89. When it is decided that of two particular words, one shall, for the sake of avoiding ambiguity, be excluded from phrases, the word selected for exclusion, (that is, selected for the slower method of writing), should be the less common and useful of the two words; or if there seems to be no room for preference in this respect, then we should reserve for phrasing purposes the word which the phrase brings into or nearest to its own position, rather than the word which the phrase carries away from its own position. For instance, as to go and to give must be distinguished, we join go in order to bring it into its own position; and we disjoin give for the same reason. So, in distinguishing of me, and of him, we join me, and disjoin him; but in the phrases, to me and to him, we join him, and disjoin me.

Variation Of Outline

90. Words of similar outlines which in phrases lose their positional distinction, may be distinguished, if distinction be necessary, by giving to one of them a different outline from its usual one. Thus the stroke t standing alone, above the line, is perfectly clear as a word-sign for time, but in many phrases, would scarcely be legible. The method of distinction adopted in such a case is to substitute the full outline of the word for the incomplete outline used as a word-sign. The substitution of a full outline for an incomplete outline is one of the several methods of "Variation" which will be explained in the next chapter.