Re: E-Prime

Subject: Re: E-Prime
From: Randy Allen Harris <raha -at- WATARTS -dot- UWATERLOO -dot- CA>
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 08:17:51 -0500

Jim Venis said (among other things):

>(The core of E-Prime seems to eschew the "is of identity"
>and the "is of predication." It does not ban other uses, such as the use
>of "is" as a helping verb.)

>I have never advocated stripping tools from writers, and I view passive
>voice as a tool. I have not, however, found a way to write an E-Prime
>passive. If you can, please post it--I'd like to know!

I must be missing something here, but the passive "be" is a helping verb,
so there shouldn't be any problem with E-Prime passives.

-------======= * =======-------
Randy Allen Harris
raha -at- watarts -dot- uwaterloo -dot- ca

Rhetoric and Professional Writing, Department of English, University of
Waterloo, Waterloo ON N2L 3G1, CANADA; 519 885-1211, x5362; FAX: 519 884-8995


Previous by Author: light as adjective (not)
Next by Author: light as adjective (boring; grammar hounds only)
Previous by Thread: Re: E-Prime
Next by Thread: Re: E-Prime


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads