He Has a Point—I Think
This makes sense, but I don’t think I can explain this in more general words…
How would you make this distinction more explicit, more general?
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Another “Per” Mistake
Some people who can’t write well use the phrase “as per.” This is incorrect (we call it a solecism—a language mistake). “Per” means “according to,” so writing what amounts to “as according to” makes no sense.
Well, I just ran into a different goof using “per”:
Between the lines: Per to the Chamber, the average attack takes systems down for 21 days and it can take nine months or more to fully recover.
https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-login-b2e29a7e-b591-4cd0-8f56-bd85199b148a.html
“Per to”??? Come on folks; you want to say “according to to”?
The Axios folks are pretty professional; I suspect this was a typo, and not on purpose. Still, don’t do it!
Illogical, I Think
At least it’s illogical for me a tech writer:
The best way to learn about wild mushrooms is to go out with an expert or, better yet, a group of experts.
May-June Montana Outdoors, page 27
So is going out with an expert the best way or not? Maybe the writer is just being a bit (for me) too informal. Maybe it’s stream of consciousness.
How would you re-write the sentence?
Here’s a picture, from Google, of a type of mushroom pictured in the article.
A Missing Subjunctive and a Digression
When you make a statement that’s contrary to fact, use the subjunctive form of the verb. So in this case, he should say “Maybe if there were a loophole.”
Now for the digression:
Most people (in the US anyway) quote the golden rule as “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.”
But they have it backwards! Translating the King James into reasonably modern English, it should be “Whatever you would have others do to you, do so to them.”
I have no idea why we say it backwards. If you happen to know, put the info into the comments.
Sometimes We Don’t Need “Those”
Saying “those” when “the” will do is a pretentiousism. Here’s an example:
“As we continue to implement the Great American Outdoors Act across the Forest, our highest priorities will be those projects that reduce deferred maintenance, are ready to implement and provide the greatest immediate benefit to the public,” stated [Caribou-Targhee National Forest Branch Chief Wes] Stumbo.
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2021/04/caribou-targhee-national-forest-to-revitalize-the-east-mink-creek-corridor/
Saying “will be the projects that…” is more straightforward than what’s in the quote. In fact, he could have said “…will be projects that…” because, after all, the proper emphasis is on projects, not on their decision-making process (or whatever it is that the word “those” emphasizes).
