A Dictionary of Cont..

go except thou bless me. This construction is
now archaic or Biblical.
Often the contrasting word introduced by
except is a personal pronoun. Some grammarians
say that, in current English, an objective
form should always be used here, as me in
everyone except me ran away. Others say that
except is in a class with but and that a following
pronoun which is placed in contrast to the subject
of a verb should be subjective, as the Z in
everybody is to meet him except I. In practice,
most educated people use an objective form of
the pronoun, as in except me, in all constructions
and a subjective form, such as except I,
will usually be considered a mistaken effort to
be “correct.”
except; but; save. Except, but, and save all indicate
something excluded from a general statement.
Except stresses the excluding (You may
have any one you choose except this one). But
simply states the exclusion (AU but one of the
survivors were in good healfh). Save, in this
sense, is poetic. (See the individual words.)
exception proves the rule. With what irritating
complacency do minor oracles assure us that
the exception proves the rule-usually as an impudent
way of reconciling their own contradictions
and inconsistencies.
Were not those who so use the expression
armed with triple brass, they might be abashed
to know that there are few phrases in the language
concerning whose exact meaning there is
so much dispute. But amid all the discussion,
there is at least this much agreement: it does not
mean what it is popularly misused to meannamely,
that the exception supports the rule.
Various other explanations have been offered,
of which the most generally accepted is that the
exception tests the rule. To test is one meaning
of to prove (Prove all things: hold fast that
which is good. He saw a gentleman cheapening
and proving swords) and this meaning is retained
in a few phrases and names, such as the
Aberdeen Proving Grounds where new military
weapons are tested. But, for the most part, to
prove today means to demonstrate, to evince, to
establish as true.
Of course there is one sense in which an exception
does demonstrate the existence of a rule.
The very admission that something is exceptional
implies a rule or norm, and this may be
taken to show that the exception proves there
is a rule, but it’s fairly far-fetched. And certainly
at no time does an exception support,
strengthen, or demonstrate the actual working
of a rule. If the exception is valid, it shows that
the rule cannot be universal and must be accepted
as an approximation at the best.
To take exception to something is to make
an objection, to demur (Professor Angstrom
took exception to the dean’s assertion that the
entire faculty desired the proposed change).
To take exception at is to be offended (Some of
the more haughty of !he aristocracy did take
exception at his neglecting to raise his cap to
them).
exceptional; exceptionable. That is exceptional
which is unusual, extraordinary (Zt is an exceptional
day on which he does not walk five miles.
The founding fathers were exceptional men).
That is exceptionable which is objectionable or
liable to objection (No one could take oflense
at his remarks; there was nothing exceptionable
in them. His management of the business has
been most exceptionable and cannot be further
tolerated!). See also unique.
excess. See access.
exclamation points are used to show strong emotion
in statements, and to emphasize commands
and warnings, as in “Oh!” he gasped, “Zt’s magnificent!”
Look out! Throw me the ball! They
should be reserved for true exclamations and
not wasted on sentences where commas would
serve as well.
Exclamation points can be used inside or outside
of quotation marks, depending upon the
meaning of the sentence, as in He shouted “AU
aboard!” and Fancy him shouting “All aboard”!
If a question ends with an exclamation, the
question mark can be omitted following the exclamation
point, as in Who yelled “Fire!“.
exclamations. An exclamation is presumably a
spontaneous expression of strong emotion. In
speech, the fact that a statement is an exclamation
is shown by pitch. In writing this is indicated
by an exclamation point at the end of the
sentence.
A sentence that begins with how, what, or
why, and that has the subject before the verb
is an exclamation, as in how far that little candle
throws his beams!, what a surprise this is!, why,
you really got here! But an exclamation may
have the form of a declarative sentence, as in
he is here!, or it may have the form of a question,
as in are you here! Surprise and questioning
are closely related and a true exclamation is
likely to take the question form. The pitch
leaves no doubt as to what is intended. But some
people will always pretend that an exclamation
of this kind is a question and then point out that
it is a stupid question. This is a harmless way of
being unpleasant and should be ignored if possible.
Exclamations are frequently incomplete expressions,
such as if only Z had come sooner!
and that he should be such a fool! The clause
that is needed to complete the thought may
remain unexpressed because it is self-evident or
because it is too difficult to express and words
fail the speaker. When an exclamation contains
a verb and no subject, as in bless his heart.’ and
strike me pink!, it is usually because the subject
God has been suppressed, either by the speaker
or by those who taught him that form of speech.
Whether to use a subjective or an objective
pronoun in fragmentary exclamation is a matter
of taste. The objective is more usual, but the
subjective is also heard, as in me too!, lucky
them!, Z dance!, me marry!, not he!, not him!,
dear me!. Some grammarians claim that the pronoun
should have the form that it would have
if the exclamation was turned into a full dc-