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I have for many year wondered what is missing when I read sentences like

David Canton, the Education Department spokesman, stated: “(It) shouldn’t have happened. (C)ommon sense should prevail.”

I can understand that (It) might mean mean that the transcriber did not hear the "It" - perhaps the person omitted the word, but "(C)ommon"?

Would that mean that the recording might have some noise drowning the "C" out and the transcriber could not hear it or how do you interpret this?

mplungjan
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1 Answers1

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In this sense "(It)" is used to replace something else that was said, so that the small segment of speech makes sense. So, the original might have read, "This incidence of inadequate teaching resources was avoidable and shouldn't have happened".

"(C)" is used to replace a similar section, and also replaces the original lower case "c" with an upper case "C". The original might have read, "And with the benefit of my many years in the Education Department, I would expect that common sense should prevail".

Phil M Jones
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  • Right. now it makes more sense – mplungjan Jan 23 '14 at 09:04
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    Good suggestions. Of course, there is a moral duty on the quoter not to twist the sense from perhaps "This incidence of inadequate teaching resources was unavoidable and no one claimed that the situation shouldn't have happened. But on the other hand, few would expect that common sense should prevail". – Edwin Ashworth Jan 23 '14 at 09:06
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    I would have expected ellipsis if things had been left out. – mplungjan Jan 23 '14 at 09:08