Nominalizations
Identify/Generate the principle
Time: 25-30 minutes
Ask students to read the first handout, and jot down their responses
to it. Then ask them to try to diagnose the passages; what's
wrong with them?
Students are likely to say that the sentences are too long, or
that the verbs are passive. Point them to the second handout, in
which sentences are shorter and verbs are active, but the prose
is still dreadful.
Then, introduce the term nominalization: a noun with a verb hiding
in it. Ask students to pick out the nominalizations; identify the
hidden verbs, and start thinking about how you might rewrite the
sentences to use those key actions as verbs. Move on to a nominalization
translation exercise.
Scroll down for the two handouts.
_________________________________________________________________________
Read
the following passages.
a. Integrating all the existing islands of automation requires
a structured approach with consideration of not just the physical
problems associated with linking different computer-based technologies,
but also the relative importance of these technologies to overall
business strategy and the impact of their integration on the business
environment. Bridging "islands" together for an effective
integrated system and meeting the objective of maximum benefits
at minimum cost require achievement of three benchmarks on the
part of any integration program: identification of high-leverage
technical processes, functions, and activities; maximum effectiveness
in the use of other systems' assets already in place or in development;
full exploitation of opportunities for performance improvement
through integration of islands of automation system elements.
b. Too precise a specification of information processing requirements
incurs the risk of overestimation resulting in unused capacity
or inefficient use of costly resources or of underestimation leading
to ineffectiveness or other inefficiencies. Too little precision
in specifying needed information processing capacity gives no guidance
with respect to the means for the procurement of the needed resources.
There may be an optimal degree of precision in providing the decision-maker
with the flexibility to adapt to needs.
c. To obligate a corporation upon a contract to another party,
it must be proven that the contract was its act, whether by corporate
action, that of an authorized agent, or by adoption or ratification,
and such ratification will be implied by the acquiescence or the
acceptance of the benefits of such contract, it being essential
to implied ratification that the acceptance be with knowledge of
all pertinent facts.
Jot down a few words to describe how you feel after reading these
passages:
What do you think is wrong with them?
_________________________________________________________________________
Many
people say that the passages are hard to read because they have
long sentences and passive verbs. Now they have shorter sentences,
and all the verbs are active – but they're not much
easier to read.
d. Integrating all the existing islands of automation requires
a structured approach. The approach must include consideration
of not just the physical problems associated with linking different
computer-based technologies, but also the relative importance of
these technologies to overall business strategy and the impact
of their integration on the business environment. Bridging "islands" together
for an effective integrated system and meeting the objective of
maximum benefits at minimum cost requires achievement of three
benchmarks on the part of any integration program. There must be
identification of high-leverage technical processes, functions,
and activities; maximum effectiveness in the use of other systems'
assets already in place or in development; and full exploitation
of opportunities for performance improvement through integration
of islands of automation system elements.
e. Too precise a specification of information processing requirements
incurs the risk of overestimation or underestimation. Overestimation
results in unused capacity or inefficient use of costly resources;
underestimation leads to ineffectiveness or other inefficiencies.
Too little precision in specifying needed information processing
capacity gives no guidance with respect to the means for the procurement
of the needed resources. There may be an optimal degree of precision
in providing the decision-maker with the flexibility to adapt to
needs.
f. To obligate a corporation upon a contract to another party,
the party must prove that the contract was its act, whether by
corporate action, that of an authorized agent, or by adoption or
ratification. A court will infer such ratification from the acquiescence
or the acceptance of the benefits of such contract. It is essential
to implied ratification that the acceptance be with knowledge of
all pertinent facts.
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