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Warp wrote:
> Btw, wouldn't it be better to say "none of these three are correct"?
Yes, probably. I tend not to write particularly carefully here, as you
might have noticed. :-)
> How about sentences where the initial conjunction is redundant? For
> example: "And exactly how do you know that?" (The "and" could be removed
> without changing the meaning of the sentence in any way.)
Hmmm... Good question. Based on the rules *I* know, I'd have to say
it's likely incorrect. Of course, people say it anyway, so it's hard to
say they're wrong. :-)
"Exactly how do you know that?" is reasonably a question.
"And exactly how do you know that?" sounds like an accusation.
I think the "and" is a signal to link it to the previous lines of the
argument, as in "good excuse, but I'm not buying it, because now you
have to answer this question also" or some such.
That's just my gut feeling, tho.
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
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