[lbo-talk] Prose Style -- A Sample for Discussion

[Carrol Cox]

Tayssir John Gabbour wrote:
> 
 
> Except for the mysterious end part, my understanding is he's just
> illustrating the difference between syntax and semantics. I got this
> from skimming, which was much easier than a close reading.

I guess the question then would or might be, "Is 'just' justified as a
qualifier of that difference?" Probably yes, it is. 

> 
> The author goes on:
> 
> "But suppose that it is a DE-bunker rather than a 'Bunker', [clip]

Ah, You know the source. While the first sentence of my quote obviously
points backward, I'm not sure that what you call "the mysterious end
part" necessarily insists on going on?

But the writer speaks of "grammar and rhetoric" rather than "syntax and
semantics." Do you think these two phrases are interchangeable? I have
books on my shelves, which i bought long ago. entitled "grammar of
motives" and "rhetoric of motives." Could one retitle burke's books
"syntax of motives" and "semantics of motives"?

carrol