LITERARY PURISTS.
" Jackdaw," in John o' London's Weokiy, makes some remarks about grammatical over-righteousness. lie writes: — " To be continnally doubting everyday expressions and asking for ' rules may indicate a certain neuroticism. A correspondent writes: Is it permissible to pluralisc one in snch expressions 'nice ones,' 'big ones,' 'those ones' ? Of course it is permissible. It is accepted, everyday English. It is correct because it is convenient. The moaning of ' one' is preserved in ' ones.' Another reader asks me whether it is ' correct' to write ' T gave my nephew two Jack in the Poxes.' T have been asked this question several times by readers who have suggested that the ' correct' form seems to be ' two Jacks in the Pox.' Of course ' Jack in the Poxes' is not only correct, but the only permissible form. ' Jacks in the Pox' simply muddles the meaning. I am also asked whether it is good English to say ' not that I know of.' Exactly what is iri this reader's mind I cannot say, but ' not that I know of' is good everyday English. So is 'lt is pouring with rain," an expression which is troubling another reader."
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19454, 9 October 1926, Page 7 (Supplement)
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191LITERARY PURISTS. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19454, 9 October 1926, Page 7 (Supplement)
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