Former national security advisor Anthony Lake and Abner Mikva, retired federal judge and congressman from Illinois, will speak at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at St. James Cathedral, Chicago, after a buffet reception.
Their topic is "What Rules Are Sacred? Civil Liberties and the Threat of Terrorism." The presentation is sponsored by Protestants for the Common Good. Call (312) 223-9544 for details.
Q:Which is correct, "You get it free," or "You get it for free"?
A:Attorney Ralph C. Medhurst writes that the phrase "for free" grates on his ear and irritates his eye. He is not alone in disliking the phrase for free; other readers have written expressing annoyance at the phrase. To find out how persons in this law college feel about the phrase, I asked those I met in the halls whether they used free or for free in the expression cited. There was no doubt about their preference. The unhesitating choice of all who were asked the question preferred "You get it free." But when I asked the reason for their choice, nobody knew, most persons saying merely, "It just sounds better."
Attorney Medhurst came close to the answer when he wrote, "Isn't "for" used in conjunction with "free" an unnecessary addition? He is right, and the reason is that the word free is an adjective; adjectives modify nouns, as in the phrases "free admission" or "free speech." Because free is not a noun, you cannot say, "It is a free," so you should not say, "You get it for free." If "free" were a noun, like, for example, "cost," or "nothing," you could say, "You get it for free," just as you can say, "You get it for nothing" or "You get it at cost."
People who say "for free," are using as analogues the phrases "for nothing," or "for no cost," or many other phrases, like "trained for the ministry," "eager for publicity," "headed for trouble." All the words following for in those illustrations are nouns. But because "free" is an adjective, grammatical correctness does not permit, "You get it for free."
However, there's a big caveat that applies to that statement: Once an expression becomes idiomatic, it becomes acceptable despite grammatical rules, and because "You get it for free" is widespread, it has become idiomatic.
Q: Have the verbs cite, and enthuse, and that "absolutely abhorrent verb" snuck become acceptable? How about the noun quote?
A:Attorney Jeffrey Liss, who asked this question is not the first to inquire about the verbs he cites. The verb snuck, in particular, irritates many readers.
As regards the verb cite, there is no question about its acceptability. The problem with cite is semantic: it has three acceptable meanings, two of which are nearly contradictory. It can mean "commend, but it can also mean "summon before a court of law," and it can mean "point out." So drafters of legal documents should use care in choosing that verb.
With regard to the verb enthuse, a backformation of the noun enthusiasm, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (AHD) Fourth Edition, 2000, considers it unacceptable. In 1997 65% of its illustrious Usage Panel disapproves of enthuse, although its reasons are unclear. The Panel seems to blame its disapproval on a public repugnance for "emotional display," as seen in contexts like, "He enthused about the subject." However, the more forward-looking Webster's Third (1997 edition) accepts enthuse as standard. Given the difficulty of finding a succinct substitute for enthuse, it seems foolish to designate it as non-standard.
How about the noun quote, a backformation of quotation? Webster's Third sidesteps the issue of correctness, merely saying that, as a noun, quote is often used orally to indicate the beginning of a direct quotation. The AHD agrees, merely noting that quote is acceptable in informal use. This conforms to the way most readers use the noun, although I had a professor who told his students at the outset the use of the noun quote in an examination would trigger an F grade.
That leaves us with the "absolutely abhorrent word snuck." Webster's Third unequivocally accepts snuck as the past tense of sneak. My guess is that most under-forty-year-olds would agree, but many readers of this and other bar journals have written of their dislike for that past tense. Traditionally the verb sneak had identical past and past participle endings: sneaked. But these forms have virtually disappeared and have been replaced by the verb snuck in both positions. Similarly the verb drag, whose past and past participle used to be dragged, now has popularly adopted drug for both tenses.
