I hate journalistic writing

[Jonathon]

Interesting.

I tend to think that if even one person notices that something can be misinterpreted and there's an easy way to change it, it should be changed.

I agree to an extent. As Porter notes, pretty much anything can be misinterpreted if you put your mind to it. Some things are obviously more problematic than others, though, and if it's no trouble to change it, then it should be changed.  

[Farmgirl]

It's amazing how one letter can totally change the visual message a reader receives...

Sale ad

[Jonathon]

*snort*

[JT]

From the Times-Picayune today:

"In three quarters of work, Manning completed 20 of 25 passes (66.7 percent) for 314 yards and touchdowns of 17, 14, 79, 12, 32 and 11 yards."

------------

And in my hometown paper this weekend, there was a special section on education.

The section heading read (in giant black type)  "EDCUATION".

[Brinestone]

Somebody failed math in high school.

[pooka]

Well, who would have thought there would be a real world application for it?  I mean, if you are A) a journalist and assigned to athletics, one would imagine it would be somewhat safe -- except for when it isn't.

[JT]

I might agree with part A) of that statement, but there's no popular American sport that I'm aware of that doesn't heavily rely on math and numbers to track player progression/value.

[pooka]

Yes, but the stats are usually compiled by someone else, not the journalists.  I'm guessing.  I'm just poking fun at the whole "when will I use this in real life" whine.

[JT]

They're compiled by someone else, but it's a rare person in sports who doesn't track field goal percentage, PPG, YPC, batting average, ERA, free throw percentage, winning percentage, turnover ration, A:T ratio, etc.

I got the joke, though.

[Porter]

Shamelessly stolen from Fark:

Headline: Mind-controlled prosthetic arm plays the piano

Text in the article: A person wearing a Proto 2 could conceivably play the piano.

[Jonathon]

I feel like I'm missing something.

[Porter]

It's the difference between "plays the piano" and "could conceivably play the piano".

[Jonathon]

Ah, of course. That old journalistic standby, the wildly exaggerative headline.

[theCrowsWife]

This was just posted on Language Log. Sadly, I don't know if even an audio version could've saved this headline.

I used to work in the Linguistics Department of the University of Arizona, so it was kind of weird to suddenly come across names that I know (Heidi Harley and Andrew Carnie).

--Mel

[Brinestone]

This was just posted on Language Log. Sadly, I don't know if even an audio version could've saved this headline.

I used to work in the Linguistics Department of the University of Arizona, so it was kind of weird to suddenly come across names that I know (Heidi Harley and Andrew Carnie).

--Mel

What did you do there?

[theCrowsWife]

I was the main programmer for the Arizona Native American Dictionary Project. I mostly worked on the Tohono O'odham dictionary, but I also helped with the Hiaki dictionary and the XML scheme. Unfortunately, it looks like the project came to a standstill after I left. I worked on it for about two years, so I spent a lot of time in the Linguistics building. I also knew several of the professors from classes that I had taken.

ETA: Heidi Harley worked on the language part of the Hiaki dictionary, if I remember correctly.

--Mel

[Farmgirl]

Okay, Jonathon -- does this make any sense whatsoever to you?

we do utilize the AP Stylebook for all print and electronic publications, though ‘email’ has become a preferred way of stating electronic mail. Webster’s has it both ways and in this instance, we chose to not use the hyphen.

So she's saying they DO use AP Style always (all print and electronic) however in THIS case, they are using what "Webster's has deemed acceptable" ??

Isn't that like saying "yeah, that's our rules, but we chose to ignore them this time, and it is perfectly okay by another set of rules"

*bites tongue*

[Jonathon]

Most places have a favorite style guide (usually Chicago or AP) and then have a small house style guide that overrides certain elements of the chosen style guide. It's really not hypocritical or schizophrenic or anything.

Though the quality of the writing in that quote makes me question their ability to make any stylistic decisions.

And not to nitpick, but dictionaries are not in the business of deeming what's acceptable; they just reflect what people are using. If people frequently spell "e-mail" without a hyphen, they'll include it. It's up to whoever is choosing or writing the style guide to decide which they want to go with.

[Farmgirl]

Though the quality of the writing in that quote makes me question their ability to make any stylistic decisions.

Yes.  And that is from the HEAD of the public relations department.  I'm sure her officer salary reflects her great journalistic skill.    

[dkw]

Pffft.  She just said they use . . . er, excuse me, utilize the style guide for all publications, not that they follow it in all instances.  So if someone pulled out the style guide at any point while working on the project it was used for that publication.    

[Jonathon]

So if someone pulled out the style guide at any point while working on the project it was used for that publication.   

Utilized.

[pooka]

Oh, I miss binary sentence diagrams.

[dkw]

So if someone pulled out the style guide at any point while working on the project it was used for that publication.  

Utilized.

Ooops.

[Zalmoxis]

And that is from the HEAD of the public relations department. I'm sure her officer salary reflects her great journalistic skill.

Man, I need to get me one of those jobs.

[Farmgirl]

Crowds Gather for Obscene Newspaper Editorial Hearing

Man, that sounds like a fun hearing to attend. (from Fox News this morning)