Aug. 26, 2020
Nobody protects the president
A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night: one couple sitting intimately together, talking to two other persons. In normal times, there is nothing special about this. Times are, however, not normal: the four people were violating the Corona curfew.
When the policemen approached the four delinquents, the couple turned out to be the nation's president and his wife. Immediately, the president admitted wrongdoing and explained that they had simply forgotten the time while chatting happily with friends he hadn't seen for a long time.
Even though this event is absolutely insignificant, the rightist freedom launched a parliamentary inquiry to find out whether the president was fined for this act. The police of Vienna answered that at the time the incident happened, the police followed a policy of reminding people of the curfew without fining them, and that no exception was made for the president.
Why am I writing this?
Firstly, it's a cute but true story.
Secondly, it shows that certain countries do certain things correctly if the head of state sits in the middle of the street in the middle of the night and nobody worries about his safety. I wonder whether this might be possible in your country.
Nobody protects the president
A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night: one couple sitting intimately together, talking to two other personsople.
In normal times, there is nothing special about this.
Times are, however, not normal:, and the four people were violating the Corona curfew.
I think replacing the colon with "and" makes more sense here because the violation of the curfew seems more like an effect of why times are not normal, rather than a sort of explanation of how they are not normal.
When the policemen approached the four delinquents, the couple turned out to be the nation's president and his wife.
Immediately, the president admitted wrongdoing and explained that they had simply forgotten the time while chatting happily with friends he hadn't seen for a long time.
Even though this event is absolutely insignificant, the rightist freedom-wing Freedom Party launched a parliamentary inquiry to find out whether or not the president was fined for this act.
"Whether" should ideally go with "or not" if an alternative hasn't been provided.
The police of Vienna answered that at the time the incident happened, the police followed a policy of reminding people of the curfew without fining them, and that no exception was made for the president.
Why am I writing this?
Firstly, it's a cute but true story.
Secondly, it shows that certain countries do certain things correctly if the head of state sits in the middle of the street in the middle of the night and nobody worries about his safety.
I wonder whether or not this might be possible in your country.
Aug. 26, 2020
A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night: one couple sitting intimately together, talking to two other personsople.
I agree with changing "persons" to "people," but I wouldn't say that the colon is rare or only for lists. I use it not infrequently to introduce a clarifying point or to give greater detail, and surely I'm not the only one. Some random examples from my bookmarks:
- "But I’d never witnessed anything like this: it had a weird theatrical intensity, as if the young man were being goaded by an offstage director."
- "Isn’t that what Brod demonstrated, when he disregarded Kafka’s last testament: that Kafka’s works weren’t even Kafka’s private property but, rather, belonged to humanity?"
I would say though that this usage is probably more common among those who write in a relatively academic or literary style. Sometimes it's interchangeable with the semi-colon, anyway, but sometimes it is not, as in the second example.
Nobody protects the president
A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night: one couple sitting intimately together, talking to two other personsople.
Your usage of the colon here is technically correct, but very unusual. They are sometimes used in English, but quite rarely, and almost only for lists of items. I would recommend a change to something like the following:
A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night. There was one couple sitting intimately together, talking to two other people.
In normal times, there iswould be nothing special about this.
Times are, however, not normal: t however. The four people were violating the Corona curfew.
When the policemen approached the four delinquents, the couple turned out to be the nation's president and his wife.
nation is a bit unusual here. I would probably say country's instead. It is correct though.
Immediately, the president admitted wrongdoing and explained that they had simply forgotten the time while chatting happily with friends he hadn't seen for a long time.
Even though this event is absolutely insignificant, the rightist freedom group/party/organisation... launched a parliamentary inquiry to find out whether the president was fined for this act.
I assume that rightist freedom is the name of a group. It does not make sense to me.
The police of Vienna answered that at the time the incident happened, the police followed a policy of reminding people of the curfew without fining them, and that no exception was made for the president.
Why am I writing this?
Firstly, it's a cute but true story.
Secondly, it shows that certain countries do certain things correctly if the head of state sits in the middle of the street in the middle ofduring the night and nobody worries about his safety.
you are correct, I just suggest this to prevent the repetition of "in the middle of"
I wonder whether this mightit would be possible in your country.
Aug. 26, 2020
A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night: one couple sitting intimately together, talking to two other personsople.
