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Index N
- namable
- nameable
- names of Canadian universities (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau)
- names of government departments (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau)
- nano-
- nas-
- naso-
- National Assembly
- National Capital Region
- nay
- NB
- N.B.
- NDT
- near
- necessary prerequisite
- need
- needs
- neither … nor
- neo-
- Net (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau)
- neuro-
- never used to
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Newfoundland Daylight Time
- Newfoundland Standard Time
- new French spelling (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau)
- new innovation
- new recruit
- Nfld.
- NL
- N.L.
- no
- noci-
- noct-
- nocti-
- non-
- nona-
- non-flammable
- non-inflammable
- non sequitur
- Northwest Territories
- Norwego-
- notify
- not quite
- noun
- noun clause
- noun phrase
- noun used as an adjective
- Nova Scotia
- Nowel
- NS
- N.S.
- NST
- NT
- NU
- nulli-
- number
- numbers: age
- numbers: clarity
- numbers: comparative and inclusive numbers
- numbers: consistency
- numbers: decimal fractions
- numbers: governmental and historical designations
- number sign
- numbers in compound adjectives
- numbers: market quotations
- numbers: mathematical usage
- numbers: money
- numbers: names of organizations
- numbers: plurals
- numbers: quantities and measures
- numbers: ratios
- numbers: reference numbers
- numbers: Roman numerals
- numbers: round numbers
- numbers: spelled-out numbers
- numbers starting a sentence
- numbers used as nouns
- numbers: votes and scores
- number symbol
- numeric date
- Nunavut
- N.W.T.
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non sequitur
The term non sequitur is a Latin phrase meaning “it doesn’t follow.” In this error in logic, the writer makes a statement that doesn’t follow logically from the one before it.
False conclusion
A non sequitur may simply be a false conclusion, one that cannot be drawn from the evidence stated:
- Global warming has occurred in the past as a result of natural factors and has never ended in disaster. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that the current global warming is caused by human activity or will create serious problems, and anyone who says it will is merely an alarmist.
Omission of details
Sometimes, however, there is a logical connection that has not been made clear; the writer has left out key steps in the reasoning process because he or she thinks they are obvious.
- John approved the funding before the committee meeting, so we will have to cancel the project.
A logical connection does not exist between these two statements: If the funding was approved, it does not make sense to cancel the project. Of course, with the phrase “before the committee meeting,” the writer is suggesting that something happened at the meeting to reverse the decision. But it is important to state facts clearly rather than simply to imply them. The writer needs to explain what happened between the two events:
- John approved the funding before the committee meeting. But at the meeting, the committee overruled John’s decision, so we will have to cancel the project.
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