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Wed 18 Apr, 2007 06:04 pm
I love this subject. I'm a dork.
So, anyway. I have an initial question about semantics and may have subsequent questions as I prepare 6th-grade lesson plans on the matter. After that, we can just hang out, drinking beers, and talking about the sheer coolosity of plate tectonics. There are those of you out there who may think I'm joking. I'm not.
Semantics - which sentence is correct? I lean towards sentence number 1.
1. How does plate tectonics cause mountain building?
2. How do plate tectonics cause mountain building?
I'm probably better at the beer-drinking part, but sentence two looks better to me... unless you put a - between plate and techtonics.
But, it's really one theory.
Here, Bill, have a beer while we wait for others to join us.
I would say, sentence 2 is correct.
You use does with singular nouns and do with plural noun forms.
Plate tectronics is plural thus "do".
That's why I changed it from Do, but I still consider plate tectonics to be a misnomer in the sense that it is a single theory.
A little photo essay on the birth of an island. This volcano surfaced before the eyes of a yatch-full of people. Imagine if no one had had a camera!
http://yacht-maiken.blogspot.com/2006/08/stone-sea-and-volcano.html
littlek wrote:But, it's really one theory.
Perhaps quotes or italicization or using the word theory would help, otherwise the sentence is sound whether you're citing a specific theory or notÂ… so it looks like a double plural. (I should shut up, cause I know people like my Sis, Soz and Set all find my writing structure deplorable.
) I just came for the beer, thanks.
littlek :
are you familiar with this website ? great stuff ... not only for kids !
...PLATE TECHTONICS FOR KIDS...
perhaps you better not listen to me ... but i have a bit of a problem with "mountain building" .
i would probably say : how do plate tectonics form mountains ?
hbg
I'm probably wrong but I like the SOUND of question #1 better. (Here comes someone to tell me I'm wrong I'll bet
)
Does this help anyone?
Quote:plate tectonics
n.
1. (used with a sing. verb) A theory that explains the global distribution of geological phenomena such as seismicity, volcanism, continental drift, and mountain building in terms of the formation, destruction, movement, and interaction of the earth's lithospheric plates.
2. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The dynamics of plate movement.
Hamburger, this question is in a very VERY early stage of development. It's not even the first draft. I'll keep your comment in mind. And, thanks for the link.
*edit: that link goes to enchanted learning! A site I've often used!
The way I'm reading that definition, I should be safe using the singular verb tense 'does', right?
Tai Chi wrote:I'm probably wrong but I like the SOUND of question #1 better. (Here comes someone to tell me I'm wrong I'll bet
)
Maybe sound and meaning are in sync on this one.
The USGS, (bless their anal hearts) has a style manual for writing. AHEM.
"The theory of Plate Tectonics IS"
so qed
Plate Tectonics is resposnible for... (add horrible consequence here)
The plates ARE moving but they move in response to a mechanism which IS governing their movement.
I wish I had saved the Goddam URL that showed the migration of the Gondawanaland and subsequent plates as they diverged from the Permian through today. It was a very cool little movie and I stuck it on the lab computers at school. Maybe someone else saved it here. I think , way back, that it was either Realjohnboy, or Rosborne that originally posted the damn thing . Kids would love it .
Thanks Farmerman! I have run into many of those little animations. They're not hard to find online, I'll go look.
This one had a little running calendr on the bottom right that counted up in millions of years while the plates moved.
farmerman wrote:This one had a little running calendr on the bottom right that counted up in millions of years while the plates moved.
This one is cool! It's 3D and has mountains being built up!
http://www2.nature.nps.gov/geology/usgsnps/animate/PLATES_3.MPG
farmerman wrote:This one had a little running calendr on the bottom right that counted up in millions of years while the plates moved.
I remember that thing, but I can't remember where I found it the first time. I'll look around again.
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