Other Discourse Connectors aan Te INTRODUCTION Oo ee ee (ED Read ana listen to this essay about the automobile in the modern world. Questions to Consider 1, Do you think that the automobile has exerted negative as well as positive influences on society? Explain your viewpoint. Suppose it were determined that the only way to curb pollution and solve other car-related problems would be to sharply curtail, i not ban, car use. Would you give up your car? by Helen Moreaux n October 1, 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Model T to the world, setting in motion the process of making the car available “to the multitude.” The rest is history. Ford, of course, didn’t invent the car, but he did popularize it. In fact, today cars are so popular and define our world so much that it’s worth | taking a look at what they have done for us and to us. Besides 0 e car's effects, we can also speculate on what we can do to control the car instead of letting it control us. First, cars have vastly increased our mobility. & thirty-mile trip that in the nineteenth century | would have taken two days by | horse and carriage or three or | four days on foot can today be | made in an hour or less. Along | with mobility, however, comes stress. The car is available to nearly everyone, and monstrous traffic jams are created as a result. We get nervous or angry if the car ahead of us isn’t moving or if someone cuts in front of us. This causes stress, and too much stress can even kill Second, cars have allowed people the freedom to live far from their workplaces. And when we go shopping, we don't have to buy enough supplies to last a month or two, for it’s easy just to stop at the supermarket on the way home to get food for supper. On the other hand, the car has negatives. Despite giving us free- dom, it has also contributed to the decline of community. Instead of taking public transportation to work and interacting with other passengers, many of us ride alone in our autos. Moreover, we used to buy things at local stores where we knew the proprietors, NS SSS See 188but today we largely trade with strangers at vast, impersonal commercial centers modern neighborhoods are hardly neighborhoods in the old sense of a place where people come into daily contact with each other: Instead, they are locations accessible above all to the auto- Probe taed ste GiiPeontrlied by it. ‘the concept of the neighborhood has been weakened. we know the car indus- try has created jobs, industries, and companies: rubber, steel, electronics. Jobs aren’t every- thing, there is a down- side. the economy is dependent on the automobile, perhaps too dependent. In recent ‘OTHER DISCOURSE CONNECTORS ¥ 189 years, for example, certain car manufacturers have moved their factories for increased profits However, the tows housing the original factories have been devastated by increased unem- ployment. @ must not forget that, in addition to domi- nating the economy, the automo- bile is the source of much air pollution. Clearly, the effect of the car on human society has been momen- tous. fe can’t now “unin- vent” cars or abolish them. They are far too necessary and benefi- cial to our world. we must get control of the car, develop new fuel sources, and reduce air pollution. These are the challenges that face us.190. UNIT14 po ©rHer Discourse CONNECTORS COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS Itused to be common to buy things at neighborhood stores, but now we trade at vast, impersonal shopping malls The automobile provides jobs, and it gives us mobility. We can take the train, or we can crive. | was spending three hours a day commuting in my car, $0 1 switched to the train TRANSITIONS Ford, of course, didn't invent the car. However, he probably id more than anyone else to popularize it. iil and gasoline won't last forever. Therefore, we will have to develop new fuel sources. In addition to dominating the economy, cars are the source of much air pollution. -_— -r ‘OTHER DISCOURSE CONNECTORS ¥ 191 i ee Grammar Notes 1. Discourse connectors are words and Cars cause pollution. in addition, they create expressions that tie together the ideas in fic jams, (In addition acids information ) a piece of writing or in speech. They join Cars are too prominent in our society to be ideas both within sentences and between gotten rid of Nevertheless, we will have sentences or larger stretches of text. do something to accress the problems they Jorsidess wihincomplexserterce create. (Nevertheless presents 8 contrast.) He's a terible criver even though he'shad s 4. Be careful! Some people object to ee beginning a written sentence with a pis ies between serterces ‘coordinating conjunction, particularly in Ford didn’ invent the car. However, he academic writing. However, some writers ‘probably did more than anyone else to use coordinating conjunctions to connect popularize it ideas from sentence to sentence. Two important types of discourse connects ideas wirinsererce connectors are coordinating conjunctions hate driving, so | tok the ous. and transitions. comects ideas tom one sertence to anctrer 2. The coordinating conjunctions (and, but, ae goo eS or, nor, for, so, and yet) connect ideas 5. Punctuation of compound sentences: within sentences, joining two When coordinating conjunctions are used independent clauses. Sentences made up to Join two independent clauses in a of two or more independent clauses compound sentence, these conjunctions joined by a coordinating conjunction are are generally preceded by a comma. called compound sentences. Cars are beneficial, but they cause many On our vacation we drove our car, and we proolems. aie poe naa) 6. Placement of coordinating conjunctions: information) Coordinating conjunctions are placed only at the beginning of a clause, not within it or at the end of it. Cars give us freedom, but they also cause stress. (But presents a contrast.) You can drive your car, or you can take the. tous. (Or adds information.) Iwas hungry, $0 | made a sanciwich, Catherine doesn't lke taking the subway, nor oO do |. (Nor adds information.) Iwas hungry. $0 | made a sanciwich, Nick's drivers license was revoked, for he had Oe ‘been convicted of crunk driving, (For oR presents 8 cause.) aachungeytmades sanchadctso Catherine's automobile broke down, $0 she had to use public transportation. ($e 7. Placement of transitions: Transitions can come at the beginning of a sentence, _presents an effect) within it, or at the end, depending on yor soe et Sores Ns eect: what the writer or speaker wants to Ses Ti nerves about oo eset piesa emphasize. They are usually separated contrast) from the rest of the sentence by a comma 3. Transitions are words and phrases such ‘or commas. as however, therefore, in addition, Morera tease Temiues wel consequently, in fact, first, second, and benefice finally. We use them to connect ideas Cae hetrereg oe hart elvielies between sentences or larger expanses of Recerca aa Cors are harmful as well as beneficial, however. Continued on next page)192 ¥ UNIT 14 : Vea Aw a. The following transitions adc mation: also, in addition (to), additionally, for one thing, moreover, furthermore, plus, besides (that), for example, for instance, likewise, in fact, along with, indeed. Cars have caused people to forsake public transportation. Moreover, they've led to the construction of gigantic shopping malls. The following transitions offer contrasting information to an idea presented earlier: however, stll, nevertheless, in contrast, in fact, instead, in spite of (this), despite (this), ‘on the contrary, on the other hand. ars cause many problems. However, it would be difficult to live without them. 8. Types of transitions: (or ¢. The following transitions present a cause for or a result of an action or situation discussed earlier: therefore, thus, because (of this), on account of (this), consequently, accordingly, otherwise, as a result. Cars make it possible to live fer away from the workplace. Thus, more animal and plant habitats are destroyed each year to make way for new homes. 4. The following transitions show the relation of actions, events, or ideas in time: next, then, afterwards, meanwhile, after that, first, second, third, finally, in conclusion, to sum up. I hada series of disasters. First, the car broke down. Next, it was impounded by a policeman, These transitions are also commonly used to show the organization and presentation of a writer's or speaker's ideas. First, cars have vastly increased our mobility. Second, cars have siven people more freedom. Finally, the car industry Provides employment. Note: Some transitions can function in more than one category. See Grammar Note 11. See Appendix 22 on page A25 for a more complete list of transitions. 9, Punctuation of transitions: Be careful! Be sure to place a period or a semicolon— not a comma—before a transition when it is the first word in a sentence or clause. A comma in this location is incorrect and creates an error called a comma splice, ‘She has 8 car. However, she rarely uses it oe She has a car; however, she rarely uses it. 2 Rte arhoweverree ee See From Grammar to Writing after Part Vill, page 302, for further discussion of comma splices. 10, Be careful! Do not confuse subordinating conjunctions with transitions. The vain is old end diy. However, it sets me to work Not Theseniccldand diy Althoughiceiemeiowere 11. Though can be a subordinating conjunction or a tran: subordnatng conjunction Though cers have become increasingly expensive, nearly everyone finds a Way 10 afford them. tanston meaning however Jobs, though, aren't everthing. Jn fact can both add and contrast. I'm very fond of tain rides. in fact, trains are the most civilized way to travel. (adds) ‘Many people believe that planes are unsafe. In fact, they/re statistically safer than cars. (contrasts) The coordinating conjunction or (else) can have two meanings. You can take the metro, or (else) you can go by bus. (adds an alternative) Make your payment, or (else) we'll repossess your car. (suggests a consequence)