I recently promised myself that I would stop using the phrase "at turns" when describing something in a review, because that is totally stupid -- it just means sometimes. Here are a couple uses of it that I uncovered in a quick Google search:
"Her performance, at turns funny, sexy and heartbreaking..."
"The audience has been at turns furious and elated..."
"it’s at turns ramshackle and naïve, then accomplished and far-reaching..."
Anyhoo, I saw a copy of the new Paste magazine at the grocery store today and I thumbed through it and came across a book review I wrote in which I used "at turns!" I was so ashamed.
1 comment:
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*snort*
Googling the term [ "at turns" phrase ] this old post was one of the first hits.
I am trying to 'massage' my own use of 'at turns' in a review.
Despite your negative thoughts . . .I think I will leave it.
Interesting post.
...tom...
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