# Dangling, misplaced, and...squirting? (A grammar question.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 17, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335 "2003-01-17T23:20:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/1 "2003-01-17T23:20:53Z")
OK, I’m clear on what a dangling modifier is. I’m clear on the concept of a misplaced modifier. Having said that, my confusion is great. (Yeah, that was a little self-referential grammar joke. Haw haw.) Next week, I’m going to be attending a seminar in which proper grammatical use of modifiers is discussed. The topics: dangling modifiers, hanging modifiers, and something called **squirting modifiers**. What the heck is a _squirting_ modifier? A Google search turned up one whole webpage, which was remarkably lacking in explanation. And I don’t find the term in the index of _The Elements of Style_. Anyone heard of squirting modifiers before? Anyone want to give me a quick grammar lesson before next week? ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/2 "2003-01-17T23:53:39Z")
Forgot to [link to the webpage](http://www.eeicommunications.com/onlinetraining/courselisting/100_outline.htm) I mentioned above. (Scroll most of the way down.) I’m excited to learn about this new breakthrough in grammatickal science, whatever it is. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/3 "2003-01-17T23:56:24Z")
Are you sure it’s not a dirty joke on the part of the seminar coordinators? ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/4 "2003-01-18T00:03:13Z")
[insert prosthetic nipple joke here] ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/5 "2003-01-18T00:24:48Z")
The link you gave had ‘misplaces’ instead of ‘misplaced’. Could ‘squirting modifier’ be a typo for ‘squinting modifier’.? A squinting modifier is one which is placed in such a position that it could refer to either the preceeding or the following phrase. An example is Eating often makes her sick. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/6 "2003-01-18T00:26:02Z")
Hee! Snork! A **squinting** modifier is one which is placed between two nouns or phrases, so that the reader can’t tell which one is being modified: “Asking Cecil often will improve your chances of getting an answer.” Um, does that mean “Asking Cecil often” will get you an answer, or that asking Cceil will often get you an answer? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/7 "2003-01-18T00:36:01Z")
I think squirting modifier is funnier. ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/8 "2003-01-18T00:37:54Z")
> [@](#): > > The link you gave had ‘misplaces’ instead of ‘misplaced’. Could ‘squirting modifier’ be a typo for ‘squinting modifier’.? Why yes, yes it could. And, in fact, it is. I misread the e-mailed title for next week’s seminar – :smack: – and I didn’t remember hearing the term “squinting modifier.” (Although, given the examples in this tread, I can certainly identify the problem.) Someone should invent a squirting modifier. The expanded possibilities for innuendo in high-school English classes alone would make it worthwhile. ---
**Author:** ![hello32499](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cc9497/32.png) [@hello32499](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hello32499)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/9 "2003-01-18T00:42:34Z")
Hey Jabba and Nametag, do either of you have anymore examples of squinting modifiers because I still don’t get it–I only get one meaning out of either of those sentences. Unless Nametag’s sentence could be read as"Often asking …" or “Asking Cecil will often…” And Jabba’s could be read as “Often eating …” or “Eating makes her sick often.” Right? Any words, other than often, that do this? ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/10 "2003-01-18T00:53:40Z")
**hello32499** : Your second paragraph is exactly right. Some other examples: Workers entering this area routinely should wear safety helmets. ( Though you might well argue that ‘routinely’ is very similar to ‘often’). Defining your terms clearly strengthens your argument. ---
**Author:** ![hello32499](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cc9497/32.png) [@hello32499](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hello32499)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/11 "2003-01-18T03:22:45Z")
Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangling-misplaced-and-squirting-a-grammar-question/149335/12 "2003-01-18T05:14:47Z")
When dangling, you should not use participles.