Grammar Moses: Because, because, because, because, because!

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

This is all about one of my favorite subordinating conjunctions: "because."

"It seems that the word 'because' is disappearing from the landscape of writers and editors, being replaced by 'since' and 'as,'" wrote reader Neal Lorenzi.

I'd add the empty-calorie mouthful "due to the fact that" to the list.

But Neal is not done making his point.

"It's been happening for a long time. More and more sentences read: 'This engine offers better performance (since or as) it has 12 cylinders.' What's wrong with: 'This engine offers better performance because it has 12 cylinders"?

First, what in the heck is a subordinating conjunction? This is a question that, if it were hurled at me during high school English class, would have sent me into convulsions.

With the benefit of research materials I can tell you it's a word that connects two parts of a sentence in which one part - the subordinate - explains the other one.

Other subordinating conjunctions are "after," "before," "once," "when," "whenever," "where," "wherever" and "while."

First, let's test Neal's hypothesis, because (there, I wrote it organically!) I haven't noticed the same trend.

I compared "because" and "since" in Google's Ngram Viewer, a handy tool that tells you about the frequency with which words or phrases are used in books. It's even handier for comparing the use of words or phrases.

The Ngram Viewer illustrates that since 1800 (the first year in Google's study) "because" has always held an edge over "since." Since about 1900, that gulf has widened. And "because" is used far more often than "since" (more than twice as often) in books published today than at any other point in the study.

That seems strange to me, given that "since" has more uses than "because."

Perhaps Neal is sensing a trend more in conversation.

While I'm sure Google knows just about everything we are saying - and thinking, for that matter - it has not offered any studies on how often words come up in idle chitchat and emails.

Give it time.

I was taught long ago that when choosing between "because" and "since," the former connotes causality, while the latter suggests a sense of time.

But linguist Bryan Garner notes that "since" has been used to show causality for a millennium or more.

So, Neal, don't worry too much about the future of "because," because it seems pretty secure to me.

Let's dissect 'dissect'

I rarely wade into the murky waters of proper pronunciation, given the vast number of regional dialects - sometimes within a single city. But let's throw caution to the wind.

"One word that bothers me is the pronunciation of 'dissect,'" wrote reader Ray Tamas. "Everyone says 'di-sect' (with a long I), not 'dis-sect' (with a short I). This seems to be true even for actors portraying medical staff. You can bisect a line in geometry, but not di-sect a specimen in biology. I have dissected many specimens in college. I may be the only person bothered by that word, but I have never passed up the opportunity to correct my students."

I understand, Ray. But I have to tell you that as with me and my misunderstanding of "since," you've been living a lie all these years.

I consulted with three American dictionaries - Merriam-Webster, American Heritage and New Oxford American - and each offers two pronunciations - the one you've been insisting on and the one that rhymes with "bisect."

You're in good company, though. I make uncomfortable discoveries about things I was taught - more than I care to admit. Perhaps that is what is meant by "lifelong learning."

Write carefully!

• Jim Baumann is vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald. Write him at jbaumann@dailyherald.com. Put Grammar Moses in the subject line. You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim.