Notes & Asides.

--Dear Mr. Buckley: Regarding the appropriateness of your use of "uxorious" in describing Mrs. Clinton's docility, the Oxford English Dictionary offers "maritorious," and defines it as "fond of one's husband."

The usage example provided-dames maritorious ne'er were meritorious- would seem to incorporate sufficient verbal spandex to accommodate the concept of an excess of devotion.

Cordially,

Mark Kearney

Marriottsville, Md.

--Dear Mr. Buckley: Long ago I was taught that "quote" is a verb and "quotation" is a noun.

Now I find that even National Review is referring to quotations as quotes.

May I quote your opinion on the matter?

With thanks,

Douglas Yeo 

Lexington, Mass.

Dear Mr. Yeo: My notion is that "quote" as a noun is authorized by usage. E.g., "He finished with a nice quote from Churchill."

Cordially, WFB 

--Dear Mr. Buckley: The other day, while reading a magazine article, I came across the following sentence: "The development of moral knowledge demands that each of us answers [italics mine] the ultimate Socratic question, 'Who am I, and what should I do with my life?'"

It would seem that the "that" before "each of us" mandates "answer" rather than "answers." I've checked with several of my more literate friends to no avail.

Hence this appeal to you, my Supreme Court of proper usage.

Very truly yours,

John Elfmont, M.D.

Torrance, Calif.

Dear Dr. Elfmont: I'd use answer because the construction is hortatory, as in, "I demand that he answer that question." The hortatory demands the subjunctive form.

Cordially, WFB

--Dear Mr. Buckley: As careful as you, personally, are about respecting the English language, how do things such as the following get by: ". . . with some external controls. In the form, for example, of that police officer. More of them . . ." (NR, April 16, page 12)?

Has the rule requiring that a sentence contain a subject and a predicate been repealed? Stranger things are happening: the now ubiquitous "between [or any other preposition] he and I," and, "This state is a good place to live." One can live a life, but a state . . .?

When English-speaking Americans have lost the use of the preposition, which was originally introduced to take the place of the case endings of the Continental English noun, what do you suppose will replace it, if anything?

Perhaps the speakers will no longer have thoughts complex enough to require prepositions.

Yours truly,

Russell McFadden

West Columbia, Tex.

Dear Mr. McFadden: You give three examples of uses you object to. Only the first, that I know of, has appeared in National Review. And it is as easily defended as to say that there are exceptions to the rule you cite. "What ho!" would be one of them.

The second and third are inexcusable, wherever they appeared. In The Sopranos?

Cordially, WFB

--Dear Mr. Buckley: Given your view of the horrendous, immoral, sordid content of The Sopranos, why are you (or anyone else) watching?

God help us!

Yours,

Virgil F. Massman

St. Paul, Minn.

Dear Mr. Massman: It's quite possible to continue to watch something you disapprove of. One reason that one disapproves is that what is viewed (or read) is enticing.

Cordially,

-WFB