Re: Grammar: "Multiply by" or "Multiply times"?

[Chris Morton <salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com>]

"Times it" is slang. I've heard it uttered by folks who don't know the
term, "multiply," or who are hesitant to use such a big word comprised of
three syllables (think Jeff Foxworthy caricatures).

It would be all too easy for ESLs to pick up said slang; I do not fault
them.

Chris Morton



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On Tue, Apr 25, 2017 at 9:54 AM, Emoto <emoto1 -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:

> I should have pointed out that all of the dictionaries I tried use "by" in
> their examples.
>
> On Tue, Apr 25, 2017 at 9:48 AM, Cardimon, Craig <ccardimon -at- m-s-g -dot- com>
> wrote:
> >
> > "By" sounds better.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:
> techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of
> Emoto
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2017 9:48 AM
> > To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
> > Subject: Grammar: "Multiply by" or "Multiply times"?
> >
> > I am dealing with laboratory instructions (recipes, if you will) for
> biochemists and lab technicians.
> >
> > Part of my gig is to clarify and clean up language as I make other
> required doc changes.
> >
> > I come across something like "multiply the absorbance of the dilution
> times 20" and want to change "times" to "by".
> >
> > Am I being pedantic?
> >
> > Bob
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