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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
Purpose of 'Formal'
This derives from the discussion that I had with Mike Lyle concerning 'incredible opportunity'.
Mike believed that these two words in combination were not permissible as written because 'incredible' means "can't be believed". I maintained that the combination of the two words forced the meaning of 'incredible' to be "hard to believe" as given by secondary meanings in various dictionaries.
During the discussion Mike also said my usage was 'informal' not 'formal' as it was intended in the original quoted material.
I'm not goint to rehash that discussion. What I would like to do is ask some questions that relate to themes which occur here fairly often.
First, what are the characteristics which distinguish 'formal' from 'informal' speech or writing?
Second, what authority or authorities define these characteristics?
Third and primary, what is the purpose of using formal language" Or perhaps, it would be more correct to say what are the motives behind the use of formal language?
Let me say that I am not particularly interested when or where one should use it, but the underlying purpose as to 'why' it is being used.
To illustrate something of what I might consider to be formal/informal.
Informal: "Something here doesn't meet the eye".
Formal: "This situation has complexities that I can't see.
Informal: "We ain't gonna study war no more".
Formal: "We will no longer use military action to pursue our goals".
I look forward to an interesting discussion.
David Wright Sr.
http://home.alltel.net/dwrighsr/index.html
To e-mail me, remove 't' from dwrightsr
Mike believed that these two words in combination were not permissible as written because 'incredible' means "can't be believed". I maintained that the combination of the two words forced the meaning of 'incredible' to be "hard to believe" as given by secondary meanings in various dictionaries.
During the discussion Mike also said my usage was 'informal' not 'formal' as it was intended in the original quoted material.
I'm not goint to rehash that discussion. What I would like to do is ask some questions that relate to themes which occur here fairly often.
First, what are the characteristics which distinguish 'formal' from 'informal' speech or writing?
Second, what authority or authorities define these characteristics?
Third and primary, what is the purpose of using formal language" Or perhaps, it would be more correct to say what are the motives behind the use of formal language?
Let me say that I am not particularly interested when or where one should use it, but the underlying purpose as to 'why' it is being used.
To illustrate something of what I might consider to be formal/informal.
Informal: "Something here doesn't meet the eye".
Formal: "This situation has complexities that I can't see.
Informal: "We ain't gonna study war no more".
Formal: "We will no longer use military action to pursue our goals".
I look forward to an interesting discussion.
David Wright Sr.
http://home.alltel.net/dwrighsr/index.html
To e-mail me, remove 't' from dwrightsr
Top answer
" [nq:1]What I would like to do is ask some questions that relate to themes which occur here fairly often. First, ... [/nq] Sounds like and interesting subject to discuss.
- " [nq:1]What I would like to do is ask some questions that relate to themes which occur here fairly often.
- First, ...
- [/nq] Sounds like and interesting subject to discuss.
- I would like to suggest a third category, that of 'technical' or perhaps 'professional' usage.
- Dictionaries are in the business of reporting common usage.
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67 Answers
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On 20 Feb 2005 03:00:03 +0100, "David Wright Sr."
[nq:1]What I would like to do is ask some questions that relate to themes which occur here fairly often. First, ... particularly interested when or where one should use it, but the underlying purpose as to 'why' it is being used.[/nq]
Sounds like and interesting subject to discuss. I would like to suggest a third category, that of 'technica
[nq:1]What I would like to do is ask some questions that relate to themes which occur here fairly often. First, ... particularly interested when or where one should use it, but the underlying purpose as to 'why' it is being used.[/nq]
Sounds like and interesting subject to discuss. I would like to suggest a third category, that of 'technica
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David Wright Sr. wrote on 20 Feb 2005:
[nq:1]This derives from the discussion that I had with Mike Lyle concerning 'incredible opportunity'. Mike believed that these two words ... two words forced the meaning of 'incredible' to be "hard to believe" as given by secondary meanings in various dictionaries.[/nq]
Sure, informally. It's the kind of collocation one finds in advertisements. It's h
[nq:1]This derives from the discussion that I had with Mike Lyle concerning 'incredible opportunity'. Mike believed that these two words ... two words forced the meaning of 'incredible' to be "hard to believe" as given by secondary meanings in various dictionaries.[/nq]
Sure, informally. It's the kind of collocation one finds in advertisements. It's h
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[nq:1]stress and strain mean one thing to the businessman, quite another to a metallurgist.[/nq]
Metallurgist, a man who can look at a fetching female and acertain whether she is virgin material or a common ore.
