=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= EDline Vol. 2, no. 15 13 April 1997 Editorial mailing list =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Contents: Q & A---Previous thread [2ii] Proprietary and generic drug names Q & A---New queries [2jj] Maori name for New Zealand [2kk] Verbal dates FYI [3s] _Faux pas_ of the week [3uu] Book Publishing Books catalogue [3vv] Some thoughts on "dilapidated" Business matters---new query [4j] Anthony Holland: job offer? [5] Bookmarks [6] Administration =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= --[2] Q & A -------------------------------------------------------- [2ii] Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 From: Ian Kingston, ian@ikingston.demon.co.uk Re: Proprietary and generic drug names > Does anyone know of a Web site that lists proprietary and generic > names of all medicines currently in use in the UK and the USA? I don't know whether these will give you everything that you need, but they might be a good place to start. The most promising prospect that I found was the drug formulary of the Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital: < http://www.intmed.mcw.edu/drug.html > Another possibility (but one that I didn't investigate too far because of the need to register) is the HealthGate site at < http://www.healthgate.com/HealthGate/druginfo/index.html > If you register you can get access to parts of the site; if you offer up your credit card number you get full access. ----------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 From: Jane Kerr, bywater@zetnet.co.uk Clinical Pharmacology Online has a searchable database of generic and brand name drugs, containing information from their CD-ROM; access is free. The URL is: < http://www.cponline.gsm.com > There is also a searchable database of generic and trade names on the PharmWeb site at: < http://www.pharminfo.com/drugdb/db_mnu.html > All of these sites have been added to the new Biological Sciences page on the Electric Editors resources site. +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ [2jj] Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 From: Iain Brown, i_brown@compuserve.com Subject: Maori name for New Zealand Whilst editing a book on environmental issues for a German publisher recently, the author continually referred to New Zealand as "Aotearoa", which I understand is a (traditional?) Maori name for the country. The author styled his references thus: [Bloggs] " ... was born in Aotearoa/New Zealand, and lived ... " I left it as presented, but started to wonder about the correct form of styling. Should I have put: " ... was born in New Zealand (Aotearoa), and lived ... " ? Or " ... was born in Aotearoa (New Zealand), and lived ... " ? Or " ... was born in New Zealand/Aotearoa, and lived ... " ? Or even removed all reference to NZ--- " ... was born in Aotearoa, and lived ... " ? I wonder if there is a precedent for the usage, along the lines of the Australian renaming of Ayers Rock and surroundings as "Uluru". Maybe someone could also inform me if Aotearoa has been officially adopted by the New Zealand government as an alternative name for the country? If this is the case, when did this happen? Any thoughts? ------------------ Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 From: Jane Kerr, bywater@zetnet.co.uk To the uninitiated (i.e., me), "... New Zealand (Aotearoa)..." or "... Aotearoa (New Zealand) ..." would suggest that Aotearoa was a place in New Zealand. I think some sort of explanation would be called for, at the first mention of Aotearoa. +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ [2kk] Date: Sat, 12 Apr 1997 From: Alison Burton, 100131.3564@compuserve.com Subject: Verbal dates This week a letter appeared in "The Times" (10/4/97) regarding verbal references to dates. Why, the author asks, are dates almost invariably given as (eg) 'Two thousand and fourteen' or 'Two thousand and twenty seven' as opposed to 'Twenty fourteen' or 'Twenty twenty seven', as in all other centuries? Nobody speaks of 'One thousand and sixty six and all that', do they? It is an interesting question. I always thought that one would fall into the habit of saying as few words as possible (except in the case of 'Two thousand and one'; 'Twenty oh-one' doesn't have the same ring, does it?). Perhaps it has something to do with the usage in the media shaping our language and our use of our language. How does this verbal usage impact upon our written language? --[3] FYI ---------------------------------------------------------- [3s] Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 From: Lindsey McVeugh, 106441.1126@compuserve.com Re: _Faux pas_ of the week Ah, the power and the glory of conjunctions! In last week's issue of EDline (2.14), an article from "The Times" on these little, seemingly innocuous words was reproduced in part. But lo! Later in the week, "The Times" prints a letter from a distinguished judge: "[the entertaining article] reminded me of a preliminary point of law which I had to decide at the outset of a prosecution ... The point was whether 'or' in a section of the statute was disjunctive or conjunctive. I decided that, in its context, it was conjunctive, as also did the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords. "Thus it took nine judges to decide that a two-letter word should be read as a three-letter word." Tongue-in-cheek, I suppose this is a fine example of the excellent British legal system. --------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 From: Iain Brown, i_brown@compuserve.com And then there is the article reporting that Gabriel Garcia Marquez wants the Royal Academy of Spain (the Spanish equivalent of the French language police) to "banish two letters from the Spanish alphabet": "Spelling should be pensioned off ... It terrorises human beings from birth." He has suggested that the "silent and therefore useless letter H" be chopped, and that the B is merged with the V, "which are pronounced more or less the same". Reaction to the author's call has polarised: "It would make Spanish like English, a language with no rules" according to an academy member; and "Spelling is used to oppress people [and therefore should be changed]" pronounced a Latin American academic. [Source: "The Times", 10/4/97, p. 15] +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ [3vv] Book Publishing