a former author and...

[navi tasan]

1-This book is about a former author and journalist.
2-This book is about a former author and a journalist.

Which of the above correspond to which of the below:
a-the book is about two people
b-the book is about one person who is a former author and a former journalist
c-the book is about one person who is now a journalist and formerly an author

'2' could correspond to 'a'. I am not sure that it cannot correspond to 'b' as well.

'1' could correspond to 'b'. I am not sure it cannot correspond to 'c' as well.

Gratefully,
Navi

 

[Tdol]

2 could be about two people. I'm not sure about former author- it doesn't seem to be an occupation that people quit much, so even when they no longer write, we don't use it.

 

[MikeNewYork]

1-This book is about a former author and journalist.
2-This book is about a former author and a journalist.

Which of the above correspond to which of the below:
a-the book is about two people
b-the book is about one person who is a former author and a former journalist
c-the book is about one person who is now a journalist and formerly an author

'2' could correspond to 'a'. I am not sure that it cannot correspond to 'b' as well.

'1' could correspond to 'b'. I am not sure it cannot correspond to 'c' as well.

Gratefully,
Navi

I read #1 as 1 person, and #2 as 2 people.

 

[emsr2d2]

I read #1 as 1 person, and #2 as 2 people.

So did I.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you all very much.

1-This book is about a former author and journalist.

Can one tell if the person in question is a former journalist or a present-day journalist?

Many Thanks.
Navi.

 

[5jj]

No

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thank you all very much.

1-This book is about a former author and journalist.

Can one tell if the person in question is a former journalist or a present-day journalist?

Many Thanks.
Navi.

It is not completely clear, but, as written, "former" appears to apply to both nouns. If the person is still a journalist, it should have been written "a journalist and former author".

 

[Rover_KE]

I still don't like 'former author'.

If Dan Brown never writes another word for the rest of his life he will always be an author.

 

[emsr2d2]

I still don't like 'former author'.

If Dan Brown never writes another word for the rest of his life he will always be an author.

Will he? If my uncle, a master baker, hangs up his flour bag and never bakes another loaf of bread, will he always be a baker? I agree that he will have been a baker but not that he will remain one.

 

[Rover_KE]

No offence to your uncle, however toothsome his baking might have been, but an author's work survives long after he has written his last book and later died.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you all very much,

I think Mike has made a very good point. I like his logic. There is probably some slight ambiguity but if the person is still a journalist, the sentence could use some improvement.

I did not really think about 'former author' when I wrote the sentence. Now I feel uncomfortable with it.

How about 'a former author of love stories'? I think that will work, although the love stories an author of love stories writes might survive him.

I would think that even 'a former author of great masterpieces' might work... implying that these days he is writing worthless stuff!

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thank you all very much,

I think Mike has made a very good point. I like his logic. There is probably some slight ambiguity but if the person is still a journalist, the sentence could use some improvement.

I did not really think about 'former author' when I wrote the sentence. Now I feel uncomfortable with it.

How about 'a former author of love stories'? I think that will work, although the love stories an author of love stories writes might survive him.

I would think that even 'a former author of great masterpieces' might work... implying that these days he is writing worthless stuff!

Gratefully,
Navi.

I agree with the notion that an author's works live on, but I still think a person can become a former anything. A surgeon's patients can continue to live even after the surgeon retires. An actor's movies can live on even after the actor stops acting. A teacher's students will carry the knowledge even after the teacher retires. We all hope to leave a legacy.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you very much Mike,

And please do not retire just yet! Leave a bigger legacy!

Respectfully,
Navi.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thank you very much Mike,

And please do not retire just yet! Leave a bigger legacy!

Respectfully,
Navi.

Arigatou gozaimasu.

 

[emsr2d2]

Arigatou gozaimasu.

For the benefit of any learners who might be confused, MikeNewYork's post is not in English. I think it's phonetically written Japanese for "Thank you" though I admit I'm mystified why he has directed the phrase at a native Armenian speaker! ;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

For the benefit of any learners who might be confused, MikeNewYork's post is not in English. I think it's phonetically written Japanese for "Thank you" though I admit I'm mystified why he has directed the phrase at a native Armenian speaker! ;-)

If Navi was Armenian, it would surprise me also. :-D

 

[emsr2d2]

If Navi was Armenian, it would surprise me also. :-D

Well, that's what his/her member profile says. Are you saying that's incorrect?

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you all.

I am Armenian. But Mike's mistake is quite understandable. Navi is not an Armenian name as far as I know! It not my real name either.

'Navi' was an internet name I made up ages ago when I started using the net. It stayed with me.

I did understand what Mike meant though.

Respectfully,
Navi,

 

[Tdol]

Maybe he meant շնորհակալություն. ;-)

 

[Tdol]

I did not really think about 'former author' when I wrote the sentence. Now I feel uncomfortable with it.

JD Salinger didn't publish anything for decades, but I never heard him called this. Thomas Hardy did retire from writing novels and only wrote poetry, but again, he wasn't called this. I can see the argument for being able to be a former anything, but I do think that we look on some things in a different way, and being writer is seen as something other than a job.