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Parentheses - related terms

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Latest post Sun, Aug 27 2006 11:35 PM by Kooyeen. 4 replies.
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Kooyeen  +  259611 Sat, 26 Aug 06 07:30 PM

Hi, Smile [:)]

speaking about North American English, what are the terms that are usually used along with parenthesis or parentheses? I'll give you some examples so you'll be able to better understand what I mean:

  • Usual name of  ( and ). ( Is it open/close parenthesis? I wonder why close and not closed...)
  • What to say when you want somebody to write a parentheses, for example while you are dictating something.
  • Is it possible to use the verb to open and to close with parenthesis? Example: "You forgot to close the last parenthesis" or  "The teacher said to open a parenthesis before the word 'example'".
  • Is "to open a parenthesis" an idiomatic expression? (like "I'd like to open a parenthesis about this issue...")

Thank you in advance.
Kooyeen
Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005
Italy
Veteran Member 5,157
Parental Advisory / Explicit Posts
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Nef  +  259637 Sat, 26 Aug 06 10:02 PM

Hi, Smile [:)]

speaking about North American English, what are the terms that are usually used along with parenthesis or parentheses? I'll give you some examples so you'll be able to better understand what I mean:

  • Usual name of  ( and ). ( Is it open/close parenthesis? I wonder why close and not closed...)

Maybe because these could be instructions to the person writing. (See example below.)

  • What to say when you want somebody to write a parentheses, for example while you are dictating something.
  • Is it possible to use the verb to open and to close with parenthesis? Example: "You forgot to close the last parenthesis" or  "The teacher said to open a parenthesis before the word 'example'".

Yes. "Put a left parenthesis before 'example'".  (Sometimes people say 'paren' for short, but not everyone does this.)

Is "to open a parenthesis" an idiomatic expression? (like "I'd like to open a parenthesis about this issue...")    Not that I know of.

--------------

Example

If I'm telling someone to write

(2x2 + 3y) - 17

I’d say:

parenthesis (or open parenthesis/es, or left parenthesis)

2 x squared

plus 3 y

close parenthesis (or right parenthesis)

minus 17
Nef
Joined on Sun, Jan 1 2006
California, USA
Regular Member 638
,
Related discussions
Kooyeen  +  259975 Sun, 27 Aug 06 10:13 PM

Thank you Nef!

If I got it right, this dialogoue should make sense:

Dictating: "Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (28 September 1571 – 18 July 1610) was an Italian artist..."

  • A - Write this: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, (open) parenthesis, 28 September...
  • B - Ok. Michelangelo... Caravaggio... 28 September...
  • A - ...you have to open a parenthesis before the date...
  • B - Uh? Where?
  • A - Put a left parenthesis just after "Caravaggio"...
  • B - Oh, yeah, of course... 

Thank you.
Kooyeen
Nef, 3 yr 166 days ago
Yes!
Kooyeen  +  259998 Sun, 27 Aug 06 11:35 PM

All right then! Yes [Y]

And thanks!  
Kooyeen
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