HEY READ PLEASE!!!

[ssg_boy at yahoo.com]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C154
From: ssg_boy
Subject: Re: HEY READ PLEASE!!!
Reply To: [Yahoo! #153] HEY READ PLEASE!!!
Date: 12/8/99 9:38 am  (ET)

<<Please use enriched lang. cause my teacher is big on that. I have to
write a report and use direct quotes...>>

Enriched language? What does that mean? Do you mean instead of saying
"I like the books," I should say something like "Obtaining each Harry
Potter book and devouring it as quickly as possible is a desideratum. The
Harry Potter series is currently a trilogy on the path to becoming a
seven-volume magnum opus, though we enthusiastic fans wish it were
a septuagint. Momentarily suspending realistic ruminations about
Ms. Rowling's life expectancy, seventy would surpass even the wildest
fan's expectations, and we do regard the Potter series with a degree of
reverence approaching that of Sacred Scripture."

How's that? Personally, I prefer "I like the books" to the "enriched"
junk I just wrote, but that's probably between me and your teacher. The
ability to express thoughts clearly in plain English is an important
skill that is difficult to develop. Lots of students fluff up their
essays with unnecessary three-dollar words, adjectives, and adverbs
because they get rewarded for doing so. Believe me, it's harder to write
something that is consistently readable than it is to "enrich" an essay.

I once took a writing class that included a very interesting exercise. We
had to write a one or two-page essay in which all words except for proper
nouns had to be one syllable. Try it just for fun. Chances are you'll wind
up writing a very powerful, direct, hard-hitting essay. It's certainly
not applicable to every writing situation, but it's a great exercise.

Good luck!

Brian