The same changes occurred with the verb stink. Traditionally, the acceptable past tense was stank; the traditional past participle was stunk. ("The garbage stank; the garbage that had not been picked up has stunk for several days.") The new use of stunk for both past tense and past participle has occurred in other verbs: The past participle of shrink (shrunk) has eliminated the traditional past tense, shrank, and the traditional past tense of drink (drank) has been replaced by the past participle, drunk.
My theory as to why the past tenses of these verbs have adopted the schwa sound ("uh"), is that the "uh" sound in English connotes for most people an unpleasant or unsavory image, particularly in one-syllable words. For example, the word crud, which expresses disgust and the word scum, used in phrases like "the scum of the earth." When children want to express dislike they probably say "yuck." And even the producers of Smucker's jellies and jams admit that their name connotes something unsavory; witness their advertisements that say, "With a name like Smucker's, it's got to be good."
It's true that there are many words in which the "uh" sound does not imply unpleasantness; for example, luck, rug, hung, and many others. But if you think about words you would use that have the combination of unpleasantness or force and the "uh" sound, you can easily add to my list.
The two past tenses of the verb strike reinforce my theory. When you want to express something violent, you probably use struck ("The burglary victim was struck by a blow to the head.") But when you want to connote something non-violent, you would use stricken ("He was stricken with remorse.").
As to whether you will continue to use sneaked instead of snuck, thus bucking the modern trend, you can decide for yourself. The under-forties have enthusiastically adopted the "new" past tenses, and therefore they will eventually be accepted without criticism by future generations. But you may recall the lines Alexander Pope wrote in his Essay on Criticism, back in 1711:
* Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.
Your generation may be the last to choose whether to use the old or the new past tenses.
Gertrude Block is Lecturer Emerita at the University of Florida College of Law. Her book, "Effective Legal Writing" (Foundation Press), is now available in a 5th edition (1999), with an accompanying instructor's manual. Ms. Block is also co-author of the "Judicial Opinion Writing Manual" (published by the American Bar Association, 1991). Send questions to the ISBA Bar News Language Tips, Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Bar Center, Springfield, IL 62701, or e-mail her at block@law.ufl.edu.
Nordic lawyers to greet former Swedish justice
Hans Danelius, a justice of the Supreme Court of Sweden from 1988 to 2001, will visit Chicago later this month on his way to a speaking engagement at the University of Wisconsin.
The ambassador of Sweden to the Netherlands from 1984 to 1988, Danelius has been a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague since 1982. He was a justice of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1996 to 2002.
A member of the Swedish delegation to the United Nations General Assembly from 1972 to 1974 and 1979 to 1983, he chaired the delegation to the UN's Third Conference on the Law of the Sea from 1977 to 1982.
Members of the Nordic Law Club and other attorneys of Scandinavian heritage plan to meet Danelius on Friday, Sept. 26, at Sidley, Austin, Brown & Wood. For more information, call Stephen C. Carlson at (312) 853-7717.
Advocates Society
The Advocates Society will hold its first fall meeting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, in the Copernicus Center, Chicago. A Polish deli buffet will follow the program. Call President Dawn Bode, (847) 657-8914.
The Advocates' annual Judge's Night is scheduled tentatively for Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Polish Museum of America in Chicago.
American Immigration
A panel discussion Wednesday, Sept. 24, on "Have We Learned the Lessons of History? World War II Japanese Internment and Today's Secret Detentions" will be sponsored by the American Immigration Law Foundation Policy Center and other organizations. It will begin at 7 p.m. in the Skokie Public Library. Call Emily Severson at (312) 423-2091.
American Judicature
The American Judicature Society will conduct special events Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24-25, to dedicate its new headquarters in the Opperman Center at Drake University, DesMoines, Iowa. Call (515) 271-2281.
Black Women Lawyers
Members of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago will have a workshop in total wellness with remarks by motivational speaker Karyn Pettigrew. It will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Three Pillars Wellness Retreat, 1516 E. 53rd St. Call (312) 554-2088.
Bohemian Lawyers
Paul Nemecek of the Bohemian National Cemetery will speak to the Bohemian Lawyers Association of Chicago during a dinner meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Klas Restaurant in Cicero.
