e-prime - View Single Post - Argument #10: e-prime doesn't improve one's writing ability

primus · 11-12-2006, 03:22 AM

Argument #10:
(by James French - http://learn-gs.org/library/etc/49-2-french.pdf)

THE CLAIM THAT E-Prime has an inherent, beneficial effect on a person's writing ability seems highly questionable, considering that E-Prime deliberately eliminates a whole class of statements from the language, resulting in fewer alternatives. The English writer can use all of the statements available to the E-Prime writer, plus a whole class of statements containing the verb "to be." The greater variety of available wordings should make the English writer's efforts more interesting to read, not less. (Any bad writing that occurs because of the over-use of the verb "to be" - a common failing - can be more easily overcome by simply cutting back on one's use of "to be," rather than resorting to E-Prime.

11-12-2006, 03:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
primus Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 10	Argument #10: e-prime doesn't improve one's writing ability Argument #10: (by James French - http://learn-gs.org/library/etc/49-2-french.pdf) THE CLAIM THAT E-Prime has an inherent, beneficial effect on a person's writing ability seems highly questionable, considering that E-Prime deliberately eliminates a whole class of statements from the language, resulting in fewer alternatives. The English writer can use all of the statements available to the E-Prime writer, plus a whole class of statements containing the verb "to be." The greater variety of available wordings should make the English writer's efforts more interesting to read, not less. (Any bad writing that occurs because of the over-use of the verb "to be" - a common failing - can be more easily overcome by simply cutting back on one's use of "to be," rather than resorting to E-Prime.