[Grammar] Merit/That of

[Maybo]

1.The success of a speech is often attributed to the skill of the speaker, with merit being given to speakers who are confident, articulate, knowledgeable and able to deliver a speech with conviction.

with merit being given <~~~ What does it mean?


2. But often it is not the speakers who write these moving speeches, it is a speechwriter. And one industry in which this practise is common is that of politics.

What does "that" refer to? I don't understand the structure of this sentence.

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/china/learning...009/07/090715_bbc_tae_221_speechwriting.shtml

 

[teechar]

... with merit being given ... What does it mean?

It's an adverbial. It means and merit is given. However, I would remove "being" from that sentence.

2. But often it is not the speakers who write these moving speeches, it is a speechwriter. And one industry in which this practise is common is that of politics. What does "that" refer to? I don't understand the structure of this sentence.

"That" refers to "industry." One industry in which this practise is common is the industry of politics. Simplifying it, we get: One industry in which this practise is common is politics. This is common in English.

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Note that the part below contains a comma splice.

But often it is not the speakers who write these moving speeches, it is a speechwriter.

That comma is wrong. It should be replaced with a semicolon or a full stop (period).

 

[Maybo]

It's an adverbial. It means and merit is given. However, I would remove "being" from that sentence.

Does merit here mean praise?

 

[GoesStation]

Yes.

 

[andrewg927]

No. Merit does not mean praise. It means something that deserves praise.

 

[andrewg927]

In Maybo's sentence, merit means the praiseworthy quality (the skill of the speaker) is being given to the speaker. Merit never directly means praise .

 

[andrewg927]

Well, you have to be careful because if you say merit means praise, it gives the false impression that they are interchangeable but they are not. I was trying to distinguish the difference between them.

 

[Maybo]

In Maybo's sentence, merit means the praiseworthy quality (the skill of the speaker) is being given to the speaker. Merit never directly means praise .

Who give the speakers these praiseworthy quality?

 

[Maybo]

Nobody. That was incorrect information.

So, the merit being given means people give them praise because they have these qualities such as confidence?

 

[andrewg927]

'The merit being given' is the credt/praise/recognition/etc that people give to the speaker for the speaker's confidence, articulacy, knowledge and ability to deliver a speech with conviction

That is incorrect information. No dictionary defines merit as praise.

 

[andrewg927]

Who give the speakers these praiseworthy quality?

The speaker has these praiseworthy qualities (confidence, eloquence, etc.) and the author wants the audience to know that those qualities lead to a successful speech (a speech that deserves praise).

 

[Maybo]

The speaker has these praiseworthy qualities (confidence, eloquence, etc.) and the author wants the audience to know that those qualities lead to a successful speech (a speech that deserves praise).

Why does the author use 'being given" here? What's the meaning of' being given' in this sentence? Does it mean " has"? >the speaker "has" these praiseworthy qualities?

 

[andrewg927]

Why does the author use 'being given" here? What's the meaning of' being given' in this sentence? Does it mean " has"? >the speaker "has" these praiseworthy qualities?

The author attributes the success of a speech to the skills of the speaker.

 

[Maybo]

The author attributes the success of a speech to the skills of the speaker.

Sorry, I don't understand.

 

[Maybo]

with merit being given

It's an adverbial. It means and merit is given.




How to transform the sentence structure and merit is given to with merit being given ?

 

[andrewg927]

with merit being given

It's an adverbial. It means and merit is given.

How to transform the sentence structure and merit is given to with merit being given ?

The success of a speech is often attributed to the skill of the speaker, and merit is given to speakers who are confident, articulate, knowledgeable and able to deliver a speech with conviction.

 

[andrewg927]

Sorry, I don't understand.

Here is a definition of "attribute". Look at under "verb" #1.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attribute