Books catalogue The 1997 Book Publishing Books (BPB) catalogue has been released, and lists some of the most useful books that an editor or publisher could wish for. Some highlights: * "Hart's Rules" and the "Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors", both long out-of-print, are being reprinted by OUP in limited numbers this month. BPB hopes to have copies in stock by May. * "Rediscover Grammar" by David Crystal provides a wealth of readily accessible advice---even for those who work daily with words! (Longman, 1996 revised edition.) * "A User's Guide to Copyright" (Butterworths, 4th edn, 1997)---written for those wishing to understand copyright law. Also available is "Copyright Made Easier" (ASLIB, 2nd edn, 1997). * "Medical Writing: A Prescription for Clarity" (CUP, 2nd edn, 1997) is an ideal and practical guide and reference source for anyone dealing with medical research or clinical study. * "Scientific Style and Format" (6th edn, 1995)---the English language standard for scientific styles internationally. (CUP, co-published with the Council of Biology Editors.) * "Change and Innovation in Editing" (BHTC)---discussing the changes and implications for the future shape of individual occupations within the publishing industry. Also available is "IT Needs for Editors" (by Joan Angelbeck & Sally Hughes---as mentioned at the recent SFEP National Meeting on Electronic Publishing). For further information, or to order books, contact: Book Publishing Books 45 East Hill London SW18 2QZ Tel: (+44) (0)181 874 2718 Fax: (+44) (0)181 870 8985 E-mail: bhtc@dial.pipex.com Web: < http://www.zynet.co.uk/ethos/contacts/bhtc > +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ [3ww] Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 From: Jane Kerr, bywater@zetnet.co.uk Subject: Some thoughts on "dilapidated" In an interview in _The Times_ this week, it is claimed that Martin Amis "would never use a word against its derivation". He is quoted as saying: "you can't say 'a dilapidated hedge' when 'lapis' is stone". Now, all of my many dictionaries, including a very elderly Chambers etymological dictionary, admit the general meaning of "in ruins" for dilapidated, while acknowledging the derivation from the latin for "stone". Martin Amis's assertion seems to be extraordinarily literal- minded, and - if taken to extremes - would deny the figurative use of language - which would be a very strange thing for a novelist to do. His specific example would, in the main, remove a word from the English language, since the only people who would be able to use "dilapidated" in its "correct" sense would be the group most likely to avoid it - namely, estate agents! I'd hazard a guess that the description "a dilapidated house" would conjure up images of an overgrown garden, peeling paint, missing slates, broken windows etc. in most people's minds, but none of these things would qualify for the term in Martin Amis's definition. I wonder if he similarly reserves "impediment" for things that literally get in the way of one's feet? --[4] Business matters --------------------------------------------- [4i] Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 From: Pamela Hopkinson, pamela@phopkins.demon.co.uk Subject: Anthony Holland: job offer? Has anyone else received 3 emails from an Anthony Holland in Australia, consisting of a lengthy 'Job Offer' to edit his book, plus Chapters 1 and 2 of the book? I am asking because it all seems very peculiar - I have never heard of this man, the subject of the book seems to be an extremely paranoid tale of spies, rapists, and general skullduggery - I am wondering if he has just picked editors' names at random, perhaps he has emailed everybody linked to the SFEP website? --------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 From: Iain Brown, i_brown@compuserve.com I froze, Pamela, when I read your posting! I've been also contacted and have received not only chapters 1 and 2, but also 3 and 4! Doubts are now passing through my mind about the validity of this job. I had intended to do some research on Anthony Holland, including a trawl through the Bradford Court records to see if he was on trial there, and asking my brother in Melbourne to drop around to Mr Holland's home address to see what he can snoop out. But now that I learn other people have been contacted, my suspicions have been aroused. So, two editors have been contacted; has anyone else? --[6] Administration ----------------------------------------------- EDline provides the opportunity for a weekly online discussion of matters editorial and editorial business. * POSTING MESSAGES TO THE LIST All messages to be posted to the list should be sent to Jane Kerr, at: bywater@zetnet.co.uk Include as the subject line, "EDline [topic]", where [topic] is the subject under discussion. Topics might include areas such as Grammar, Spelling, American English or Punctuation. Messages should be pertinent to the basic premise of the list; they may be withheld, or redirected if more pertinent to one of the other mailing lists. The spelling and grammar of messages will *not* be corrected, but some editing of length may be undertaken. Quoting from previous messages: quote as much as you need to make the context of your reply clear, but no more. * Administration All messages of a subscription or administrative nature should be directed to Iain Brown at: i_brown@compuserve.com with "EDline ADMIN" in the subject line. * To subscribe to Grapevine To subscribe to Grapevine, please e-mail Electric Editors at: ElectricEds@bigfoot.com with [Subscribe Grapevine] in the subject line. * To subscribe to LANGline To subscribe to LANGline, please e-mail Electric Editors at: ElectricEds@bigfoot.com with [Subscribe LANGline] in the subject line. *Homepage and back issues: Visit the Electric Editors at: < http://www.ikingston.demon.co.uk/ee/home.htm > Back issues of all three mailing lists are available on the Mailing Lists archive page. --------- ** The views expressed in this mailing list are strictly those of the individual contributors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the moderators or of the Electric Editors. ** Articles (c) 1997, by individual contributors Design (c) 1996, Iain Brown =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= END OF EDline 2.15 Next issue: 20 Apr 1997 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=