Karl,

I use both Chicago and Garner a good bit, and while I'd agree that
Garner is rehashing a lot of arbitrary prescriptivism, I've found that
it's prescriptivism that has social force among some readers and
(frequently) editors. Copy editing is sometimes about how the audience
thinks the language *should* be used, not about how it's used, after
all. If your goal is to get as few letters to the editor as possible
that chide you about your usage, Garner is handy -- regardless of
whether the people sending those letters are simply in need of more bran
in their diet. He does, of course, have his completely idiosyncratic
moments, but so do we all.

Sincerely,

Bill Spruiell

-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Karl Hagen
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 10:00 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Usage and Style Guides

For issues of usage, I prefer the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of
English
Usage. It gives balanced coverage of the widest variety of usage points
you're
likely to find, along with commentary about what a huge range of earlier
usage
 guides have said, and a real descriptive investigation into how
well-respected writers actually use the language.

I like the Chicago Manual of Style for issues such as punctuation,
spelling,
distinctive treatment of words, etc. But I don't find the grammar
section in
the latest edition particularly helpful. The politest way I can describe
Garner's work, both in the Chicago Manual and in his standalone works,
is that
it is a somewhat idiosyncratic rehash of a lot of prescriptive nonsense
that
has been thoroughly debunked many times before. (OK, that's not very
polite,
but it's the best I can manage.)

Michael Kischner wrote:
> I'd like to hear what members recommend when they are asked about
guides
> to usage and style.  The people who ask me typically are not academics
> and do not want textbooks.  I myself tend to go to the online Chicago
> Manual (which you have to subscribe to).  Any other good ideas?  In
> retiring two years ago, I find I did too good a job of not bringing
> books home from the office!
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> 

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