atw: Re: Into Linguistic semantics. [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

I think this one has to do with modifiers. 'Cake' modifies 'shop' and
'four door' modifies 'car' whereas Senate Estimates is the name of the
committee, not the modifier and the same with Medical Records Section.
I'm not sure about grounding straps, given that I don't know what they
are but grounding strap cleaning sounds better to me. It modifies the
cleaning activity?
 
I should point out that I didn't look up any of this in a reference,
it's just what comes to mind when I look at the examples. So I may not
be right.
 
Michelle
 

________________________________

From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of SUNTER Bede
Sent: Wednesday, 28 February 2007 11:03 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Into Linguistic semantics. [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]


An interesting one, Howard. A friend of mine is a medical records
manager in a hospital. There was a protracted argument over whether her
section should be named the Medical Records Section or the Medical
Record Section.
 
When asked my opinion, I voted for 'records' plural stating that it
sounded more 'right'. However, I'm never really satisfied with just
'sounding right' as an explanation.

________________________________

From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Howard.Silcock@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, 28 February 2007 10:44 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Into Linguistic semantics. [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]



In the New Fowler's Modern English Usage, it says this about 'into'
versus 'in to':  "the two words should be written separately when the
sense is separate, most commonly when 'in' is a full adverb and 'to' is
an infinitive marker and means 'in order to'". He gives the examples:
'People dropped in to see him', 'the maid looked in to ask if they
wanted coffee' and 'the Secretary of State, George Shultz, slipped in to
replace Reagan'. The implication appears to be that otherwise you should
write 'into'. Example: 'he was reduced to staring into the water'. 

That doesn't seem to be a very clear and definite rule, but I'd say your
example would fall into [not 'fall in to'!] the second category, so it
should read 'putting new files into the course resources folder'. 

Your example reminds me of another question that I often ponder about.
In forming a phrase like 'resources folder', when would you leave the
first word in the plural? We wouldn't say 'peas soup', even though it
would be made with more than one pea, or 'cakes shop' or 'four doors
car'. Yet there are cases where we do use the plural, such as 'Senate
estimates committee'. 

 When I was working on maintenance procedures for submarines, the French
engineer wanted to use the heading 'Grounding straps cleaning'. I
changed it to 'Grounding strap cleaning' and told him that, even though
there was more than one grounding strap, his wording just didn't sound
right - and then I probably gave him the 'four door car' example. But
I've never found a discussion of this topic in any book on usage. 

There's another question you can ponder while you have the time, Warren!


Howard 




"Warren Lewington" <warren.lewington@xxxxxxxxxx> 
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Hello all. I was  wondering about this. I have written "... putting new
files into the course  resources folder." 
  
I debated with  myself whether it could be "...putting new files in to
the course  folder." 
  
I resorted to the  preceding verb rule; that 'in' should be tied to a
preceding verb. I  am curious about the "putting new files" phrase.
Could you use "...in to..." or  is that just plain bad form? Or,
conversely, should you really use  "into"?  
  
I hope this isn't  too obvious a question. It seems to me you could go
either way... In any case,  it is really nice to have the time in a gig
to actually really think about the  context and usage of the writing.
Maybe I am thinking too much, it could explain  the headache. 
  
Regards to  all; 
Warren.  


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