Just a quick one today as my angina is kicking me in the dup with big, hob-nailed boots. I’ve got three or four different tabletki to try and beat this thing, but as we all know, the best medicine is a nice, relaxing translation. ;) This item at least has the virtue of being plucked fresh from the pages of a brand-new text I’m working on right now. It’s also something I’ve been seeing quite often for quite some time – the misuse and abuse of the word civilisation, including use of an invented adjectival form! Look ye here, oh civilised reader:
1a) The civilisation development brought a huge progress in science and technology.
1a) The civilisation development brought a huge progress in science and technology.
1b) The development of civilisation brought huge progress in science and technology.
2a) Street-level Civilisational improvements include plumbing, indoor toilets, electricity, libraries and public health services.
2a) Street-level Civilisational improvements include plumbing, indoor toilets, electricity, libraries and public health services.
2b) Street-level signs of civilisation include plumbing, indoor toilets, electricity, libraries and public health.
OED Def.
OED Def.
civilization (also civilisation) mass noun – the stage of human development social development and organisation which is considered most advanced.
Okay, I threw the whole definition in there for fun, but really all we need from the Oxford scholars is the bit that tells us it’s a mass noun. What would also be useful – in fact, most useful – but that is too much to reproduce here, is the rest of the page (316 in my edition), upon which there is no sign of any other form of the word. Hence, no adjectival civilisational (2a). I suspect it’s one of those words that sounds right, even though it isn’t or doesn’t exist. It sounds like organisational, which is okay, so we mentally shrug and say ‘bingo!’
Niestety, the fix for this pox on society is rephrasing, always the most tedious route for anyone. But all we really need to do is move civilisation in the sentence so it doesn’t have to do the adjective dance. Simplest route to take here is (1b), or if you’re feeling plucky, throw in a synonym and do the (2b) tango.
You’ll notice in (1a) there was a... bad article! I couldn’t resist taking it out for the ‘corrected’ version though. :D (of course, you all know why it was bad, right? Comment below and tell us!)
Okay, I threw the whole definition in there for fun, but really all we need from the Oxford scholars is the bit that tells us it’s a mass noun. What would also be useful – in fact, most useful – but that is too much to reproduce here, is the rest of the page (316 in my edition), upon which there is no sign of any other form of the word. Hence, no adjectival civilisational (2a). I suspect it’s one of those words that sounds right, even though it isn’t or doesn’t exist. It sounds like organisational, which is okay, so we mentally shrug and say ‘bingo!’
Niestety, the fix for this pox on society is rephrasing, always the most tedious route for anyone. But all we really need to do is move civilisation in the sentence so it doesn’t have to do the adjective dance. Simplest route to take here is (1b), or if you’re feeling plucky, throw in a synonym and do the (2b) tango.
You’ll notice in (1a) there was a... bad article! I couldn’t resist taking it out for the ‘corrected’ version though. :D (of course, you all know why it was bad, right? Comment below and tell us!)
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