Althouse: "I would not want to call down the wrath of Althouse."

September 29, 2005

"I would not want to call down the wrath of Althouse."

Ramesh Ponnuru makes a play for a spot in the Althouse masthead.

9 comments:

P_J said...: Perhaps he can replace Glenn's gramatically incorrect tag line. It drives me nuts every time I see it.; 9/29/05, 8:10 PM
SippicanCottage said...: Pastor Jeff-

What's the problem? Ann is smarter than Maine...; 9/29/05, 8:22 PM
P_J said...: LOL, Sippican :)

Or the Middle East, or Mechanical Engineers.; 9/29/05, 8:28 PM
Steven said...: When than is used as a subordinating conjunction, it is of course followed by a clause subjective case noun and a verb -- "than I am", which can be shortened to "than I."

However, despite the mistaken analysis of 19th Century grammarians, "than" is, in English, also a preposition, and the proper case of a noun following a preposition is objective. If than were never a preposition, then the construction "than whom" would be incorrect; but even the OED acknowledges that "than whom" is correct and "than who" is incorrect.

Since we can demonstrate that than is a preposition in that case, then there is no logical leg left to stand on to declare the well-established use of than as a preposition elsewhere is wrong.

Unlike the decriptivists, I do not say that common usage makes something good grammar. However, when correct usage requires use of a word as a certain part of speech, it is clearly acceptable to use it as that part of speech in other contexts, when the other-context usage is attested in both common and literary use.; 9/29/05, 8:55 PM
P_J said...: Steven,

I think the problem is in your minor premise. Mine used to give me trouble, but I had it removed.; 9/29/05, 9:10 PM
vbspurs said...: Professor Althouse is a fan of the Washington Nationals? Who knew!

Although I think the quote 'wrath of Althouse' is somehow misguided.

Ann Althouse is the gentle, loving, forgiving godhead of the New Testament.

It's Glenn Reynolds who is the vengeful, wrathful father-god of the Old Testament.

Together, though, they pack a mean punch.

Cheers,
Victoria; 9/29/05, 9:14 PM
vbspurs said...: Addendum:

Did you guys catch this juicy Althousian international news tidbit, some lines below the referenced quote?

"The first trio has been “married” – or at least joined in a civil union – in the Netherlands. (Hat tip to Michelle Malkin.)

The Brussels Journal reports that: Victor de Bruijn (46) from Roosendaal “married” both Bianca (31) and Mirjam (35) in a ceremony before a notary who duly registered their civil union."

Pff. Didn't Tom and Roseanne Arnold do this in the mid-90's??

Just before they split up.

Cheers,
Victoria; 9/29/05, 9:18 PM
SippicanCottage said...: The penalty for having two wives should be they give you a third one.

Old Italian Proverb:
No house should have two women in it.; 9/30/05, 5:40 AM
Ruth Anne Adams said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/30/05, 6:37 AM