RE: Apple permits "then" to be used as a coord. conjunction in instructions? (take II)

["Tom Johnson" <thj -at- tampabay -dot- rr -dot- com>]

Geoff,

Thanks for your detailed response. You carefully read what I was saying,
then you provided a tactful, judicious response. I will make it a point,
then, considering your acceptance and welcoming of this use of "then," to
always use it as much of as possible, then I will know I am putting together
sentences that please my audience. :)

To touch upon something -- you said split infinitives are the rule of
antiquated grammarians, then you mentioned how it's a Latin carryover. I
agree, but I always consider the fellow in the crowd who will stop at the
split infinitive and say hmmm, wonder if the writer was aware of that one.
Wouldn't you say, then, that a split infinitive does serve some meaning: it
acts as an underlying code to other writers? Well then, it's not utterly
useless; and if so, then I would not entirely disregard it.  

With "they," you also dismissed this as "perfectly idiomatic," then you gave
an example in which the dictionary contradicts itself. I see, then, that
this is the brewing of another debate. Then again, maybe not. If the problem
were not resolved so easily, then it might have more affect. I myself have
always been enamored of the King James English of the Bible.

You always provide a clear answer in your posts, then you follow up with
some good examples. Then sometimes I will reread your answers for further
examination. If I have been offensive in this satirical response, then I
apologize. But as you can see, if you begin using "then" in the manner you
so defended, then it takes on about four distinct meanings, all depending on
the context of the sentence. Only a native speaker concentrating heavily on
the sentence, then, would be able to sort all the "then's." Then again,
maybe I have overstated my case. If so, then I am sorry.

Tom



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