GalacticCactus Forum

Author Topic: I hate journalistic writing  (Read 99596 times)

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Marianne Dashwood

  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,767
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #450 on: August 04, 2011, 07:46:05 PM »
Occam must be shaving in his grave.
-Pooka

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #451 on: August 04, 2011, 07:48:28 PM »
 B)
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline rivka

  • Linguistic Anarchist
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,142
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #452 on: August 04, 2011, 09:25:42 PM »
I went about 6 weeks back. It was . . . interesting how many of those stories I had already read, and remembered. (Some of the ones I hadn't had dead links, darn it!)
"Sometimes you need a weirdo to tell you that things have gotten weird. Your normal friends, neighbors, and coworkers won’t tell you."
-Aaron Kunin

Offline pooka

  • hover bear
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 18,872
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #453 on: August 05, 2011, 07:20:34 AM »
I was mildly amused by the first page, but "bling wearing cannibals" got me laughing aloud and the literal one about Rihanna made me weep with laughter.  But I probably need to stop and get some work done while the baby is sleeping. Right after I check the stuff board...
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his work."  Comte de Saint-Simon

Offline Brinestone

  • Nerdkins
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,234
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #454 on: August 10, 2011, 10:34:35 AM »
I have no idea how to parse this one: U.S. Killed Taliban Behind Afghanistan Helicopter Downing. The only way it makes sense grammatically is if the Taliban whom the U.S. killed is behind the helicopter downing, but if he (they?) is dead, how could he be behind anything? Or maybe they killed him after he downed the helicopter?
Ephemerality is not binary. -Porter

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #455 on: August 10, 2011, 10:49:20 AM »
I think the latter interpretation is right, and the opening paragraph confirms it.
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline BlackBlade

  • Deadbeat Dad
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,029
  • Gifs are all lies.
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #456 on: August 10, 2011, 01:25:05 PM »
Not necessarily, zombies are more than capable of bringing down a helicopter given favorable circumstances.
Kyrgyzstan, is the homeland of the Kyrgyzs, a people best known for cheating at Scrabble. -Tante Shvester

What, you expected us to be badly injured or dead, and flying blind to boot? You're the one who told us all to be Awesome. -Brinestone

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #457 on: August 23, 2011, 10:53:34 PM »
See how long it takes to find the verb of the main clause:

Quote
Up on the top of Kennecott's tailings pond, on a road that straddles a line between the north pond, which holds a lake of bluish-gray water, and the south pond, which looks like a native prairie with dry, blond wheat and juniper bushes dotting the fields, Paula Doughty, Kennecott tailings and water services manager, is talking about the mine's philosophy toward environmental stewardship.
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline rivka

  • Linguistic Anarchist
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,142
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #458 on: August 23, 2011, 11:07:30 PM »
Wow. I have a tendency towards long sentences, but that one is impressively bad.
"Sometimes you need a weirdo to tell you that things have gotten weird. Your normal friends, neighbors, and coworkers won’t tell you."
-Aaron Kunin

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #459 on: September 07, 2011, 07:53:28 PM »
Have I mentioned before that I hate headline conventions? Well, I do. It took me at least three tries to figure out how to parse this:

Quote
Pelosi Peeved Republicans Opt Out of Rebuttal to Obama Speech

The correct answer: "Pelosi [is] peeved [that] Republicans opt out of rebuttal to Obama speech."
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline Marianne Dashwood

  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,767
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #460 on: September 07, 2011, 09:12:50 PM »
… which would have been way longer and would have given the typesetter a cramp to have to write all the way out.
Occam must be shaving in his grave.
-Pooka

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #461 on: September 07, 2011, 09:28:19 PM »
I can understand the need to abbreviate in paper, where space is limited (though I wonder why they don't make the headlines smaller so they can fit in more), but on the internet? What reason is there for carrying over confusing headline conventions to the internet?
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline rivka

  • Linguistic Anarchist
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,142
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #462 on: September 07, 2011, 09:50:48 PM »
Um . . .

