Comments on: It’s Not “The Ox-Bow Incidence” http://www.dailywritingtips.com/its-not-the-ox-bow-incidence/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:10 -0600 hourly 1 By: Maeve http://www.dailywritingtips.com/its-not-the-ox-bow-incidence/comment-page-1/#comment-5596 Maeve Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:33:03 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/its-not-the-ox-bow-incidence/#comment-5596 Ray, Depends. "I've experienced a couple of instances" would not be idiomatic, but "I remember a couple of instances in which I did such and such" would be. Ray,
Depends.
“I’ve experienced a couple of instances” would not be idiomatic, but “I remember a couple of instances in which I did such and such” would be.

]]> By: Maeve http://www.dailywritingtips.com/its-not-the-ox-bow-incidence/comment-page-1/#comment-5595 Maeve Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:29:51 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/its-not-the-ox-bow-incidence/#comment-5595 Brad, My preference is <i>oxbow</i>, but when writing about films, one must use their titles as they exist -- even such horrors as <i>Honey, I Shrunk the Kids</i> (1989) and <i>The Pursuit of Happyness</i> (2006). PS I just discovered that there is a 2005 documentary that uses the same deliberate misspelling: <em>Pursuit of Happyness</em> directed by Patrick McGuinn. sigh. Brad,
My preference is oxbow, but when writing about films, one must use their titles as they exist — even such horrors as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) and The Pursuit of Happyness (2006).

PS I just discovered that there is a 2005 documentary that uses the same deliberate misspelling: Pursuit of Happyness directed by Patrick McGuinn. sigh.

]]> By: Ray Blake http://www.dailywritingtips.com/its-not-the-ox-bow-incidence/comment-page-1/#comment-5492 Ray Blake Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:33:43 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/its-not-the-ox-bow-incidence/#comment-5492 "Have you ever heard someone say: I’ve experienced a couple of incidences like that now." - no, I haven't. But I have heard people talk about a 'couple of instances', which I believe is acceptable. “Have you ever heard someone say:

I’ve experienced a couple of incidences like that now.”

- no, I haven’t. But I have heard people talk about a ‘couple of instances’, which I believe is acceptable.

]]> By: Brad K. http://www.dailywritingtips.com/its-not-the-ox-bow-incidence/comment-page-1/#comment-5485 Brad K. Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:52:58 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/its-not-the-ox-bow-incidence/#comment-5485 I was interested to see that ox-bow has a hyphen, but ox bow front or ox bow chest, as in furniture (also called yoke front), has a space. The oxbow, the u-shaped piece of wood (often steam-bent hardwood) that goes around the neck of the ox and up into the bar of the yoke is a single word. An oxbow lake, formed in the curve of an abandoned river channel, is also a single word. Oxcart is a single word, and oxblood, or oxblood red, (the dull, deep red color) is also a single word. An ox is a steer of any breed of cattle, trained to drive or for meat. In the US, common usage also means four years or more of age. Ox can also refer to any cattle. Plural for ox is oxen for one (1) or two (2), oxes for three (3). At least, according to my 1967 Random House Dictionary of the English Language. I was interested to see that ox-bow has a hyphen, but ox bow front or ox bow chest, as in furniture (also called yoke front), has a space.

The oxbow, the u-shaped piece of wood (often steam-bent hardwood) that goes around the neck of the ox and up into the bar of the yoke is a single word. An oxbow lake, formed in the curve of an abandoned river channel, is also a single word. Oxcart is a single word, and oxblood, or oxblood red, (the dull, deep red color) is also a single word.

An ox is a steer of any breed of cattle, trained to drive or for meat. In the US, common usage also means four years or more of age. Ox can also refer to any cattle. Plural for ox is oxen for one (1) or two (2), oxes for three (3).

At least, according to my 1967 Random House Dictionary of the English Language.

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