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many mundance universes-a universe of cable subscribers, a universe of college professors, a universe of people in need of health insurance. When Mrs. Clinton speaks of “universal health coverage,” she is talking of our own little American universe. The usage is approved.
Several readers have complained of the same Kinght-Ridder story about rising fuel taxes: “Independent truckers feel caught in a vice.” Here in our own little universe truckers are caught not in a viceheaven forfend!~but in a vise. British usage, the court is advised, employs the variant spelling, but that’s another universe.
Ginny Groglia of Buffalo, N.Y., and Russell Stinnett of Henderson, Nev., submit a recurring complaint to the court’s adjudication. She objects to a speaker’s repeated phrase, “if you will.” He objects to a speaker’s “I would like to,” as in “I would like to thank” and “I would like to recommend.”
The court will dismiss the complaints. The court dismissed similar complaints a year ago. These harmless phrases are the grace notes of discourse. When a speaker says, “With you permission, I would like to proceed to my next point,” the speakers is not really asking anyone’s permission. A Sherman tank could not keep him from his next point. He will move to his next point if the heaven fall!
The phrases are not wasted. There ought always to be room on our plates for a sprig of parsley to adorn the scrambled eggs.
COPYRIGHT 1993
UNIVERSAL PRESS
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