The association also will meet Thursday, Oct. 16, at Klas. Call President David Krula at (630) 369-6616.
CARPLS Associates
The Associates Board of Coordinated Advice and Referral Program for Legal Services will hold a benefit wine-tasting reception, "CARPLS Uncorked," from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Randolph Wine Cellar, Chicago. Call President Sara D. Lund at (312) 782-7606.
Chicago Bar
The CBA Barristers Big Band will perform "The Music of Duke Ellington" at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, at the Union League Club of Chicago. A 5:30 p.m. reception will precede the concert. Proceeds will benefit the ULC Civic and Arts Foundation.
Civil Rights Under Law
Abner Mikva will be guest speaker for the 34th annual meeting of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the Grand Ballroom of the Chicago Hilton and Towers. Lehrer & Redleaf will receive the 2003 Pro Bono Award, and the Sears Roebuck Law Department will be given special recognition. Call (312) 630-9744.
Construction Attorneys
Stanley P. Sklar of Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, Chicago, has been elected to a two-year term as president of the Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys. The installation will be conducted during a 6 p.m. dinner Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the Standard Club, Chicago.
Other officers are Mark C. Friedlander, vice president; Paul Peterson, secretary, and Lorence H. Slutsky, treasurer. William D. Lyman is immediate past president.
Criminal Defense
Andrea D. Lyon of the DePaul University College of Law will be honored Friday, Oct. 10, by the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers during a dinner in the Palmer House Hilton, Chicago. Call Nancy O'Connor, (312) 831-1500.
Decalogue Society
The Decalogue Society of Lawyers and its Education Fund will present an Award of Merit to Stuart E. Eizenstat on Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the Crystal Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chicago. A 5:30 p.m. reception will precede the 6:30 p.m. dinner. Call (312) 263-6493.
An advocate of Holocaust reparations, Eizenstat was deputy secretary of the U.S. Treasury from 1999 to 2001. He also has been under-secretary of state and U.S. ambassador to the European Union.
DuPage County Bar
The DuPage County Bar Association will conduct a Bench-Bar Roundtable from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, in the Hilton Hotel, Lisle. Guest speakers are 18th Circuit Judges C. Stanley Austin, Ann B. Jorgensen, Hollis L. Webster and Bonnie M. Wheaton. Call (630) 653-7779.
DCBA Young Lawyers will have a get-together from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at Muldoon's in Wheaton.
DuPage Women Lawyers
The DuPage Association of Women Lawyers will sponsor a 6:30 p.m. dinner and work-life event with Jones of New York on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the Hilton Hotel, Lisle. Participants may browse a JNY Wellness Area and receive shopping assistance with the fall line. Call Cynthia Bronson at (630) 574-5690.
Equip for Equality
Equip for Equality will present awards during its benefit dinner, "An Evening for Equality," at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel, Chicago. Former U.S. senator Max Cleland of Georgia, the keynote speaker, will receive a Civic Leadership Award.
Northern Trust will receive a Corporate Excellence Award; University of Chicago Law Prof. Mark Heyrman, a Pro Bono Award, and Melissa Blair, Christopher Brown and Doretta Medalis, Advocacy Awards. Call (312) 341-0022.
Hellenic Bar
The 53rd annual installation dinner and scholarship benefit of the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois has been postponed from Oct. 18 to Saturday, Nov. 1, in the Rosemont Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hotel.
Martha A. Mills, a Laureate of the Academy of Illinois Lawyers, will receive the Professional Achievement Award, and John P. Vranas, president of the Chicago Association of Realtors, will be recognized as Hellene of the Year. Call (312) 458-9420.
Illinois Paralegal
The Illinois Paralegal Association will celebrate its 31st anniversary and Paralegal Day during a dinner Wednesday, Oct. 29, in the Chicago Athletic Association. The event will highlight the association's annual two-day educational seminar. Call (815) 462-4620.