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Joseph Turian
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 4:17 am
Post subject: Comma usage |
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Please comment upon the following comma usage:
"A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to a problem, but,
the most concise solution should be emphasized."
"A fundamental problem with Mathematics in America today is that
Americans do not tend to be interested in Mathematics for
Mathematics' sake, rather, as a necessity for business transactions
and practical applications."
Thanks,
Joseph
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Skitt
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 4:28 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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Joseph Turian wrote:
| Quote: | Please comment upon the following comma usage:
"A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to a problem, but,
the most concise solution should be emphasized."
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Drop the one after the "but".
| Quote: |
"A fundamental problem with Mathematics in America today is that
Americans do not tend to be interested in Mathematics for
Mathematics' sake, rather, as a necessity for business transactions
and practical applications."
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Put a "but" just ahead of the "rather" and get rid of the comma after
"rather".
Let's see what others say.
--
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/ |
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R H Draney
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 4:28 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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Joseph Turian filted:
| Quote: |
Please comment upon the following comma usage:
"A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to a problem, but,
the most concise solution should be emphasized."
"A fundamental problem with Mathematics in America today is that
Americans do not tend to be interested in Mathematics for
Mathematics' sake, rather, as a necessity for business transactions
and practical applications."
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I'm not entirely happy with the second comma in either sentence, but neither is
bad enough for me to want to start handing out pitchforks to the villagers....r
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jerry_friedman@yahoo.com
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 4:38 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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Skitt wrote:
| Quote: | Joseph Turian wrote:
Please comment upon the following comma usage:
"A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to a problem, but,
the most concise solution should be emphasized."
Drop the one after the "but".
"A fundamental problem with Mathematics in America today is that
Americans do not tend to be interested in Mathematics for
Mathematics' sake, rather, as a necessity for business transactions
and practical applications."
Put a "but" just ahead of the "rather" and get rid of the comma after
"rather".
Let's see what others say.
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As someone who has disagreed with you at times on commas and has even
supported the elocutionary school under certain circumstances, I'm
happy to agree with you completely. (Unless these are from a
transcript of a speech or some such.)
And as a mathematics educator, I believe the first example is false.
--
Jerry Friedman |
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R H Draney
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 5:02 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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jerry_friedman@yahoo.com filted:
| Quote: |
Skitt wrote:
Joseph Turian wrote:
"A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to a problem, but,
the most concise solution should be emphasized."
And as a mathematics educator, I believe the first example is false.
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The first example is conjunct; to which clause do you object?...r |
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John Dean
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 5:14 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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Joseph Turian wrote:
| Quote: | Please comment upon the following comma usage:
"A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to a problem, but,
the most concise solution should be emphasized."
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I don't see any need for a comma at all, but if you must, just the one
after "problem".
| Quote: |
"A fundamental problem with Mathematics in America today is that
Americans do not tend to be interested in Mathematics for
Mathematics' sake, rather, as a necessity for business transactions
and practical applications."
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Tinkering with commas in that would be like rearranging deckchairs on
the Titanic. It needs redrafting.
--
John Dean
Oxford |
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Martin Ambuhl
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 6:55 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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Joseph Turian wrote:
| Quote: | Please comment upon the following comma usage:
"A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to a problem, but,
the most concise solution should be emphasized."
"A fundamental problem with Mathematics in America today is that
Americans do not tend to be interested in Mathematics for
Mathematics' sake, rather, as a necessity for business transactions
and practical applications."
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[The translation chosen here is for the footnote, not because Raymond
Dawson's is necessarily the best.]
In the Lunyu (Analects) 8.12, we are told of Konzi (Confucius):
"The Master said: 'It is not easy to find someone who studies for three
years but is not intent on a salary.[*}
[*] A suitable slogan for today's undergraduates starting non-vocational
courses! ... "
Confucius, tr. Raymond Dawson, _The Analects_, Oxford University
Press, 1993. |
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Chris Waigl
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:07 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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On Fri, 28 Oct 2005 15:38:23 -0700, jerry_friedman@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | Skitt wrote:
Joseph Turian wrote:
Please comment upon the following comma usage:
"A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to a problem,
but, the most concise solution should be emphasized."
Drop the one after the "but".
[snip, snip]
And as a mathematics educator, I believe the first example is false.
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Do you disagree with showing many approaches or with emphasising the most
concise solution?
I regularly see this problem in badly-written surveys:
"I believe the fetus is a human being but don't think abortion should be
illegal."
"A free market is the key to the well-being of our economy but its
harshest effects must be attenuated by laws to protect the poor."
==> Do you:
a) totally agree b) mostly agree
c) mostly disagree d) totally disagree?
Chris Waigl
--
blog: http://serendipity.lascribe.net/
eggcorns: http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/
personal blog : just ask for the URL |
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Mark Brader
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:07 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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"Skitt" writes:
| Quote: | Let's see what others say.
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I agree with Skitt.
--
Mark Brader | "But [he] had already established his own reputation
Toronto | as someone who wrote poetry that mentioned the el."
msb@vex.net | --Al Kriman |
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designquest10
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:07 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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Consider re-writing:
----> A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to
a problem but should emphasize the most elegant solution.
----> The field of Mathematics in America today may be viewed as
problematic because, in general, Americans do not tend to
be interested in Mathematics for its own sake. Rather,
they tend to view it purely as a necessity for business
transactions and other practical applications." |
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jerry_friedman@yahoo.com
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:15 am
Post subject: Re: Comma usage |
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Chris Waigl wrote:
| Quote: | On Fri, 28 Oct 2005 15:38:23 -0700, jerry_friedman@yahoo.com wrote:
Skitt wrote:
Joseph Turian wrote:
Please comment upon the following comma usage:
"A Mathematics educator should show many approaches to a problem,
but, the most concise solution should be emphasized."
Drop the one after the "but".
[snip, snip]
And as a mathematics educator, I believe the first example is false.
Do you disagree with showing many approaches or with emphasising the most
concise solution?
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I think showing many approaches is a good idea sometimes, depending on
how many students it can be expected to help and how many it can be
expected to confuse. I see no point in emphasizing the most concise
solution. The solution to emphasize is the one with the most
pedagogical value (in the teacher's opinion).
| Quote: | I regularly see this problem in badly-written surveys:
"I believe the fetus is a human being but don't think abortion should be
illegal."
"A free market is the key to the well-being of our economy but its
harshest effects must be attenuated by laws to protect the poor."
==> Do you:
a) totally agree b) mostly agree
c) mostly disagree d) totally disagree?
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Good reason not to take surveys.
--
Jerry Friedman |
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