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cover of episode Better paragraph breaks. The story behind 'mad money' and 'pin money.' Bruce bad.

Better paragraph breaks. The story behind 'mad money' and 'pin money.' Bruce bad.

2025/4/15
logo of podcast Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
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A
Alicia
E
Edwin Battistella
K
Karen Lundy
Topics
Edwin Battistella: 我认为，好的段落写作不应遵循刻板的主题句-总结句结构。这种‘三明治’式的写作方式，虽然在公开演讲中对听众理解有所帮助，但在书面表达中，读者可以根据自身情况调整阅读速度，甚至跳读或略读。因此，段落写作更应注重读者体验，像交响乐的乐章一样，引导读者思考。好的段落可以以一个尖锐的观点结尾，引起读者的注意，或以悬念结尾，让读者期待下一个段落。好的段落也可以利用前后段落的衔接，使文章过渡自然，或者采用跳跃式手法，在不同段落中重复或发展某个意象或观点。有时，一个简洁的句子就能构成一个优秀的段落。段落写作应兼顾信息传达、故事性、以及语言的优美。 Karen Lundy: "嫁妆钱"(pin money)和"零花钱"(mad money)等词语并非简单的旧式表达，它们反映了女性在不同历史时期经济地位的演变。如今，"嫁妆钱"通常指微不足道的钱款，但在17世纪晚期，它指男性给予女性家人的零花钱，可能与购买缝纫用针有关。1674年的一份法律文件中，它则指离婚后女性获得的赡养费。"嫁妆钱"的使用在1777年达到顶峰，此后逐渐减少，但在20世纪初短暂复苏。20世纪20年代，"零花钱"出现，反映了女性追求经济独立的愿望。1922年，它首次出现在报刊中，指女性隐藏的少量现金。如今，"零花钱"的含义已不再局限于女性。"黄油和鸡蛋钱"(butter and egg money)指女性通过副业获得的额外收入，是女性经济独立的一种体现。在农业社会，女性通过管理家禽和奶制品获得额外收入，这在一定程度上实现了经济独立。历史上的女性通过副业获得的收入，例如卖鸡蛋和黄油，为她们的经济独立提供了支持。这些与钱相关的词语像时间胶囊一样，反映了女性经济地位的变迁。现代财务语言更具包容性，避免使用性别歧视的词汇。 Alicia: 我和家人朋友创造了一种独特的表达方式，用E Street Band乐队的成员来形容如厕的紧急程度。从Susie Tyrell bad到Bruce Springsteen bad，程度递增，Bruce Springsteen bad代表膀胱即将爆裂的最高级别。这个表达方式已经融入到我们朋友圈的日常交流中。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter challenges the conventional advice of starting paragraphs with topic sentences and ending with summary sentences. It advocates for a more engaging and less formulaic approach to paragraph writing, suggesting that good paragraphs should create an experience for the reader rather than simply guiding them through information.
  • Avoid formulaic topic-sentence structure.
  • Good paragraphs create an experience, not just guide information.
  • Paragraphs can end with sharp points, leaving readers hanging, or use jump cuts to create engagement.

Shownotes Transcript

  1. Today, we have practical tips for writing better paragraphs (and it's not the formulaic topic-sentence structure). Then, we look at the surprising history of phrases like “mad money” and “pin money” and what they show about women’s roles and financial independence through time.

The "paragraph" segment originally appeared on the OUP Blog), and was written by Edwin Battistella, who taught linguistics and writing at Southern Oregon University. He is the author of Sorry About That: The Language of Public Apology), Do You Make These Mistakes in English?), Bad Language), and The Logic of Markedness).

The "mad money" segment is by Karen Lunde, a career writer and editor. In the late '90s, as a young mom with two kids and a dog, she founded one of the internet's first writing workshop communities. These days, she facilitates expressive writing workshops, both online and off. Find her at chanterellestorystudio.com)

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