OT: Syntax for if/then statement

[Martha J Davidson]

At 10:22 AM 6/29/2006, Tammy.VanBoening at jeppesen.com wrote:
>Our new editor wants to add the word "and" to such
>statements - if <blah, blah>, AND then <blah, blah>. Both I and the other
>writer disagree with the editor on this one - it should be just if/then -
>no "and."

Tammy,

I think your editor is overreacting to the use of "then" following
a comma in an entirely different context. As other folks have said,
using if A, then B, is just good English; anything else won't parse.

In some procedural steps, there's a trend to say "Do A, then do B,"
which many editors prefer to change to "Do A, AND then to B." Your
editor seems to have mixed up these two very different uses of "then"
following an initial clause. Can you check with him/her to see if
this is a possible misinterpretation of the new--incorrect--recommendation?

martha

--
Martha Jane {Kolman | Davidson}
Dances With Words
editrix at nemasys.com

"Too many words bring about exhaustion."
      --Tao Te Ching, Chapter 5 (translated by Sheets/Tovey)