Messages

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My Media English Watch / Re: A semantic quandary over the news about the income-earning crocodile

« on: November 01, 2011, 10:12:04 PM »

I think the Mayor showed he is both a savvy politician and businessman when he was quoted by the GMA reporter saying croc Lolong earned nearly half a million pesos. This makes a lot of difference if he'd say, his town has earned that much from Croc Lolong. The first sentence implies croc Lolong as the star of the show and a legitimate income earner while the second sentence gives the impression that Lolong is merely being used by the town to gain income. I think that's giving credit where credit is due, albeit, a bit flighty. But to make that lead sentence less sensational, it should read: "Giant crocodile Lolong already earned for the town of Bunawan, nearly half a million pesos...."

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My Media English Watch / Re: When media falls for or becomes acquiescent to PR gobbledygook

« on: September 05, 2011, 06:03:37 PM »

Hi Joe, I was about to call your attention to a proofreading error in the line "After all that bluster, however, the press release did (sic) not really said....." when I noticed in this version (after I clicked 'Reply'), the sentence is correctly worded ("has not really said"). It appears that you have corrected the error in this version, but not in the 'original', the first page before the posting of comments.

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Essays by Joe Carillo / Re: Yielding to the temptation of resurrecting an old essay

« on: April 25, 2011, 11:37:55 PM »

Actually, it is quite clear that the "ruling" started only in 325 A.D. I don't know why I added up the years instead of subtracting 325 from the year the article was written. I guess math isn't exactly my cup of tea, I'm just glad the not-so-smart question worked in some "serendipitous" way for you.
Thanks a lot for giving us a website that is both scholarly and entertaining.

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Essays by Joe Carillo / Re: Yielding to the temptation of resurrecting an old essay

« on: April 25, 2011, 12:01:03 AM »

Hi Joe, thanks a lot for the interesting matter-of-fact backgrounder on the celebration of Lent as a matter of faith. Your son is truly fortunate (and blessed) that he learned such facts at a very young age. I have a question though - not in matters of faith, but in computation. You said you wrote it in 2003 but in the article you said the Christian world has always celebrated Lent according to the decree of 325 A.D. from that time on till today, exactly 1,682 years later. If you add up the years, you'd come up with 2007. Was the figure updated when it was republished in 2007? Not that it really matters.

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Use and Misuse / Re: Some common mistakes in English writing

« on: January 11, 2011, 11:54:22 PM »

Webster defines "enjoin" as "to command, order someone with authority: to forbid, to prohibit". I remember using this word a long time ago believing it meant the same way as you mean it now. However, my British editor colleague disagreed with the use of the word and when I checked the dictionary, I got Webster's meaning which was not what we wanted (we didn't want to sound arbitrary). I recalled that incident when I saw your use of the word. However, if other dictionaries define "enjoin" as "urging strongly" or "giving instructions" then I agree with you that the use of "enjoin" in that context is just fine. And it's good to know its meaning is not limited to Webster's.

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Use and Misuse / Re: Some common mistakes in English writing

« on: January 10, 2011, 09:11:47 PM »

You wrote (to Fr. Coyle):
"I agree with the correct usages you prescribed, and I’m enjoining the members and guests
of the Forum to take careful note of them."

I wonder if the verb "enjoining" is aptly used in the above sentence. While there is no doubt in my mind that you are the authority here as far as correct grammar usage is concerned, somehow, the use of the verb "enjoin" doesn't seem, well, agreeable

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Your Thoughts Exactly / Re: MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY: CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

« on: January 06, 2011, 11:51:46 AM »

Thanks for the explanation on the article in question. I almost passed judgment on the supposed author whose byline appeared on the article. I'm glad I didn't, so there's no need to say sorry now 
I do enjoy reading the articles in your website, whenever time permits. Thanks!

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Your Thoughts Exactly / Re: MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY: CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

« on: January 04, 2011, 11:13:30 PM »

I'm afraid the article "The W in Christmas" is not an original piece. I knew it has been circulating in the internet so I surfed the words "Christwas love" (check it out) and got the original article written by a Candy Chand "whose book, Christmas Love, is available at stores nationwide and on Amazon"

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Essays by Joe Carillo / Re: Settling the often-derided usage of “celebrant” once and for all

« on: January 02, 2011, 11:57:22 AM »

>But are people who use the word “celebrator” in that context really wrong? Do they really deserve >all that heckling?

Hi there! shouldn't "celebrator" above be "celebrant", the word that has been heckled?