the temporal subordinator "since"

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Oct 26, 2006, at 1:35 PM, Jon Lighter wrote:

> You're probably right, if my own usage is any guide.  The
> prescriptive rule you cite is new to me.

MWDEU has an entry on logical "since", with scattered condemnations.
but now the admonition to use "because" rather than logical "since"
is in the American Psychological Association style book, sigh.  and
at least one prominent U.S. academic publisher used to have a style
sheet that was adamant on the point.  (i know this because a copy
editor changed every occurrence of logical "since" to "because" --
and every occurrence of logical "while" to, omigod, "whereas" -- all
the way through a book i edited for this publisher.  i was raving
angry, and made the copy editor change every single one back.)

>   However, on one occasion at least, many years ago, it occurred to
> me (small minds thinking alike) that such a rule might be a good
> idea, but until you brought it up, Arnold, I hadn't given it a
> second thought.

let it slip from your mind, jon.

arnold

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org