as appropriate

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Sentence:

Use humour as appropriate.

My question:

Does it mean Use humor when appropriate?

Thanks in advance!

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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 841 • Replies: 13

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"As appropriate" means "in those situations in which it is appropriate", so, yes, it means more or less the same as "when appropriate" or "if appropriate". You could choose one spelling of "humour" (British English) or "humor" (US English) and stick to it.

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Can't fault that. Contrex is on the ball, as usual.

Smile

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contrex wrote:

"As appropriate" means "in those situations in which it is appropriate", so, yes, it means more or less the same as "when appropriate" or "if appropriate". You could choose one spelling of "humour" (British English) or "humor" (US English) and stick to it.

So "as appropriate" is a phrase?

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McTag wrote:

Can't fault that. Contrex is on the ball, as usual.

I'm off the ball now, but sometime in the far future, I'll climb on that ball where contrex stands. Very Happy

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bluestblue wrote:

So "as appropriate" is a phrase?

I am surprised that you do not know what a phrase is.

A phrase is a brief expression, sometimes a single word, but usually two or more words forming an expression by themselves, or being a portion of a sentence, so, yes, "as appropriate" is a phrase.

An instruction to a builder might read "Inspect brickwork, renewing mortar as appropriate". In this case, "as appropriate" means "where appropriate", i.e. in those places where the mortar is substandard in some way, for example where it is crumbly or absent altogether.

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Thanks for you response first; it's very helpful.

contrex wrote:

bluestblue wrote:
So "as appropriate" is a phrase?

I am surprised that you do not know what a phrase is.

When I take "as appropriate" as a fixed phrase, it means I'm not justified to ask what "as" literally means and generalize that.

At this rate, do you think that question is a bit reasonable?

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bluestblue wrote:

Thanks for you response first; it's very helpful.

contrex wrote:
bluestblue wrote:
So "as appropriate" is a phrase?

I am surprised that you do not know what a phrase is.

When I take "as appropriate" as a fixed phrase, it means I'm not justified to ask what "as" literally means and generalize that.

At this rate, do you think that question is a bit reasonable?

A fixed phrase? It's a prepositional phrase

You may not be able to ask what 'as' means, but you are perfectly entitled to ask what its purpose is in the phrase, and I invite you to do so.

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contrex wrote:

bluestblue wrote:
Thanks for you response first; it's very helpful.

contrex wrote:
bluestblue wrote:
So "as appropriate" is a phrase?

I am surprised that you do not know what a phrase is.

When I take "as appropriate" as a fixed phrase, it means I'm not justified to ask what "as" literally means and generalize that.

At this rate, do you think that question is a bit reasonable?

A fixed phrase? It's a prepositional phrase

You may not be able to ask what 'as' means, but you are perfectly entitled to ask what its purpose is in the phrase, and I invite you to do so.

Now I know as's purpose in your example and I also know I can't generalize that purpose because a phrase is a phrase.

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"when appropriate" can also be used.

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SULLYFISH66 wrote:

"when appropriate" can also be used.

Like I said in the second post.

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contrex wrote:

SULLYFISH66 wrote:
"when appropriate" can also be used.

Like I said in the second post.

Use humour as appropriate.
= Use humour when and where and if appropriate.

Do you think when and where and if is more accurate to substitute as in this case?

(I hope my getting-to-the-bottom-of-things quality doesn't bother you. And you have my sincere best wishes!)

Blues

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bluestblue wrote:

Do you think when and where and if is more accurate to substitute as in this case?

Substitute it in your mind if it helps you understand it. You do not have to substitute it everywhere in your writing, unless you are actually writing a piece explaining what the phrase "as appropriate" might mean. (To do so generally would lead to excessive wordiness, which is why the standard phrase "as appropriate" is so useful in certain kinds of writing.) Also perhaps "while or when or where or if" might be as good, if not better.

Quote:

(I hope my getting-to-the-bottom-of-things quality doesn't bother you. And you have my sincere best wishes!)

It is the sign of a keen learner. You have my best wishes too!

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Thank you again contrex!
Merry Christmas! ^_^
God bless you!

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as appropriate

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