The Wages of Syntax

Short story by Ray Vukcevich

"The Wages of Syntax"

Short story by Ray Vukcevich
Country| United States
Language| English
Publication
Published in| Sci Fiction
Media type| Online
Publication date| 2003

"The Wages of Syntax" is a 2003 science fiction short story by Ray Vukcevich. It was first published in Sci Fiction.

## Synopsis

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Nick Sherwood wants to disprove the "Spontaneous Competence" hypothesis that quantum effects will prevent Henry Wolfe from being killed until he learns Italian.

## Reception

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"The Wages of Syntax" was a finalist for the 2003 Nebula Award for Best Novelette.[1]

Jay Lake — writing in the Internet Review of Science Fiction — praised the "astonishing transparency" with which Vukcevich presented "changes in tense, person and point of view" (Henry, Nick, and Henry's old lover Sydney), and noted the parallels between "Spontaneous Competence" and Sydney's arrival from Italy to attend a funeral.[2]

## References

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1. ^ The Wages of Syntax, at Science Fiction Writers of America; retrieved June 5, 2018
2. ^ Cutting Out All the Parts That Aren't Interesting: Ray Vukcevich, Secret Master of Style, by Jay Lake, at the Internet Review of Science Fiction, Vol I, No. 3 (2004-03-21); archived at the Ellen Datlow/Sci Fiction Project, November 15, 2005; retrieved June 5, 2018

## External links

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* Text of the story, via the Wayback Machine
* The Wages of Syntax title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database