Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009

What does otherwise mean in the sentence below?
"And of course, power alone cannot obligate one, inasmuch as
obligation assumes that one cannot meaningfully do otherwise."
And I can't make any sense out of the sentence. Please help me. Thanks

Dear People (especially those in the US),
I am a PhD student in economics and I am going to hold a web questionnaire
that will take place in the US.
The numebr of respondents will be about 1500.

The driver denied _________ under the influence when he was caught.
a. having been driving
b. having driven
c. driving

On the US TV show, _It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia_, I heard a character
played by Danny DeVito tell someone to "pop a squat," inviting the person
to sit down.
The phrase I'd always heard was "cop a squat" -- "cop" meaning to take, and

My daughter's school newsletter contains the following item:
"Sandwiches.
"If your child brings sandwiches, please ensure that there are no sweets in
there."

How are these two words used differently in a proper way?
Thanks

I Wrote this four years ago and never did anything with it. It starts
out slow then builds steam.
The Cabinet Meeting
CONDI:

The sentences are:
quote
If King Edwards are apples then they are fruit. King Edwards are not
fruit. Therefore they are not apples.

I've listed sentences from my manuscript with Bob's edits following so
we can all benefit from his vast crossword puzzle publishing background:
I wrote --
"Accompanying the six coaches were a detachment of King's dragoons"

تعرض الشعب الفلسطيني في غزه لظلم رهيب على ايدي القوات الاسرائيليه
Palestinians are exposed for horrible unfairness at the hands of
Israeli forces.
حصار دام لشهور .. انقطاع للكهرباء دام لشهور..

Not to take advantage, but there were some questions these three
chapters might clear up.
GANNIBAL!
January  1760– Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany

    My son is going to take part in a storytelling contest.  He is
going to say "  Thanks for your listening" at the end of his speech.
However, his teacher told him it is wrong to say "Thanks for your
listening."  Instead, his teacher asked that he should say "Thanks for

I was reading /Hailing While Black/ by Shelby Steele.
The article is available here:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1000422,00.html
----------

As we all know, the word _say_ can be used as adv witht the following
meaning:
for instance : by way of example : AS
See the following sentence:

Ladies and Gentlemen:
I wonder if there are distinctions among /if it had not been for
something/, /if it wasn't been for something/ and /if it weren't for
something/.