Lost In One More Argument
During a course, I argued with three 'Guru Cemerlang'(outstanding teachers) over the use of 'determine' as a verb until I was blue in the face.
Below is the cause of the verbal spar:
on second thought he determined to take upon his own shoulders the responsibility of organizing some amusements
(I picked the sentence from Thomas Hardy's Mayor of Casterbridge)
Insisting that the word could not be used as a verb, they had the gall to tell me to go back learning English in Primary One!Almost everyone in the conference room agreed with them. I suffered a humiliating loss. However, can the word 'determine' be used as a verb? The answer is a definite yes. But nobody wanted to look at its usage in my Oxford dictionary. So Lame!
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "determine" can also be a verb. Some examples:
verb
[with object]
1 cause (something) to occur in a particular way or to have a particular nature:
it will be her mental attitude that determines her future
2 ascertain or establish exactly by research or calculation:
the inquest is entrusted with the task of determining the cause of death
[with clause] :
the point of our study was to determine what is true, not what is practicable
Mathematics: specify the value, position , or form of (a mathematical or geometrical object) uniquely.
3) [no object] firmly decide:
he determined on a withdrawal of his forces
[with infinitive] :
she determined to tackle Stephen the next day
[with clause] :
my wife had determined that I must swap my old bike for a car
Below is the cause of the verbal spar:
on second thought he determined to take upon his own shoulders the responsibility of organizing some amusements
(I picked the sentence from Thomas Hardy's Mayor of Casterbridge)
Insisting that the word could not be used as a verb, they had the gall to tell me to go back learning English in Primary One!Almost everyone in the conference room agreed with them. I suffered a humiliating loss. However, can the word 'determine' be used as a verb? The answer is a definite yes. But nobody wanted to look at its usage in my Oxford dictionary. So Lame!
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "determine" can also be a verb. Some examples:
verb
[with object]
1 cause (something) to occur in a particular way or to have a particular nature:
it will be her mental attitude that determines her future
2 ascertain or establish exactly by research or calculation:
the inquest is entrusted with the task of determining the cause of death
[with clause] :
the point of our study was to determine what is true, not what is practicable
Mathematics: specify the value, position , or form of (a mathematical or geometrical object) uniquely.
3) [no object] firmly decide:
he determined on a withdrawal of his forces
[with infinitive] :
she determined to tackle Stephen the next day
[with clause] :
my wife had determined that I must swap my old bike for a car
Comments
Of course, you were right in the first place! Guru cermerlang, hmmm?! Been away from their collective classrooms, sucking up to their HMs, and not teaching enough, would be my guess.
Btw, I often visit, but don't always leave a comment. Sometimes, there just isn't anything to say. But, I am here because I enjoy your writing.