h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I cannot get it thru their heads that due to the fact that they find it necessary to seemingly engage in such florid and extraneous prose, it behooves me to truncate their educational markings in a downward fashion.

Now, put that in a sentence of 10 words or less. Heck, maybe even 5 words.

Do you mean that they think big words make them sound smart?

Have you seen "Einstein's Theory of Relativity Explained in Words of One Syllable"?

http://light-science.com/slosson.html

[LMN]

Not until now, Gnomon, but I like it. Really, it's not about using big words so much as using them *correctly*. They just open the thesaurus and use the first word under synonyms without considering whether that word actually means what they think it means.

An example. If you highlight the word "intervention" in MSWord, you get the following synonyms: interference, involvement, intrusion, and intercession. While all of these words *might* work, it depends on the context. All of these words, while synonyms, have slightly different meanings. If I write "Intervention in another country's affairs" that means something different than "Interference in another country's affairs." One implies overt force, while the other implies something a bit more covert. And these papers were to engage moral philosophy, and precision of terms matter.

I get cross with my trainees for not using 'however' properly. I find myself sitting in the staffroom with my marking in front of me, shouting:

'It joins two ideas over two ideas in TWO SENTENCES, not ONE. FULL STOP, CAPITAL 'H', 'However', COMMA, you blithering idiots.'

It would help me look less of a twit if I didn't keep posting critisisms of trainees work in glaringly badly writen English, of course. Can everyone just mentally edit the secong 'two ideas in' there, please? Thank you.

'...trainees' work...' *sigh* Did I also spell 'criticism' wrong? Pants. Does it help if I point out this isn't an accademic essay? No, I thought not.

the phrase 'keep it simple, stupid' comes to mind

[GDZ]

Sol, my Dad (wot is a complete expert on written English and knows Gower and Fowler off by heart) insists that a sentence should never start with "however".

Favourite watering holes? My own kitchen ...



Mol

Morning all, nods smiles waves and continues through to garden pushing a stange looking trolley

is seen wheeling a juke box past the french doors of the salon

*drops in, and very subtley mentions that today (Australian time) is hayayfi's birthday. turning 29 again, I believe *

whispers a quick word in Lils ear then proceeds to lead a group of people bearing copious amounts of flowers around back

ropes Nic in to help put up Tent in back of house in the garden

Happy birthday Hayayfi!

*rolls out the massive canvass, and begins sorting the poles and lines*

Thankyou Titania hurry's Nic up and starts to organise trays of seafood, salads and the asks Titania if she thinks the juke box should go in the corner by the desserts or over near the drinks

Chairs and tables start to be brought out .......balloons are blown up in beautiful shades of burnt orange and yellow and red, to go with the Lilliums and orchids.....mmmmmmnn have I gorgotten anything

Near the desserts or near the drinks? Well... uh... I'd say put it up in the section that will cost you the most if people decide to linger...