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Discussion Groups / English Usage / July 2009While Bum was let out of the room
Hello: Wouldn't "during which" be preferable here to "while?" I mean, we're talking about just the "letting the dog out" as being, probably, a short event. ---- There was another long delay while Bum was let out of the room into the garden: and, after Bum's return, Commandant Leroy shook hands with both of us, and shuffled off to bed. Anthony Powell, A Dance to the Music of Time, p. 107. ---- Still, perhaps "while" is softer to the ear. Or perhaps Powell talks about the _state_ of the dog being out (which can be long), not about the _action_ of taking him out of the room (which is normally short). -- Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > > Wouldn't "during which" be preferable here to "while?" I mean, we're > talking about just the "letting the dog out" as being, probably, a short > event. It would be a correct alternative but why use two words when one will do? While in this context is perfectly correct and doesn't (to me, anyway) imply a short or long time. Now in Yorkshire... > Wouldn't "during which" be preferable here to "while?" I mean, we're > talking about just the "letting the dog out" as being, probably, a > short event. > ---- > There was another long delay while Bum was let out of the room into > the garden: and, after Bum's return, Commandant Leroy shook hands > with both of us, and shuffled off to bed. > Anthony Powell, A Dance to the Music of Time, p. 107. > ---- > Still, perhaps "while" is softer to the ear. > Or perhaps Powell talks about the _state_ of the dog being out > (which can be long), not about the _action_ of taking him out of > the room (which is normally short). I think it's closer to your second interpretation. <Letting Bum out into the garden> here means the whole operation of putting him out, waiting while he unburdens himself, and letting him in again. I don't think "during which" would convey the meaning, intended here, that letting the dog out was the occasion of the delay, and not merely something done during it. > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > can be long), not about the _action_ of taking him out of the room > (which is normally short). Gee. This sure sounds familiar! Didn't you bring this paragraph up earlier? Well, repetition doesn't hurt, if you need to double check the replies. > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > the garden: and, after Bum's return, Commandant Leroy shook hands with > both of us, and shuffled off to bed. A "delay during which Bum was let out" would mean that the reason for the delay had been something else. A "delay while Bum was let out" means that the only reason for the delay was to let Bum out. -- > > There was another long delay while Bum was let out of the room into > > the garden: and, after Bum's return, Commandant Leroy shook hands with [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > A "delay while Bum was let out" means that the only > reason for the delay was to let Bum out. Good points. Thank you all. Marius Hancu >Hello: > >Wouldn't "during which" be preferable here to "while?" I mean, we're >talking about just the "letting the dog out" as being, probably, a >short event. Didn't you ask about this before?  SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk |
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