Re: Using "Since"?

In our last episode, <so5a63pk05mp60dopb137m0436cgso1p7s@xxxxxxx>, the
lovely and talented Tim Lebant broadcast on alt.usage.english:

I was just wondering whether it was OK to use "since" by itself in
the following sentence, or whether "ever", "then," or both
significantly improved the sentence.

"Einstein found that energy was formulaically related to matter. Hence
physicicist have (ever) since (then) recognized that atoms contained
and could release tremendous amounts of energy."

Both "hence" and "since" can mean therefore, for that reason, it follows
logically. You want one of them to have its meaning related to time and the
other to have its sense related to logic or causation. This is bound to be
confusing. Literally, "hence" means "from that place," but it also has a
meaning "ever since," as well as the "for that reason" or "because of that"
sense. "Ever since" lets us know that this "since" refers to time, but it
is too late if we began reading the sentence with the idea that "hence"
meant that. We want one expression to refer clearly to time and the other
to refer clearly to cause. I do not believe that is possible with the words
"hence" and "since" in the same sentence. So I suggest you trade "hence"
for a word that more narrowly means what you intend.

"Einstein found that energy was formulaically related to matter. Therefore
physicists ever since have recognized that atoms contained and could
release tremendous amounts of energy."

This still leaves much to be desired. I believe readers will make the
correct inference without the "therefore."

"Einstein found that energy was formulaically related to matter. Physicists
ever since have recognized that atoms contained and could release tremendous
amounts of energy."


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Lars Eighner <http://larseighner.com/> <http://myspace.com/larseighner>
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