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Oh, but it's much easier with the passive, as the classics of the genre attest. That doesn't mean the passive voice isn't sometimes to be preferred, which is al
by gruseom 14y ago
Oh, but it's much easier with the passive, as the classics of the genre attest. That doesn't mean the passive voice isn't sometimes to be preferred, which is all that the Language Log people are saying.
- dllthomas 14y agoWell, they're also saying that 1) it's very frequently blamed when it doesn't actually diffuse responsibility ("Mistakes were made by John. He's been sacked."); and 2) it's very frequently blamed where it doesn't even occur. This is not to say that it cannot be used in this way, but simple avoidance or blame of the passive is neither necessary nor sufficient.