Metallurgist, a man who can look at a fetching female and acertain whether she is virgin material or a common ore.
00
[nq:1]Third and primary, what is the purpose of using formal language" Or perhaps, it would be more correct to say what are the motives behindthe use of formal language? From the top of my mind, three reasons:[/nq]
1. respect when addressing an authority figure. Informal languageconveys familiarity.
2. common courtesy - when speaking to someone from a different agegroup, ethnic or professi
1. respect when addressing an authority figure. Informal languageconveys familiarity.
2. common courtesy - when speaking to someone from a different agegroup, ethnic or professi
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[nq:2]stress and strain mean one thing to the businessman, quite another to a metallurgist.[/nq]
[nq:1]Metallurgist, a man who can look at a fetching female and acertain whether she is virgin material or a common ore.[/nq]
But can he bcertain?
dg (domain=ccwebster)
[nq:1]Metallurgist, a man who can look at a fetching female and acertain whether she is virgin material or a common ore.[/nq]
But can he bcertain?
dg (domain=ccwebster)
00
[nq:1]To illustrate something of what I might consider to be formal/informal. Informal: "Something here doesn't meet the eye".[/nq]
Okay, though somewhat literary. "Something's up" is possibly more likely.
[nq:1]Formal: "This situation has complexities that I can't see.[/nq]
That would have to be "cannot". And "see" is perhaps also too informal.
[nq:1]Informal: "We ain't gonna stud
Okay, though somewhat literary. "Something's up" is possibly more likely.
[nq:1]Formal: "This situation has complexities that I can't see.[/nq]
That would have to be "cannot". And "see" is perhaps also too informal.
[nq:1]Informal: "We ain't gonna stud
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[nq:1]During the discussion Mike also said my usage was 'informal' not 'formal' as it was intended in the original quoted ... language" Or perhaps, it would be more correct to say what are the motives behind the use of formal language?[/nq]
In discourse, the categories formal and informal are meaningful only in relation to a shared convention about discourse, usually documented in print, e.g.
In discourse, the categories formal and informal are meaningful only in relation to a shared convention about discourse, usually documented in print, e.g.
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see sig for domain filted:
[nq:2]Metallurgist, a man who can look at a fetching female and acertain whether she is virgin material or a common ore.[/nq]
[nq:1]But can he bcertain?[/nq]
From yesterday's Arizona Republic:
Twig (Kathy Gfeller, 23, who lives on site) flits around the village sprinkling glitter and doling out magic stones to little children. Garbed in a mottled woodland
[nq:2]Metallurgist, a man who can look at a fetching female and acertain whether she is virgin material or a common ore.[/nq]
[nq:1]But can he bcertain?[/nq]
From yesterday's Arizona Republic:
Twig (Kathy Gfeller, 23, who lives on site) flits around the village sprinkling glitter and doling out magic stones to little children. Garbed in a mottled woodland
00
[nq:1]From yesterday's Arizona Republic: Twig (Kathy Gfeller, 23, who lives on site) flits around the villagesprinkling[/nq]
(snip)
[nq:1]Is anyone here acquainted with a member of clan Gfeller?...the name seems odder to me than her lifestyle..r[/nq]
Never heard of it, but Google says
Results 1 - 100 of about 23,200 English pages for gfeller
There's Robert, Adrian, Roy, An
(snip)
[nq:1]Is anyone here acquainted with a member of clan Gfeller?...the name seems odder to me than her lifestyle..r[/nq]
Never heard of it, but Google says
Results 1 - 100 of about 23,200 English pages for gfeller
There's Robert, Adrian, Roy, An
00
[nq:1]see sig for domain filted:[/nq]
[nq:1]From yesterday's Arizona Republic: Twig (Kathy Gfeller, 23, who lives on site) flits around the village sprinkling glitter and doling ... she says. Is anyone here acquainted with a member of clan Gfeller?...the name seems odder to me than her lifestyle..r[/nq]
Do you have a link to the story?
Aaron Davies
Opinions expressed are solel
[nq:1]From yesterday's Arizona Republic: Twig (Kathy Gfeller, 23, who lives on site) flits around the village sprinkling glitter and doling ... she says. Is anyone here acquainted with a member of clan Gfeller?...the name seems odder to me than her lifestyle..r[/nq]
Do you have a link to the story?
Aaron Davies
Opinions expressed are solel
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