Kibbitzer 74

Stress on


This Kibbitzer is based on a point discussed in a draft dissertation by a Turkish-speaking postgraduate student of Theology.

OriginalRevisions
... Ibn Sina stresses on the absolute oneness and simplicity of God ... ... Ibn Sina stresses the absolute oneness and simplicity of God ...
... Ibn Sina lays stress on the absolute oneness and simplicity of God ...

The correction involves two verb + noun collocations:

Counter an argument
The idea of putting a contrasting or opposite argument is well expressed by counter, as is shown by the following newspaper citations:

 1 executive, said that the figures helped to counter Granada's arguments about the need for LWT
 2  economic report on the impact of mines to counter the military argument that they are a cost
 3  is much simpler than that."  P D James is countering the argument of Ernest Mandel, a Marxis
 4 reasing VAT and other indirect taxes.   To counter such arguments, Mr Clarke is likely to cut
 5 Saturdays demand, but don't get, and would counter the growing argument that while Rugby Spec
 6 e chance to air our alternatives."   Brown countered the union's argument that club participa
 7 cades.   It has been a good year for books countering the anti-Darwinian arguments. First, Ri
 8 A strategy worthy of the name will include countering the arguments for managed trade espouse
 9  these aspects could be highly relevant in countering the arguments of certain churchmen that
10  to the fire.   Western governments should counter this last argument robustly. Russia and Am
The point of the correction, however, however, is the consultant's deep-seated objection to the use of refute in contexts such as these. Although dictionaries such as COBUILD are now starting to allow this usage, it seems best as far as academic English is concerned, not to use 'refute' with the meaning of deny/disagree, and to restrict it to the traditional meaning of 'disprove'. Here, it should be self-evident, objections, no matter how well-founded, could hardly be enough to 'refute' a theory.

Raise objections
In my data I cannot find a single instance of 'bring objections'. The commonest collocate in this context is raise, as shown by the following citations:

 1 ders. The Justice Department failed to raise anti-trust objections and let a deadline pass fo
 2 s knew what he was up to and failed to raise any objections. "He could indeed say that Kidder
 3 ster Police were consulted and did not raise any objections."  It pointed out that Northumbri
 4 mmunists meekly followed orders, never raising any objections.  These new records unfortunate
 5 pportunity to comment on the charge or raise any objections. He told the judge: "I want to re
 6 ere so attached to him that we did not raise any objections." He even "privatised" his loyal 
 7 . Douglas Hurd, the Foreign Secretary, raised British objections with the French prime minist
 8 ment Secretary, is understood not have raised environmental objections to the sale.  The Gove
 9  curriculum authority. She said he had raised few objections during meetings, and the balance 
10 g legal action; it said that she could raise her objections through party structures.
11 no intention of giving up. He has also raised last-minute objections about the membership of 
12 hich another government department had raised major objections, and (10) cases which could on
13 t if the ballot were changed, it would raise new objections. Anglo American Corporation, Sout
14 ex. When he loses all their money, she raises no moral objections: they just move to the Dord
15 icularly when it furthered his career, raising no objections when he went on dubious holidays
16 same territory. He said McAllister had raised no objections when he sold his story to the Dai
17 who are part of an ethnic minority. He raises no objections to Robin Smith or Allan Lamb, who
18 ore next summer, provided the Treasury raises no objections.  The London Stock Exchange claim
19 und them satisfactory while the police raised no objections.  This new breed of brothel must 
20 irely, unless Security Council members raise objections after receiving a final report from t
21 on 7.   After his removal Mr Gallagher raised objections against the exclusion order under pa
22  hung in the production office.   This raised objections among certain members of staff. Harm
23 re they become formal. It is better to raise objections at this stage than to wait until the 
24 subject of the court case, others have raised objections to different aspects of the societie
25  those who do not, I am hesitant about raising objections which may be answered in the text (
26 m, the police or local authorities can raise objections with the Traffic Commissioner at any 
27 ry Bell in the conservation department raised objections. Our application, as it stood, was d
28 uest of the person concerned if he had raised objections.  The directive did not specify how 
29  pharmaceutical industry in particular raising serious objections. As a result, the US admini
30 ernate, Aroldo.   All the right people raised the right objections: others had tried and fail
To finish,, here is a short exercise on some of the other nouns that commonly collocate with raise. Complete each gap with a noun taken from the list at the end of the exercise:
  1. Mr Turnbull has helped raise a ________ of three children, all of whom are now adult.
  2. These days few people dare to raise a ________ in opposition to the powerful lobby of those campaigning for the disabled.
  3. The other argument for paying MPs is that it saves them from the temptation to raise ________ by other, more nefarious means.
  4. The decision heralded a break with the the old regime and raised the ________ of further deregulation of the financial system.
  5. The formation of the trade union raises ________ about Buddhism in Japan, and about the age-old relationships between God, people, and money.
  6. The Government's objective was to raise ________ of what was achieved during the Normandy campaign and pay tribute to campaign veterans.
  7. Seventy years after Emiliano Zapata began raising his rebel ________, land and the need for agrarian reform remain the two issues for the majority in Chapas.
  8. Esther Lamont, wife of the senior keeper at Mull of Kintyre lighthouse, raised the ________ after hearing a huge explosion and seeing a fireball plunging from the sky.
  9. The incident has raised fresh ________ about safety standards in the Chinese aviation market, where airlines have been plagued by crashes, hijackings and safety violations,
  10. The IRA ceasefire has raised ________ among a small and all but forgotten group of victims of the Troubles in Northern Ireland - the families of people who have disappeared.
Nouns alarm, army, awareness, family, fears, hopes, issues, money, prospect, voice
Check your answers

20th June 2000 Consultant: Tim Johns
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