By Don Hauptman
I found the following sentences online. Can you spot what's wrong with them?
"NYC's 'Sidewalk Santas' sidelined due to economy."
"When is school closed due to weather?"
"[Basketball's Utah] Jazz star Deron Williams had to leave his team on a road trip to return to Salt Lake City due to a family illness."
Properly, the phrase due to should be used only in the sense of "attributable to" or "caused by." For example, this sentence is correct: "Low crop yields in Africa are not due to climate change but rather farmers failing to exploit opportunities in wetter years...."
But in the three bulleted examples above, the meaning is owing to or because of. In such cases, one of these phrases should be used instead of due to.
Confused? It all has to do with parts of speech, and the explanation can be complicated. But if you're ever in doubt, here's a simple test: Substitute the word attributable for due. Is the sentence still grammatical? If so, due is okay. If not, use owing to or, less formally, because of.
Some language gurus contend that due to is awkward and clumsy, even when it's used correctly. They recommend avoiding the phrase entirely. I'll give them their due!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Quotes You Can Use in Your Speeches
I have found some wonderful quotes that you may find useful to use in your speeches.
"If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their Life, than it means they had never tried a new thing in their Life." Albert Einstein
"Three sentences for getting success: Know more than other; Work more than other; Expect less than other." William Shakespeare
"If we cannot love the person whom we see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?" Mother Teresa
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself" Leo Tolstoy
"If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their Life, than it means they had never tried a new thing in their Life." Albert Einstein
"Three sentences for getting success: Know more than other; Work more than other; Expect less than other." William Shakespeare
"If we cannot love the person whom we see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?" Mother Teresa
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself" Leo Tolstoy
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
1st Port Dickson Toastmasters' Meeting for 2010
Happy New Year !
Have you set your 2010 resolutions?
Have you plan for your 2010 goals?
How many speeches do you planned to give in 2010?
Time wait for nobody! Our first meeting of 2010 falls on the 12th Jan .
Here are the roles players for 12th of Jan,
TOE : Indra, CC
TTM : Amy Siew,CC
TTE : R.Kala,CTM
Humour : Vacant
GE : GT Singam,ACB
LE : Yeoh Lian Geok,CL
AC : Dr.Subhassh,ACS
TK : Vacant
Speaker 1: Valentine Sia, TM #6
Speaker 2: Robert Tan , DTM #6
Speaker 3: Lee Kah Tor, ACS
Speaker 4: Harold Gomez, TM
Kay Ku
Secretary
Port Dickson Toast Masters Club
Have you set your 2010 resolutions?
Have you plan for your 2010 goals?
How many speeches do you planned to give in 2010?
Time wait for nobody! Our first meeting of 2010 falls on the 12th Jan .
Here are the roles players for 12th of Jan,
TOE : Indra, CC
TTM : Amy Siew,CC
TTE : R.Kala,CTM
Humour : Vacant
GE : GT Singam,ACB
LE : Yeoh Lian Geok,CL
AC : Dr.Subhassh,ACS
TK : Vacant
Speaker 1: Valentine Sia, TM #6
Speaker 2: Robert Tan , DTM #6
Speaker 3: Lee Kah Tor, ACS
Speaker 4: Harold Gomez, TM
Kay Ku
Secretary
Port Dickson Toast Masters Club
Saturday, January 2, 2010
More Photos of Last Meeting of 2009
Port Dickson Toastmasters club held its last meeting for year on 22nd Dec 2009 at Sg Ujong Club in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month.
Our President CTM R Kala inspiring all members to aim for the ultimate President's Distinguished Club Award for term 2009/2010.
DTM Robert, ACS Lee Kah Tor and Santa ATMB Tan Lai Hock concentrating on their roles
Our very distinguish CC Zulkarnain giving his evaluation
TM Indra and daughter Dr Anuradha
Our President CTM R Kala inspiring all members to aim for the ultimate President's Distinguished Club Award for term 2009/2010.
DTM Robert, ACS Lee Kah Tor and Santa ATMB Tan Lai Hock concentrating on their roles
Our very distinguish CC Zulkarnain giving his evaluation
TM Indra and daughter Dr Anuradha
Last Meeting of 2009-Speaking With Photos
Santarina TM Indra and TM Chandran enjoying the Christmas atmosphere.
President CTM R Kala and CC Zulkarnain looking happy after a nice meal of mee mamak and chicken wings.
ACS Lee Kah Tor and ACB GT Singam enjoying their food.
ATMB Dr Subhassh and CC Tan Soo Guan; brothers in toastmastering.
The Language Perfectionist: The Cohort Retort
By Don Hauptman
From a U.S. Department of Justice news release:
"The following morning, when the first employee of the day entered the bank,Smith and his cohort, armed with handguns, confronted the employee and demanded money contained in the bank's vault."
It's common for an individual, especially one engaged in unsavory activities, to be described as a cohort of someone else. In this sense, the word is intended to mean an associate, companion, or accomplice.
But the proper meaning of cohort is a group that shares a demographic characteristic: "Great Depression cohort" or "Generation X cohort," for example. Sociologists and statisticians frequently use such terms in their studies. It's also correct to say "a cohort of Stanford faculty members" or to use the word in reference to any other distinctive group.
Notes Bryan Garner, in his useful style guide Garner's Modern American Usage: "This newer meaning [companion] has remained a rather informal one for this respectable word, which in formal writing should retain its older sense."
But remember that even in informal contexts, as applied to an individual, cohort has acquired a pejorative connotation. No one ever says, "I'm headed for the big game with my best cohort."
From a U.S. Department of Justice news release:
"The following morning, when the first employee of the day entered the bank,Smith and his cohort, armed with handguns, confronted the employee and demanded money contained in the bank's vault."
It's common for an individual, especially one engaged in unsavory activities, to be described as a cohort of someone else. In this sense, the word is intended to mean an associate, companion, or accomplice.
But the proper meaning of cohort is a group that shares a demographic characteristic: "Great Depression cohort" or "Generation X cohort," for example. Sociologists and statisticians frequently use such terms in their studies. It's also correct to say "a cohort of Stanford faculty members" or to use the word in reference to any other distinctive group.
Notes Bryan Garner, in his useful style guide Garner's Modern American Usage: "This newer meaning [companion] has remained a rather informal one for this respectable word, which in formal writing should retain its older sense."
But remember that even in informal contexts, as applied to an individual, cohort has acquired a pejorative connotation. No one ever says, "I'm headed for the big game with my best cohort."
Last Meeting of PD Toastmasters 22nd Dec 2009
For those who cannot make it to the last meeting of 2009, look at all the goodies that you miss....
DTM Robert Tan is very happy because he is getting his Christmas present from Santa Claus ATMB Tan Lai Hock
Santarinas ACB Amy Siew and CTM Yeoh Lian Geok, taking a break after a hard day's work
Santarinas CTM Magaret, ACS Rosa Phua, CC Kay Ku and TM Valentine Sia all looking beautiful in different hats
Yum, Yum. Cakes baked by TM Indra
Extra chicken wings to celebrate end of decade!
DTM Robert Tan is very happy because he is getting his Christmas present from Santa Claus ATMB Tan Lai Hock
Santarinas ACB Amy Siew and CTM Yeoh Lian Geok, taking a break after a hard day's work
Santarinas CTM Magaret, ACS Rosa Phua, CC Kay Ku and TM Valentine Sia all looking beautiful in different hats
Yum, Yum. Cakes baked by TM Indra
Extra chicken wings to celebrate end of decade!
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