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Thread: Usage of 'Respectively'

  1. #1
    jpcam1 is offline Newbie
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    Default Usage of 'Respectively'

    I think the following usage is incorrect. Can anyone verify this?


    The talks were held at then main venue in Brussels, respectively, led by John Doe, leader of the Blue team and Jack Jones, leader of the red team.


    I think this should read:
    The talks were held at then main venue in Brussels, led respectively by John Doe, leader of the Blue team and Jack Jones, leader of the red team.
    (assuming there were two seperate talks)


    or


    The talks were held at then main venue in Brussels, jointly led by John Doe, leader of the Blue team and Jack Jones, leader of the red team.


    thanks

  2. #2
    5jj's Avatar
    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
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    Default Re: Usage of 'Respectively'

    'Respectively' is inappropriate here. There is no need for 'jointly' unless you wish to stress that they are in fact joint leaders of the talks.
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    scottab123 is offline Newbie
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    Default Re: Usage of 'Respectively'

    I will rewrite this in a manner that supports the use of "respectively."

    The talks were held at the main venue in Brussels and an ancillary venue in New York. The talks were lead by John Doe and Jack Johnson, respectively.

    In this case, there are two separate talks in two locations with two leaders, and the addition of "respectively" lets the reader know which person was the leader at each location.

    John Doe was the leader in Brussels, and Jack Johnson was the leader in New York.
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    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: Usage of 'Respectively'

    Or we could say "...John Doe and Jack Johnson, leaders of the blue and red teams, respectively."

    This associates John with blue and Jack with red.
    5jj likes this.

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