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Rocklinn Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Stand In
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21564846-south-africa-sliding-downhill-while-much-rest-continent-clawing-its-way-up
"Since Mr Mandela retired in 1999, the country has been woefully led. For nine years it endured Thabo Mbeki’s race-tinted prickliness, so different from Mr Mandela’s big-hearted inclusiveness. Mr Mbeki’s denial of the link between HIV and AIDS cost millions of lives. After he was deposed by his party in 2008, there was a brief stand-in, Kgalema Motlanthe, before Jacob Zuma took over the presidency in 2009."
Is the phrase "a brief stand-in" poorly written? A stand-in is a person that temporarily does a job, not an activity. The adjective "brief" means lasting for a short time, and should apply to an activity only. Or could "stand-in" mean an act of standing-in?
"Since Mr Mandela retired in 1999, the country has been woefully led. For nine years it endured Thabo Mbeki’s race-tinted prickliness, so different from Mr Mandela’s big-hearted inclusiveness. Mr Mbeki’s denial of the link between HIV and AIDS cost millions of lives. After he was deposed by his party in 2008, there was a brief stand-in, Kgalema Motlanthe, before Jacob Zuma took over the presidency in 2009."
Is the phrase "a brief stand-in" poorly written? A stand-in is a person that temporarily does a job, not an activity. The adjective "brief" means lasting for a short time, and should apply to an activity only. Or could "stand-in" mean an act of standing-in?
Top answer
Hi, The reference seems to be to Mr Motlanthe. It's a somewhat awkward phrase, but a native speaker would easily grasp the meaning. Clive
- Hi, The reference seems to be to Mr Motlanthe.
- It's a somewhat awkward phrase, but a native speaker would easily grasp the meaning.
- Clive
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1 Answers
0
Hi,
The reference seems to be to Mr Motlanthe.
It's a somewhat awkward phrase, but a native speaker would easily grasp the meaning.
Clive
The reference seems to be to Mr Motlanthe.
It's a somewhat awkward phrase, but a native speaker would easily grasp the meaning.
Clive
0
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