The grammar checker should recognise ablative absolutes

[Guest]

The spell checker will not recognise an ablative absolute; for example, where
a person writes something as an antecedent to a result clause:

"This considered [ablative absolute], it would be helpful if...[result
clause]"

The spellchecker currently assumes that the "it" in the example above is the
subject of "considered."

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...df19c5&dg=microsoft.public.word.docmanagement

 

[Jezebel]

Given that ablative absolute occurs only in Latin, why should it? The
equivalent constructions in English are usually barbarous and effectively
ungrammatical (as with your example).

Stop being pretentious and get back to work.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

There speaks a properly trained Latin student! As a former Latin teacher, I
applaud your knowledge/memory. Even though, as Jezebel points out, English
has no ablative and hence no ablative absolute, this is an absolute
construction. I don't share Jezebel's abhorrence of such, as examples of
absolute phrases abound in common speech:

All things considered, ...
That being the case, ...
Given that [x], ...
All things being equal, ...

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

The spell checker will not recognise an ablative absolute; for example, where
a person writes something as an antecedent to a result clause:

"This considered [ablative absolute], it would be helpful if...[result
clause]"

The spellchecker currently assumes that the "it" in the example above is the
subject of "considered."

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...df19c5&dg=microsoft.public.word.docmanagement

 

[Jezebel]

I have no complaint about your examples. But they are fine because they are
good English syntax, not because they are English renditions of Latin
constructs. English syntax is not perverted Latin. What I abhor is the
nonsense promoted by pompous grammarians who wish it were.

There speaks a properly trained Latin student! As a former Latin teacher,
I
applaud your knowledge/memory. Even though, as Jezebel points out, English
has no ablative and hence no ablative absolute, this is an absolute
construction. I don't share Jezebel's abhorrence of such, as examples of
absolute phrases abound in common speech:

All things considered, ...
That being the case, ...
Given that [x], ...
All things being equal, ...

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup
so
all may benefit.

message

The spell checker will not recognise an ablative absolute; for example, where
a person writes something as an antecedent to a result clause:

"This considered [ablative absolute], it would be helpful if...[result
clause]"

The spellchecker currently assumes that the "it" in the example above is the
subject of "considered."

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the
"I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and
then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...df19c5&dg=microsoft.public.word.docmanagement