BrE: From hall you go right or left

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Marius Hancu - 03 Nov 2006 02:35 GMT

Hello:

In BrE, would you use more articles here?

Say:
"From the hall"
"into the dining-room"
"The hall itself"

-----
[letter]

From hall you go right or left into dining-room or drawing room. Hall
itself is practically a room.

E. M. Foster, Howard's End, p. 7
-----

Or is this just a sample of a "telegraphic" style used in parts of
letters?

Thank you.
Marius Hancu

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Peter Tan - 03 Nov 2006 08:29 GMT

Thus sapke Marius Hancu:

> [letter]
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Or is this just a sample of a "telegraphic" style used in parts of
> letters?

Yes, telegraphic style. Most people wouldn't write as they talk because
it would take too much time. Standardly if someone gave directions and
put it on paper, you wouldn't get prose: 'take 2nd right to Adam Road,
then 1st left', etc.

You also see this in the bit earlier: 'dear knows what will happen when
Paul (younger son) arrives tomorrow' - where Helen writes 'Paul
(younger son)' whereas she'd have said 'Paul, who's the younger son'.

Cheers,
Peter

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / November 2006

BrE: From hall you go right or left