Wood On Words
Can’t get enough words about words with Sunday’s newspaper column? Then this blog’s for you, my word-craving friend. I work the late shift, so don’t look for responses until the next day.

Wordiness

June 24th, 2008 at 06:12am Barry Wood

The word “by” can save you a few keystrokes when writing about deadlines.

For example, in “construction is set to start on or before Aug. 1,” replace “on or before” with “by.” Whenever there’s a deadline, that’s the due date, but it’s understood it’s OK to go earlier.

“By” covers both situations, “before” and “on.”

Bye for now!

Entry Filed under: 'by' instead of 'on or before'

4 Comments Add your own

  • 1. Leonardo duh Vinci  |  June 24th, 2008 at 6:41 am

    Do you know in which language and which coumtry someone came up with the idea of “the we will call an adjective” and “Paris we will call a proper noun” etc. ad infinitum? I assume Shakespeare was well aware of “dog” being a noun.

  • 2. Robert Satan  |  June 24th, 2008 at 9:38 am

    One good thing I learned early on in writing is how you can save words by taking “that” out of your sentences. Many people tend to use too many unnecessary thats.

  • 3. Barry Wood  |  June 25th, 2008 at 1:17 am

    That’s a fact. However, sometimes deleting a “that” can change the meaning. It’s the preferred pronoun for introducing essential clauses, for example. The Associated Press Stylebook has excellent advice on “that”:
    “When in doubt, include ‘that.’ Omission can hurt. Inclusion never does.”
    In other words, inclusion could cost you style points, but it shouldn’t interfere with meaning.

  • 4. Barry Wood  |  June 25th, 2008 at 1:23 am

    If I understand what you’re asking, I think these concepts have been a part of the equation since the first languages. I didn’t take Greek, but in Latin there are very strict rules about how to treat nouns and verbs and so on. In fact, many languages seem to be much more structured and rule-bound than ours, which is what makes English so frustrating — and so much fun. So much of what we say and write is idiomatic — that is, colorfully illogical.
    I hope that’s what you were asking. If not, try me again. I’m here Monday through Friday.

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