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Discussion Groups / English Usage / May 2009By trying to impress him, or attempting to modify
Hello: Would you use a 2nd "by," before "attempting?" Close call? ---- [...] there was nothing to be gained by trying to impress him, or attempting to modify his point of view. A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 93 ----  SignatureThanks. Marius Hancu > Would you use a 2nd "by," before "attempting?" Yes, probably, considering the comma after "him". > Close call? Yes, for me. > ---- > [...] there was nothing to be gained by trying to impress him, or > attempting to modify his point of view. > > A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 93 > ---- > Hello: > > Would you use a 2nd "by," before "attempting?" I should, but suspect I might not always do so. > Close call? Well if you break it up into "there was nothing to be gained by trying to impress him" and "there was nothing to be gained attempting to modify his point of view" it's pretty obvious. So I'm not sure if it's a close call, but it's a very easy mistake to make. > ---- > [...] there was nothing to be gained by trying to impress him, or > attempting to modify his point of view. > > A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 93 > ---- SignatureOnline waterways route planner: http://canalplan.org.uk development version: http://canalplan.eu > > Would you use a 2nd "by," before "attempting?" > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 93 > > ---- Thank you both. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 93 > ---- I might leave out "attempting to" entirely. Or use "...him, nor by attempting...." The "by" makes me pause in reading it, however. Whether I used it would depend on my interest in such a pause by the reader. --Jeff SignatureThe comfort of the wealthy has always depended upon an abundant supply of the poor. --Voltaire |
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