I agree with changing "persons" to "people," but I wouldn't say that the colon is rare or only for lists. I use it not infrequently to introduce a clarifying point or to give greater detail, and surely I'm not the only one. Some random examples from my bookmarks:
- "But I’d never witnessed anything like this: it had a weird theatrical intensity, as if the young man were being goaded by an offstage director."
- "Isn’t that what Brod demonstrated, when he disregarded Kafka’s last testament: that Kafka’s works weren’t even Kafka’s private property but, rather, belonged to humanity?"
I would say though that this usage is probably more common among those who write in a relatively academic or literary style. Sometimes it's interchangeable with the semi-colon, anyway, but sometimes it is not, as in the second example.
Aug. 27, 2020
I agree with changing "persons" to "people," but I wouldn't say that the colon is rare or only for lists. I use it not infrequently to introduce a clarifying point or to give greater detail, and surely I'm not the only one. Some random examples from my bookmarks: - "But I’d never witnessed anything like this: it had a weird theatrical intensity, as if the young man were being goaded by an offstage director." - "Isn’t that what Brod demonstrated, when he disregarded Kafka’s last testament: that Kafka’s works weren’t even Kafka’s private property but, rather, belonged to humanity?" I would say though that this usage is probably more common among those who write in a relatively academic or literary style. Sometimes it's interchangeable with the semi-colon, anyway, but sometimes it is not, as in the second example.
Fair, maybe I was a little too strong with my word choice. I don't speak German, but I found the large number of colons in his writing a bit strange to read. I was simply trying to illustrate that its something that isn't used in English in the same way that it might in his native language.
Aug. 27, 2020
Even though this event is absolutely insignificant, the rightist freedom group/party/organisation... launched a parliamentary inquiry to find out whether the president was fined for this act.
the Freedom Party.
You are absolutely right, I missed out a word here.
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Nobody protects the president This sentence has been marked as perfect! This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night: one couple sitting intimately together, talking to two other persons. A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night: one couple sitting intimately together, talking to two other pe Your usage of the colon here is technically correct, but very unusual. They are sometimes used in English, but quite rarely, and almost only for lists of items. I would recommend a change to something like the following: A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night. There was one couple sitting intimately together, talking to two other people. A few weeks ago, the police in Vienna noticed four people sitting in a local restaurant's open area at 1 am in the night: one couple sitting intimately together, talking |
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In normal times, there is nothing special about this. In normal times, there This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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Times are, however, not normal: the four people were violating the Corona curfew. Times are Times are, however, not normal I think replacing the colon with "and" makes more sense here because the violation of the curfew seems more like an effect of why times are not normal, rather than a sort of explanation of how they are not normal. |
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When the policemen approached the four delinquents, the couple turned out to be the nation's president and his wife. When the policemen approached the four delinquents, the couple turned out to be the nation's president and his wife. nation is a bit unusual here. I would probably say country's instead. It is correct though. This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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Immediately, the president admitted wrongdoing and explained that they had simply forgotten the time while chatting happily with friends he hadn't seen for a long time. This sentence has been marked as perfect! This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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Even though this event is absolutely insignificant, the rightist freedom launched a parliamentary inquiry to find out whether the president was fined for this act. Even though this event is absolutely insignificant, the rightist freedom group/party/organisation... launched a parliamentary inquiry to find out whether the president was fined for this act. I assume that rightist freedom is the name of a group. It does not make sense to me. Even though this event is absolutely insignificant, the right "Whether" should ideally go with "or not" if an alternative hasn't been provided. |
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The police of Vienna answered that at the time the incident happened, the police followed a policy of reminding people of the curfew without fining them, and that no exception was made for the president. This sentence has been marked as perfect! This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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Why am I writing this? This sentence has been marked as perfect! This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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Firstly, it's a cute but true story. This sentence has been marked as perfect! This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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Secondly, it shows that certain countries do certain things correctly if the head of state sits in the middle of the street in the middle of the night and nobody worries about his safety. Secondly, it shows that certain countries do certain things correctly if the head of state sits in the middle of the street you are correct, I just suggest this to prevent the repetition of "in the middle of" This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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I wonder whether this might be possible in your country. I wonder whether I wonder whether or not this might be possible in your country. |
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