Positioning two instances of “it” in a question, is one option more likely to be confusing, ambiguous, or...
I'm torn how to position the two instances of "it" in this question. I believe that both sentences are acceptable and convey the same meaning, but I'm not sure which is more likely to be confusing, ambiguous, or mis-understood.
Does one stand out as the better title for a Stack Exchange question? Is there a standard rule at play here that I should know about?
A: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize redissolve it or melt it?
B: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize it redissolve or melt it?
I suppose I could also get rid of one instance all together as well:
C: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize redissolve or melt it?
word-order it
asked 13 hours ago
uhohuhoh
350113
add a comment |
I'm torn how to position the two instances of "it" in this question. I believe that both sentences are acceptable and convey the same meaning, but I'm not sure which is more likely to be confusing, ambiguous, or mis-understood.
Does one stand out as the better title for a Stack Exchange question? Is there a standard rule at play here that I should know about?
A: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize redissolve it or melt it?
B: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize it redissolve or melt it?
I suppose I could also get rid of one instance all together as well:
C: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize redissolve or melt it?
word-order it
asked 13 hours ago
uhohuhoh
350113
I may need some help with proper tagging.
– uhoh
13 hours ago
2
I find all three options perfectly clear and natural, with a slight preference for B. In natural conversation, I think I’d probably use it three times: “Does heating to decrystallise it redissolve it or melt it?”. (Note the double L and the prefix in decrystallise – I’ve never heard of un-crystallising honey, but decrystallising honey is a reasonably common phrase.)
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
@JanusBahsJacquet thanks for the reassurance, and for a new word for me; decrystallise
– uhoh
13 hours ago
1
@JanusBahsJacquet I might even use four instances of the pronoun: Does heating it to un-crystalize it redissolve it or melt it?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
add a comment |
I'm torn how to position the two instances of "it" in this question. I believe that both sentences are acceptable and convey the same meaning, but I'm not sure which is more likely to be confusing, ambiguous, or mis-understood.
Does one stand out as the better title for a Stack Exchange question? Is there a standard rule at play here that I should know about?
A: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize redissolve it or melt it?
B: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize it redissolve or melt it?
I suppose I could also get rid of one instance all together as well:
C: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize redissolve or melt it?
word-order it
asked 13 hours ago
uhohuhoh
350113
I'm torn how to position the two instances of "it" in this question. I believe that both sentences are acceptable and convey the same meaning, but I'm not sure which is more likely to be confusing, ambiguous, or mis-understood.
Does one stand out as the better title for a Stack Exchange question? Is there a standard rule at play here that I should know about?
A: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize redissolve it or melt it?
B: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize it redissolve or melt it?
I suppose I could also get rid of one instance all together as well:
C: Is honey really a supersaturated solution? Does heating to un-crystalize redissolve or melt it?
word-order it
word-order it
asked 13 hours ago
uhohuhoh
350113
asked 13 hours ago
uhohuhoh
350113
edited 13 hours ago
uhoh
asked 13 hours ago
uhohuhoh
350113
asked 13 hours ago
uhohuhoh
350113
asked 13 hours ago
uhohuhoh
350113
350113
I may need some help with proper tagging.
– uhoh
13 hours ago
2
I find all three options perfectly clear and natural, with a slight preference for B. In natural conversation, I think I’d probably use it three times: “Does heating to decrystallise it redissolve it or melt it?”. (Note the double L and the prefix in decrystallise – I’ve never heard of un-crystallising honey, but decrystallising honey is a reasonably common phrase.)
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
@JanusBahsJacquet thanks for the reassurance, and for a new word for me; decrystallise
– uhoh
13 hours ago
1
@JanusBahsJacquet I might even use four instances of the pronoun: Does heating it to un-crystalize it redissolve it or melt it?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
add a comment |
I may need some help with proper tagging.
– uhoh
13 hours ago
2
I find all three options perfectly clear and natural, with a slight preference for B. In natural conversation, I think I’d probably use it three times: “Does heating to decrystallise it redissolve it or melt it?”. (Note the double L and the prefix in decrystallise – I’ve never heard of un-crystallising honey, but decrystallising honey is a reasonably common phrase.)
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
@JanusBahsJacquet thanks for the reassurance, and for a new word for me; decrystallise
– uhoh
13 hours ago
1
@JanusBahsJacquet I might even use four instances of the pronoun: Does heating it to un-crystalize it redissolve it or melt it?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
I may need some help with proper tagging.
– uhoh
13 hours ago
I may need some help with proper tagging.
– uhoh
13 hours ago
2
2
I find all three options perfectly clear and natural, with a slight preference for B. In natural conversation, I think I’d probably use it three times: “Does heating to decrystallise it redissolve it or melt it?”. (Note the double L and the prefix in decrystallise – I’ve never heard of un-crystallising honey, but decrystallising honey is a reasonably common phrase.)
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
I find all three options perfectly clear and natural, with a slight preference for B. In natural conversation, I think I’d probably use it three times: “Does heating to decrystallise it redissolve it or melt it?”. (Note the double L and the prefix in decrystallise – I’ve never heard of un-crystallising honey, but decrystallising honey is a reasonably common phrase.)
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
@JanusBahsJacquet thanks for the reassurance, and for a new word for me; decrystallise
– uhoh
13 hours ago
@JanusBahsJacquet thanks for the reassurance, and for a new word for me; decrystallise
– uhoh
13 hours ago
1
1
@JanusBahsJacquet I might even use four instances of the pronoun: Does heating it to un-crystalize it redissolve it or melt it?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
@JanusBahsJacquet I might even use four instances of the pronoun: Does heating it to un-crystalize it redissolve it or melt it?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago
add a comment |
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I may need some help with proper tagging.
– uhoh
13 hours ago
2
I find all three options perfectly clear and natural, with a slight preference for B. In natural conversation, I think I’d probably use it three times: “Does heating to decrystallise it redissolve it or melt it?”. (Note the double L and the prefix in decrystallise – I’ve never heard of un-crystallising honey, but decrystallising honey is a reasonably common phrase.)
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
13 hours ago
@JanusBahsJacquet thanks for the reassurance, and for a new word for me; decrystallise
– uhoh
13 hours ago
1
@JanusBahsJacquet I might even use four instances of the pronoun: Does heating it to un-crystalize it redissolve it or melt it?
– Jason Bassford
8 hours ago