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"touch the surface" phrase | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages |  | |
| Honest Diglot Groupie United States Joined 5127 days ago 89 posts - 92 votes  Speaks: Arabic (Gulf)*, English | Message 1 of 8 05 July 2010 at 10:14am | IP Logged | ||
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Hello,
I would like to use this phrase in my academic paper, but I'm not sure about its formality. Here is my sentence: The writer only touched the surface of the issue, but he did not go deeply to show us how we can deal with that issue. I thought to say: The writer only commented vaguely on the issue...etc What do you suggest? Thanks! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| JimC Senior Member United Kingdom tinyurl.com/aberdeen Joined 5356 days ago 199 posts - 317 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 2 of 8 05 July 2010 at 10:44am | IP Logged | ||
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The most likely used phrase would be "He only scratched the surface"
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/scratch+the+surface 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| schoenewaelder Diglot Senior Member Germany Joined 5369 days ago 759 posts - 1197 votes Speaks: English*, French Studies: German, Spanish, Dutch | Message 3 of 8 05 July 2010 at 3:21pm | IP Logged | ||
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I think: touched, scratched, skimmed, brushed; are all ok in any register.
With "The writer only commented vaguely on the issue.." you're really just repeating yourself, which can be ok if you come up with something elegant, or alternatively if you start mentioning specific issues ie "The writer only commented vaguely on the issue(s) of x, y z, .." edit to add if you are after a more sophisticated register then "the writer/author only commented superficially on the issue.." Edited by schoenewaelder on 05 July 2010 at 3:26pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Honest Diglot Groupie United States Joined 5127 days ago 89 posts - 92 votes Speaks: Arabic (Gulf)*, English | Message 4 of 8 05 July 2010 at 3:36pm | IP Logged | ||
Thank you. I think I get confused between "scratch" and "touch." Thanks again :) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Honest Diglot Groupie United States Joined 5127 days ago 89 posts - 92 votes Speaks: Arabic (Gulf)*, English | Message 5 of 8 05 July 2010 at 3:38pm | IP Logged | ||
I see. I think then I have to replace "but" with "as." That would (will?) work better! Thanks! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| tracker465 Senior Member United States Joined 5161 days ago 355 posts - 496 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Spanish, Dutch | Message 6 of 8 05 July 2010 at 11:43pm | IP Logged | ||
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I would replace "touched" with "scratched" as well. When I write my academic papers, I personally try to stay away from such idiomatic usages when possible, but the it becomes more of a stylistic issue. What is your field of study? I find this to play a larger role as to how one should write. If it is English or something like that, then I would go with "the author only commented superficially on the issue" as mentioned above, but if it is another field, I think it is okay as it is written, especially with touch changed to scratched Edited by tracker465 on 05 July 2010 at 11:43pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Teango Triglot Winner TAC 2010 & 2012 Senior Member United States teango.wordpress.comRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5365 days ago 2210 posts - 3734 votes Speaks: English*, German, Russian Studies: Hawaiian, French, Toki Pona | Message 7 of 8 06 July 2010 at 1:21am | IP Logged | ||
It looks like you've merged two phrases into one here, which is very easily done. ;) 1. "The writer only touched on the issue..." 2. "The writer only scratched the surface..." Edited by Teango on 06 July 2010 at 1:25am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| DaisyMaisy Senior Member United States Joined 5189 days ago 115 posts - 178 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish Studies: Swedish, Finnish | Message 8 of 8 07 July 2010 at 5:21am | IP Logged | ||
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Yes, definitely take out the "but", otherwise you're contradicting yourself. :)
It's a bit of an awkward sentence with "the issue" being used twice. Hmmm, probably just my innate love of brevity, but I might say something like: The author only touched briefly on the issue, and did not go deeply into how to resolve it. or something like that? I find "scratch the surface" to be less formal, but as someone mentioned, it depends on the circumstances. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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