TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: many efforts / reciprocate From:Mark Levinson <mark -at- SD -dot- CO -dot- IL> Date:Sun, 21 May 1995 12:39:07 IDT
"...developed through many years of effort,...
** The plural ("efforts") has nothing wrong with it grammatically.
The problem is that the double plural ("years of efforts") forces
the reader to imagine two dimensions rather than one. There are
the countable (but uncounted) years and the countable (but uncounted)
efforts per year. Were there a lot of efforts per year or only
a few? Were there a lot of years per effort? Were there more
efforts some years than others? Probably nobody cares, but
by pluralizing "effort" the sentence opens such questions.
A single effort lasting many years is a much simpler concept
and still expresses what the sentence wants to say.
"...the best way to reciprocate with our customers for their
many years of patronage..."
** How about "the best reciprocation for our customers' many
years of patronage"? I think that usually the verb "reciprocate"
takes, as an object, the thing that you're giving something
(often the same thing) in return for.
_________________________________________________________________________
Mark L. Levinson | E-mail: mark -at- sd -dot- co -dot- il
Summit Design (EDA) Ltd. | Voice: +972-9-507102, ext. 230 (work),
Box 544 | +972-9-552411 (home)
46105 Herzlia, ISRAEL | Fax: +972-9-509118
_________________________________________________________________________
"Graphics are especially useful for drawing readers into the book."
- STC Intercom
_________________________________________________________________________
