Sir: For some time I have noticed that many sports announcers clutch the usually unnecessary word "situation" to their bosoms. A "fourth down situation" apparently means something different from a "fourth down." Presumably the use of extraneous words is considered a plus for sports announcers. "Experience" is another favorite - and meaningless - additive. Perhaps the sine qua non of sports reporting will become an experience situation - or perhaps a situation experience?
- Tom M.
Answer: Well, gee whiz, if you had to keep talking all through a football game, maybe you'd reach for a few extra words yourself. At least they seldom go in for foreign phrases. Sine qua what?
Sir: Recently I copied a yeast dough recipe, and the directions said to "let the dough rise." What is the difference between "rise" and "raise"? I asked an English teacher at our high school, and he didn't know either.
- Geri T.
Answer: To raise means to cause to rise; if you elevate the container holding the dough, you are raising it. If the dough starts expanding all by itself, thanks to the yeast, it is rising. But that's the trouble with men who teach English: few of them know anything about making yeast dough, the jerks.
Sir: How does a person determine whether to say "If I was . . ." or "If I were . . ."?
- Robert K.
Answer: When you say "If I were . . .," you're using the subjunctive mood. That's chiefly in cases where the condition in the "if" clause is contrary to fact or highly unlikely - if I were king of Ireland, for example. But be patient for a few years, and you'll probably see the end of the subjunctive except in very rare cases. And won't that be great!
Sir: If I have several daughters, and if one daughter has several sons, and if I say "One of my daughters' sons' teacher . . . ," how many apostrophes do I need?
- G.B.
Answer: That depends. Are any of them named O'Shaughnessy?
PLAINTIVE QUESTION of the Week, from Big George:
"An actress who was asked about her new show said, `It's nothing like (another show) except that it's so different.' Exactly what does that mean?"