tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9174931926240040143.post8136730320803145292..comments2023-11-05T09:52:43.926+00:00Comments on Sonofabook: Slipscharleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16580118367334638930noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9174931926240040143.post-68003615124677354752008-02-23T15:14:00.000+00:002008-02-23T15:14:00.000+00:00As an aficionado of reference books on the English...As an aficionado of reference books on the English language, perhaps I could offer the following snippet from Fowler's Modern English Usage:<BR/><BR/>'The phr. "in charge (of)" is used both actively and passively; e.g. to leave children "in charge of" a nurse, or a nurse "in charge of" the children. The latter is the more recent use' (OED).<BR/><BR/>Mr Fowler (or his editor) goes on to say: 'The first now seems to be less commonly used than it was at the beginning of the 20c. It has been widely replaced by "in the charge of", i.e. with "the" inserted.'<BR/><BR/>Thus Conrad's usage is of his time, rather than of ours.Wendy Toolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10464061216507529841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9174931926240040143.post-18012491161371762852008-02-23T12:35:00.000+00:002008-02-23T12:35:00.000+00:00OK, Mr Joyce, a 'the' has been elided, and I'd pre...OK, Mr Joyce, a 'the' has been elided, and I'd prefer that it hadn't; but it doesn't trouble me, and it may have been idiomatic at the time, I don't know. This isn't quite analogous, but English people look out of the window, Americans look out the window, and both seem fine to me. - Charlescharleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16580118367334638930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9174931926240040143.post-53453282462638353282008-02-22T15:20:00.000+00:002008-02-22T15:20:00.000+00:00Dear Mr. Boyle,my elder brother Paul has had doubt...Dear Mr. Boyle,<BR/>my elder brother Paul has had doubts since childhood - he is now 50 - about the first sentence in Conrad's The Secret Agent, in fact, he has been sure and I have had younger brother doubts. Could you please give me a expert second opinion on this or, rather, as you are clearly a professional in these matters and we are not, a first opinion? Paul thinks he knows, and I know I think, that the office is looking after his brother-in-law. No doubt you have the book on your shelves as you sound like a well-shelved gentleman but just in case you don't or to save you the effort of reaching up for it, the sentence runs: "Mr Verloc, going out in the morning, left his shop nominally in charge of his brother-in-law".<BR/><BR/>I look forward to hearing from you,<BR/><BR/>Yours Sincerely,<BR/><BR/>Conor JoyceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com