Mr. Nediger has been M.I.A. since last March, working on a Ph.D in linguistics, but he's back today with a breezy Tuesday puzzle that has the ever-so-slightly altered phrases in the clues, not in the grid itself.
Lauded for his way of writing dialogue, many of Whedon's altered phrases and heavily popularized words have entered a common usage called "Slayer Slang", which PBS included an entire section of in their article series Do You Speak American?
On "Sumo Mi (Draw Nearer)" she scatted a syncopated line along with Mr. Olatuja's bass line; on "The Playground" she altered her phrasing, either floating above the groove or digging in.
In the end, Orwell simply "crossed out or altered the phrases that seemed to show too definitely what was happening".
Based also on the comments and our responses in item #2, we altered the phrases from "relative strengths" to "differential effects" of light and feeding where applicable in the revised manuscript.
The changes may be so small you may not even notice, but could include everything from altering the phrasing in a court summons to sending text message reminders in the hopes of getting you to respond more quickly, or at the very least, comply with the law.
A melody, then, ordinarily consists of a succession of phrases, in which there may occur repetition (the same phrase repeated), contrast (a completely different phrase), or variation (the phrase altered, but in such a way that its identity remains perceptible).
He'll sing one number with phrasing altered and flattened just enough to make you wonder if he now has trouble with the high notes; the next will leave no doubt he hasn't.
Or I think I would just alter a phrase that seems to me a little too polished or too sharp or too smart-aleck or something.
Often Lish's edits improve minimally, give shape to what's there, or alter a phrase so that it's actually more in keeping with the voice Carver has invented.
The only time Mr. Icahn restrained this blizzard of language was to alter the phrase "pile of …" to end with "absurdity" rather than a word that cannot be spoken on live television (though that hasn't stopped him in the past).
