Comments on: Without Cease

By: Raymona A

Raymona A — Sun, 31 May 2009 17:05:31 +0000

Actually, after thinking it over, I think the sign identified the rock on the chain as a wind gauge. And maybe it was a cement block on a chain. And maybe the thing hung out near Texhoma. Years have passed. Memories grow inconstant. The wind out there is pretty reliable.

By: Raymona A

Raymona A — Sun, 31 May 2009 16:33:02 +0000

Out in western Oklahoma where we know about wind, the wind blows constantly. Or so it seems. A native would be eyed askance if she said, “The wind blew without cease,” or “the wind blew unceasingly,” or “the wind did not cease for forty days and forty nights.” By the way, at one time out near Boise City a large rock hung from a chain beneath a sign that identified the device as a wind meter. We do know our wind.

By: Grace S.

Grace S. — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:45:03 +0000

Interesting observation, Brad K. I believe that either “without relent” or “relentlessly” would be considered grammatically correct; however, “without relent” certainly sounds much more formal (or stilted), and I don’t believe many writers would think of writing it that way.

Actually, I just looked it up–”relent” is listed only as a verb, not as a noun (at least in my admittedly old Merriam Webster dictionary), so it appears the only grammatically correct form is “relentlessly!”

By: Brad K.

Brad K. — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:17:38 +0000

OK, throw my own words back at me.

In the illustration, “The wind blew without cease.” – If I think of the wind, then the wind might cease or persist. If I think of the blowing (blew), then without ceasing seems appropriate, or even the colorful relentlessly.

Would relent and relentlessly work the same way in this illustration? “The wind blew without relent.” “The wind blew relentlessly.” I can easily see that one form or the other would better match the color of the surrounding text.

By: PreciseEdit

PreciseEdit — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:57:41 +0000

This article and subsequent comments illustrate how a writer’s style can be perceived by different readers. I didn’t even pause at “without cease.”

I suspect, and this is an opinion only, that exposure to a broad range of reading materials helps a reader to be more flexible in understanding and more accepting of differing styles.