- By Jim Evans
- Entertainment
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SMART TALK SMART TALK By Dr. Shirley Glibb
PASSIVE VOICE: Some weekends at the Institute for the Linguistically Impaired, the staff meets at the Fowler Lounge to relax and vent. After we loosen up with a few schooners of sarsaparilla, we enjoy inventing special hells for those who love passive verbs.
You know, as in it was decided at the meeting that a new bus will be procured. Meeting minutes are full of tripe like this. I will be made sick if I go on.
Nurse Clara Dix calls the use of passive verbs wusstalk. The speaker or writer of passive verbs is afraid to take responsibility for a simple fact.
I think these wimps should go to a hell where they must always use passive verbs and say things to each other such as, “You are loved by me.”
Isn’t that romantic?
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