Author Topic: I hate journalistic writing (Read 95267 times)

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #275 on:** February 09, 2010, 02:29:14 AM »

I read this in Sunday's paper. Sure, it's a quote from over 50 years ago, but it cracked me up how much language has changed since then, and how weird it sounds to 2010 ears:

Quote

In 1953, John J. Bennett, the chairman of the City Planning Commission, announced his desire to rid Times Square of all the flea circuses, penny arcades, freak shows, wax museums and shooting galleries — which actually sound like a lot of fun.

“We want to keep the Gay White Way gay and white . . ."

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #276 on:** February 15, 2010, 10:18:43 AM »

Crash Blossoms!

rivka · « **Reply #277 on:** February 15, 2010, 10:31:25 AM »

Fun article.

Jonathon · « **Reply #278 on:** February 16, 2010, 10:05:06 PM »

Speaking of crash blossoms . . .

G.O.P. Hopes for Senate Control Face Hurdles

Brinestone · « **Reply #279 on:** February 17, 2010, 06:48:18 AM »

The sad thing is, they could fix that with a simple 's after GOP.

The Genuine · « **Reply #280 on:** February 17, 2010, 09:30:52 AM »

I don't get it, JB.

"Hopes" is plural, and they're the ones facing the hurdles, right?

Brinestone · « **Reply #281 on:** February 17, 2010, 10:58:06 AM »

Yes. The problem is that it can easily be misread, until the reader runs into another verb: face.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #282 on:** February 17, 2010, 11:53:20 AM »

I don't like face hurdles because they're always looking up my skirts when I jump over them.

sweet clementine · « **Reply #283 on:** February 17, 2010, 11:58:29 AM »

But props to you for jumping hurdles in a skirt

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #284 on:** February 17, 2010, 01:24:26 PM »

I'm quite dainty.

Brinestone · « **Reply #285 on:** February 17, 2010, 02:15:25 PM »

Quote

I'm quite dainty.

Man, the joke I was about to make in reference to this was so inappropriate.

The Genuine · « **Reply #286 on:** February 17, 2010, 02:32:00 PM »

:: pouts ::

I wanna see the joke!

Brinestone · « **Reply #287 on:** February 17, 2010, 03:22:50 PM »

It was in reference to Tante's post about the giant spiderweb of indifference picture, in which she stated that her crotch was undainty.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #288 on:** February 17, 2010, 09:08:54 PM »

"Dainty" has got to be one of my favorite adjectives. It really doesn't get enough air time for my taste.

Jonathon · « **Reply #289 on:** March 20, 2010, 09:00:56 PM »

I can't figure out how to parse this headline.

rivka · « **Reply #290 on:** March 20, 2010, 10:07:04 PM »

The title that appears on the top (in FF, at least) makes far more sense.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #291 on:** March 22, 2010, 02:49:48 AM »

Butcher Sparkles in Duck Loss During Annual Trip to Florida

Jonathon · « **Reply #292 on:** May 02, 2010, 10:11:45 AM »

'Very Lucky': Cops Comb Foiled Times Sq. Bomb Clues

Jonathon · « **Reply #293 on:** May 04, 2010, 06:05:19 PM »

Good spelling, Fox News.

rivka · « **Reply #294 on:** May 04, 2010, 06:12:42 PM »

Is the misspelling theirs or the person they're quoting?

Jonathon · « **Reply #295 on:** May 04, 2010, 06:16:29 PM »

I would guess it's their own. Typos in quotations are usually silently corrected. If it really is a misspelling that belongs to the quoted person, and Fox News wants to preserve it, then they should add a [sic].

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #296 on:** May 04, 2010, 08:53:44 PM »

Or a

JT · « **Reply #297 on:** May 13, 2010, 10:41:04 AM »

Sports journalism continues to keep the bar quite low:

Quote

He was the 10th ranked player in the state of Virginia, but his All State recognition came on defense where he possessed all of the intangibles including a 4.4 forty time.

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

Since I don't know how obvious it is to non-sports fans, something like a 40 yard dash time is decidedly tangible. Intangibles are things like leadership ability, heart, and work ethic.

rivka · « **Reply #298 on:** May 24, 2010, 05:22:19 PM »

WHO thought that typeface was a good idea? Not the one most of the text is in; the one the headlines are in. And even worse, the examples are in it too!

Jonathon · « **Reply #299 on:** May 24, 2010, 06:22:20 PM »

What. The. Crap.