Two quick tips:
1) In written English, don’t bother with “it seems TO ME.” “It seems” always shows your personal attitude.
2) The sentence lead-in “It can be seen that….” very soon clogs up the sentence.
To save a few words – and to get to the point – you can use an adverb.
a) “It can be seen that the hero is hurt when the dragon leaves him” (pretty, like truck).
b) “The hero is evidently/obviously/visibly hurt when the dragon leaves him.”
Experiment with where you place your quotations.
Compare the following:
1) “‘We’ve got him now!’ said Joe. ‘He can’t get down without being caught!'”
vs.
2) “Joe said, ‘We’ve got him now! He can’t get down without being caught.'”
vs.
3) “‘We’ve got him now! He can’t get down without being caught!’ Joe said.
To my ear, the first example is the most lively – though it’s taken from literature, it’s easy enough to adapt to academic writing.
An invented example:
“‘The verb,’ points out Professor Bernardi, ‘often comes at the end of a German sentence.'”
Also, be sure to comment:
“‘The verb,’ points out Professor Bernardi HELPFULLY/REDUNDANTLY/WISELY, ‘often comes at the end of a German sentence.'”
Other extended deadlines:
Confirmation of acceptance of abstracts by seminar convenors and PhD session convenors: 15 April 2014.
Applications for fee waivers: 1 April 2014 – 30 April 2014.
Registration will begin on 1 April 2014.
Early registration: 1 April 2014 – 31 May 2014.
Late registration: 1 June 2014 – 29 August 2014.
Here are a three off-the-cuff tips for adding life to your writing:
1) Use adverbs when relating neutral information or citing other sources:
Compare:
“As Jones states, ‘Hamlet is a famous play.'”
vs.
“As Jones CORRECTLY states, ‘Hamlet is a famous play.'”
vs.
“As Jones BLANDLY states, ‘Hamlet is a famous play.'”
(A computer could write the first one, not the second two.)
2) Be careful with “started to” and “began to,” especially if the action is immediate:
“She started to throw a punch.”
Never has a fast action seemed so slow!
“He began to fall asleep in class on Monday.”
“He fell asleep in class on Monday” suffices.
3) Mix short and long sentences.
BONUS TIP (from Siobhan McMenemy, a friend and fine editor at University of Toronto Press):
“The moment one reads passionate, honest writing, one knows. It’s one thing to be ‘distant,’ [i.e. objective], but I don’t understand the lack of enthusiasm in so much scholarly work. I push less seasoned authors to develop their own voices not only by encouraging them to stop quoting other people and to tell me what they think, but also by asking them what really matters to them, when it comes to their subject. Why do they care about it? Usually when they start thinking in those terms, the writing comes more easily.”)
All of the tips to date are available at: http://www2.arnes.si/~bjason/LW%20tips.pdf
Another short one this week:
The phrase “Until not a long time ago…” is less idiomatic than “until not long ago…”
“Until not long ago, I cheered for Ptuj.”
It’s obvious that “long ago” has to do with time, so you can chop “time.”
Similarly, phrases like “a year of days” are redundant. A year is a year is a year. You don’t have to subdivide the time.
(That said, if you are emphasizing the waiting, it can work – e.g. “I’ve been waiting a week of days for you!”)
A short one:
Drop the “I” in “As I mentioned earlier.”
Just write: “As mentioned…”
(Two further notes: Do not overuse this phrase. Also, see if you can drop the “earlier” – the past tense tells us not to fast-forward.)
The rest of the tips are available at: http://www2.arnes.si/~bjason/LW%20tips.pdf
Spot the stylistic problems in this passage:
“Inspiration is something of a strength in this little text, and with that I’m thinking more or less of its rather positive qualities. The sentences are fairly short and, on the whole, clear, and the story was almost always suspenseful. Children will enjoy the humour and optimism, and they will probably have learned a great deal after having read it. This picture book will arouse the reader’s curiosity and make us laugh.”
This passage is murdered by: 1) Vagueness (which “text” and “picture book” is this? What are the “positive qualities”?) 2) Too many tenses (“I’m thinking”; “the sentences ARE” morphs into “the story WAS”; “will probably have learned”; “after having read it”; “will arouse” – this is a time machine gone wrong!) 3) Too many useless and bland qualifiers:
“Inspiration is SOMETHING of a strength in this LITTLE text, and with that I’m thinking MORE OR LESS of its RATHER positive qualities. The sentences are FAIRLY short and, ON THE WHOLE, clear, and the story was ALMOST always suspenseful. Children will enjoy the humour and optimism, and they will PROBABLY have learned a great deal after having read it. This picture book will arouse the reader’s curiosity and make us laugh.” 4) Flipping between: i) first person singular (“I’m thinking”); ii) third person plural (“children”); iii) third person singular (“the reader”); iv) a warm and fuzzy first person plural (“make us laugh”)
Here’s a livelier version of the same:
“Inspiration is a strength in GREEN EGGS AND HAM, and with that I’m thinking of its _____ MOTIVATIONAL qualities. The sentences are _____ short and _____ clear, and the story IS _____ always suspenseful. Children will enjoy the humour and optimism, and they will ______ LEARN A GREAT DEAL FROM IT. This picture book will arouse THEIR curiosity and make us ALL laugh.”
(“make us ALL” signals an awareness of the switch – i.e. it shows that the switch is intentional)
The rest of the tips are available at: http://www2.arnes.si/~bjason/LW%20tips.pdf
Words, words, words, words.
1) “borrow”
A bad joke is worth a lengthy explanation: “Can I borrow an egg?” “Will you return it?”
If returning the item is not an option, “borrow” can sound strange.
(Unlike native speakers, Slovenians rarely mix up “borrow” and “lend.”)
2) Note the difference between “sure” and “surely.”
a) “This passage sure is meant to be ironic.” (slang) b) “The story is surely meant to be ironic.” (a suggestion)
3) Instead of “persuade not to do,” write “dissuade from doing”
“I dissuaded him from wearing my butterfly hat to the party.”
4) “revolves around” but “evolves from”
“We all evolved from mud, or at least most of us did.”
“The story revolves around a tedious love triangle.”
The rest of the tips are available at: http://www2.arnes.si/~bjason/LW%20tips.pdf
Spot the howler in this sentence:
“I have learned few things over the years,” said my dad, with a wistful and knowing look.
Here, “few things” is a synonym for “I have learned virtually nothing…”
Sometimes a missing article does make a big difference:
“I have learned A FEW THINGS over the years,” said my dad, with a wistful and knowing look.
Another example:
“I know few things about cars” means: “You don’t want me touching your engine.”
“I know a few things about cars” means: “You can’t fool me – I’m not buying your second-hand lemon.”
The rest of the tips are available at: http://www2.arnes.si/~bjason/LW%20tips.pdf
Applications to take part in the Doctoral Sessions at the ESSE Conference must be sent no later than 28 February 2014. Young scholars who are writing their PhD theses in English Studies and are at least in the second year of their studies at the time of ESSE Conference in Košice may apply to make a brief presentation of their work-in-progress at one of three doctoral sessions in the fields of English Language, Literatures in English, and Cultural and Area Studies. Note that PhD students attending the doctoral sessions may attend the full ESSE Conference at a reduced fee. Presentation at a doctoral session is not incompatible with participating in and presenting at other seminars at the Conference. More information on the ESSE Conference website: http://kaa.ff.upjs.sk/en/event/4/12th-esse-conference#toc-doctoral-sessions
