Page:The king's English (IA kingsenglish00fowlrich).pdf/355

Rh  implies four, three of them preferable in different degrees to the fourth. A not uncommon vulgarism.

Attempts at packing double emphasis into a single sentence are apt to result in real weakening.

The commonest form of this is due to conscientious but mistaken zeal for correctness, which prefers, for instance, without oppressing or without plundering to without oppressing or plundering. The first form excludes only one of the offences, and is therefore, though probably meant to be twice as emphatic, actually much weaker than the second, which excludes both. With and instead of or, it is another matter.