For Johnny: Re: Why the [what seems to be unnecessary] use of brackets in texts?

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Quivis - 16 Aug 2004 10:58 GMT

Copied from Google:

From: Johnny (newman.johnnossppaamm@wanadoo.fr)
Subject: Re: Why the [what seems to be unnecessary] use of brackets in
texts?
Newsgroups: misc.education.language.english
Date: 2004-08-11 14:29:58 PST

I noticed that, while reading your responses at Google, my last response
contains an error. There should be no "he" in the sentence:
"...the director said that [Mr. Smith] instead should go outside...",
as I earlier indicated. Sorry for the confusion. I guess my mainframe is
overloaded at the moment.

> > I saw that I failed to add the little word "he" in my example text.
> >
> > I have no problems with understanding the use of brackets when e.g an
> > intervew is written out from e.g. tapes, and the interviewee has left
> > words out during the interview. Then it is necessary for understanding
> > the text, i.e. the reader doesn't automatically know that "he" is
> > supposed to mean "Mr. Smith." This use is perfectly clear, but what
> > about other cases?

> I think this "is" the only usage that your example suggests [...]

There were two examples *) :
1) "...the director said that the actor [Mr. Smith] said..."
2) "...the director said that [Mr. Smith] said..."

*) I've changed them slightly to better illustrate my point.

Note my remark at the top about my earlier error.

> and to clarify
> further what I said before; I think the use of brackets in your second
> example is to give specific information to as to whom the pronoun relates
> which is not clear.

Yes, but only if it says:
"...the director said that he [Mr. Smith] said..."

If it says:
"...the director said that [Mr. Smith] said...",
as per my original post, the problem as I see it, comes in a slightly
different perspective.

That being said...

> > To emphasize pronouns using brackets is--at best--confusing, given the
> > "original(?)" meaning of their use.

> I'm not sure the brackets are being used in this way. If they are - I
> haven't seen the full text - I agree with you.

...are you aware of any rules or guidelines as to how they should/should
not be used?

Q.

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Johnny - 16 Aug 2004 13:48 GMT

> Copied from Google:
>
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
> as per my original post, the problem as I see it, comes in a slightly
> different perspective.

Ok. In this case I am unfamiliar with the usage and cannot help you further.

> That being said...
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Q.

Again, I cannot help you further. Perhaps someone else has come across this
usage and can offer you something more..

Regards,

Johnny

Reply to this Message

Quivis - 16 Aug 2004 16:17 GMT

8>< /snip

> Again, I cannot help you further. Perhaps someone else has come across this
> usage and can offer you something more..

Okay. Thanks anyway.

Q.

Reply to this Message

Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / August 2004

For Johnny: Re: Why the [what seems to be unnecessary] use of brackets in texts?