Providing fodder for this thread?
"Sometimes you need a weirdo to tell you that things have gotten weird. Your normal friends, neighbors, and coworkers won’t tell you."
-Aaron Kunin

Offline BlackBlade

  • Deadbeat Dad
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,029
  • Gifs are all lies.
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #463 on: September 08, 2011, 09:00:49 AM »
Um . . .

Providing fodder for this thread?
Winner!
Kyrgyzstan, is the homeland of the Kyrgyzs, a people best known for cheating at Scrabble. -Tante Shvester

What, you expected us to be badly injured or dead, and flying blind to boot? You're the one who told us all to be Awesome. -Brinestone

Offline The Genuine

  • Ambcloacador of Right On
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3,570
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #464 on: September 08, 2011, 07:53:45 PM »
Jonathon, you don't read the New York Post much, do you.
I think Jesse's right.

 -- Jonathon

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #465 on: September 08, 2011, 07:56:19 PM »
I try to avoid it as a general rule.
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline rivka

  • Linguistic Anarchist
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,142
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #466 on: December 22, 2011, 10:38:38 AM »
2nd bacterial infection reported in Missouri baby

Without reading the article, how many babies have how many bacterial infections?
"Sometimes you need a weirdo to tell you that things have gotten weird. Your normal friends, neighbors, and coworkers won’t tell you."
-Aaron Kunin

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #467 on: December 22, 2011, 10:49:05 AM »
I feel like I read something about similar constructions just recently, but I can't remember where it was. It can be read as the second infection in one baby or the second baby with an infection. Headline writers don't seem to pay much attention to the ambiguity.
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline rivka

  • Linguistic Anarchist
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,142
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #468 on: December 22, 2011, 11:06:41 AM »
To my ear, only the first meaning (the wrong one) is easily deciphered.

Of course, the fact that the suspected culprit (baby formula) isn't in the headline at all is a bigger issue.
"Sometimes you need a weirdo to tell you that things have gotten weird. Your normal friends, neighbors, and coworkers won’t tell you."
-Aaron Kunin

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #469 on: December 22, 2011, 11:23:56 AM »
Quote
To my ear, only the first meaning (the wrong one) is easily deciphered.

The condensed nature of headlinese certainly doesn't help.

Quote
Of course, the fact that the suspected culprit (baby formula) isn't in the headline at all is a bigger issue.

True. Something like "Formula Suspected in Infant Infections" would have been better.

And here's the link I was thinking of. The relevant part is about halfway down, in the part about the Duggars.
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline rivka

  • Linguistic Anarchist
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,142
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #470 on: December 22, 2011, 12:11:37 PM »
Something like "Formula Suspected in Infant Infections" would have been better.
Exactly. They should hire you!
"Sometimes you need a weirdo to tell you that things have gotten weird. Your normal friends, neighbors, and coworkers won’t tell you."
-Aaron Kunin

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #471 on: December 22, 2011, 12:18:57 PM »
I appreciate the thought, but heaven forbid I ever work in journalism.
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline BlackBlade

  • Deadbeat Dad
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,029
  • Gifs are all lies.
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #472 on: December 22, 2011, 12:43:49 PM »
I appreciate the thought, but heaven forbid I ever work in journalism.
Heaven hereby forbids you to ever work in journalism!
Kyrgyzstan, is the homeland of the Kyrgyzs, a people best known for cheating at Scrabble. -Tante Shvester

What, you expected us to be badly injured or dead, and flying blind to boot? You're the one who told us all to be Awesome. -Brinestone

Offline rivka

  • Linguistic Anarchist
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,142
    • View Profile
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #473 on: December 22, 2011, 01:29:52 PM »
I appreciate the thought, but heaven forbid I ever work in journalism.
I hear and understand.
"Sometimes you need a weirdo to tell you that things have gotten weird. Your normal friends, neighbors, and coworkers won’t tell you."
-Aaron Kunin

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,673
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
Re: I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #474 on: December 22, 2011, 06:56:33 PM »
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!