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Re: [Phys-l] Fuzzy language



Bob (at PC)!

I wrote very similarly (copied as I remembered) to the below before John's defense of "conflation", had a second thought (I had deleted the draft,), and then had a third, so wrote the below, which details his conflation.


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I disagree, slightly, on two points

First, since is not synonymous with because; it is very similar tho.

Since and as are more alike -- because introduces a reason (cause) that is new.

"As and since can both be used to refer to the reason for something. They are used in the same way."


"Because often introduces new information which is not known to the listener/reader."

http://www.perfectyourenglish.com/usage/as.htm

bc, subscribes to the Times-Picayune.

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Second, since does relate to time.

since, a point up to now:

http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-m_for-since.htm



So one may interpret John's since as: since doing such and such I found ..... Or

because I wrote ... I searched for .... and found .....



I agree after is better than since WRT time, but the causal meaning is also good; because woulda been more clear, tho according to the second reference, since is more correct (can correct be compared? Unique can't)


So we have become amateur grammarians?


bc appreciates "we" may tangent, from a discussion on language and mode of thinking and how it affects physical thought with out receiving responses such as:


"Physics is my business. How does this email help me to improve my teaching of physics? It doesn't! I am greatly offended by it being sent to this list serve. The warning in the subject line does not make it less offensive. On second thought, might it have been sent by a highjacked site?",

and, more extreme,


"What is this disgusting message? It has nothing to do with physics. Stop this at once!"


These were responses to my post:

WARNING POLITICAL: This is what prop. 13 and the Republicans have done to California Fwd: Broken Pipes, Unhealthy Schools: Break the Cycle of Disrepair



On 2010, Jul 29, , at 09:31, LaMontagne, Bob wrote:

Speaking of fuzzy language - the word "since" used at the beginning of a sentence is structurally a conjunction and becomes synonymous with "because". You probably meant to use it as a substitute for "after".

Bob at PC

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of John Clement
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 7:46 PM
To: 'Forum for Physics Educators'
Subject: [Phys-l] Fuzzy language

Since I commented about how being vague or using inappropriate language is a
sign of confusion, I just got this article. It actually confirms my
observation. So Bush's vagueness and nonsensical statements may actually be
a sign of very fuzzy thinking.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703467304575383131592767868.ht
ml?KEYWORDS=lera+boroditsky