English grammar and vocabulary: quick questions thread

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Natasha X

Hi guys does anyone knows what word/expression is used when the weather matches/reflects your emotions? i really really really need to find out because its bugging me now!

hiya

that's called pathetic fallacy

Reply 21

o-e-s-j

yo!

Quick question:

I want to write: ...the final year of my degree is being partly spent conducting research...

Should it be ...is partly being spent ... or ...is being partly spent...?
Does it even matter?
Something in the back of my mind is saying that one way is correct, but I'm not sure.

Thanks in advance,

o~

Reply 22

Natasha X

bon

hiya

that's called pathetic fallacy

aaaah!! cheers man :biggrin:

Reply 23

Natasha X

o-e-s-j

i would go with "is being partly spent"- it sounds better :s-smilie:

Reply 24

strawberrywine_

Is it alright to use i.e. in an essay in the middle of a sentence?

Reply 25

bon

strawberrywine_

Is it alright to use i.e. in an essay in the middle of a sentence?

I don't think so, personally.

Perhaps you could try a semi colon, then "that is" followed by a comma.

He committed the gravest crimes; that is, murder, arson ....

Reply 26

strawberrywine_

bon

I don't think so, personally.

Perhaps you could try a semi colon, then "that is" followed by a comma.

He committed the gravest crimes; that is, murder, arson ....

Thank you. I thought it was a bit weird how my teacher changed a sentence in my essay and included an i.e.

Reply 27

Emers

Is it 'offense' or 'offence'? Are they both correct? Is one incorrect? Do they have different meanings? Also, what about 'practice' and 'practise'?

Reply 28

QueenOfTheAmazons

'Offence' is the correct spelling, 'offense' is American.
Strictly, 'practice' is a noun and 'practise' is a verb. Eg. 'I practise the piano' and 'practice makes perfect'. But to be honest if you just use 'practice' no ones going to pick you up on it.

Oh, thanks!

Can someone clarify the correct use of 'affect' and 'effect'? It's always bugged me, thanks.

Reply 31

bon

Affect is a verb, effect is a noun.

The effect was striking. (note, 'the effect' - noun)
The temperature affects my mood. (note, 'it affects' - verb)

Reply 32

swirlwood

bon

hiya

that's called pathetic fallacy

hiya just a quick question

whats the diff between pathetic fallacy and personifacation?

Reply 33

MGIL

emphasise or emphasize?

Reply 34

bon

MGIL

emphasise or emphasize?

Emphasise is BEng (British English), while in the US it would be spelt 'emphasize'.

As to the difference between pathetic fallacy and personification, I would say PT is just a type of personification. Personification is more associated with human emotion, though - so 'angry clouds' is PF, while a 'winking signpost' is personification.

Reply 35

MGIL

im sure i looked at an english dictionary today and it had emphasize

Reply 36

bon

Oh it would have, because both are acceptable. In fact most dictionaries prefer the -ize spelling. More detail.

Reply 37

ERB20

Natasha X

Hi guys does anyone knows what word/expression is used when the weather matches/reflects your emotions? i really really really need to find out because its bugging me now!

I believe it is called 'Pathetic Fallacy'

Reply 38

ERB20

swirlwood

hiya just a quick question

whats the diff between pathetic fallacy and personifacation?

Pathetic Fallacy is where the weather is used to reiterate the characters moods ie. if the character is sad the weather will be rainy, if they're angry it will be thundering, if they're happy it will be sunny etc.

Personification is when you apply human/animal characteristics onto an inanimate object/abstract idea etc. (basically anything that wouldn't have those characteristics normally). So if you said that the 'storm was angry' or 'the storm howled' a human or animal emotion has been used to describe the storm.

You also get anthropomorphism which is more specifically applying only human characteristics to other non-human things.

Hope this helps :-)