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Discussion Groups / English Usage / July 2009It drives me crazy
Journalists drive me crazy. The latest "gap-filler" in trendy use by journalists (you know the people who should know better because they earn their living with words) is "I mean". Specially when some moron _opens_ his remarks with it. "And now, over to Dan live at the scene. What more can you tell us, Dan?" "I mean, it was so unexpected..." Grrrr And another thing from the same morons; using "epicenter" when they mean "center". "Fulsome" when they mean "generous". "Alternate" when they mean "alternative". "Infer" when they mean "imply". And, to close my grump on a lighter note often among Pakistani army commentators: "miscreant" when they mean "militant" Isn't anyone in charge of teaching English any more? > Isn't anyone in charge of teaching English any more? No, not any more.  Signatureqt > Journalists drive me crazy. . . . Isn't anyone in charge of teaching > English any more? Apparently not. Still, one needs, I think, to cut a little slack for those speaking without a prepared script: it's not as easy as it looks (and bad habits are terribly easy to acquire). The so-called journalists who deserve the most condemnation are the print journalists, who--even under tight deadline--have the luxury of at least a moment's reflection before committing their words to posterity. SignatureCordially, Eric Walker, Owlcroft House http://owlcroft.com/english/ >> Journalists drive me crazy. . . . Isn't anyone in charge of teaching >> English any more? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >The so-called journalists who deserve the most condemnation are the print They may deserve the strictest standards, but I think they also do a better job, and deserve the same or less condemnation. TV news is the worst. Especially the "conclusion" sentence that many stories end with. Especially with local news, the last sentence of a story where they try to summarize or find some lesson is often silly, unsupported, and often untrue. >journalists, who--even under tight deadline--have the luxury of at least >a moment's reflection before committing their words to posterity. SignaturePosters should say where they live, and for which area they are asking questions. I have lived in Western Pa. 10 years Indianapolis 10 years Chicago 6 years Brooklyn, NY 12 years Baltimore 26 years > Journalists drive me crazy. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Specially when some moron _opens_ his remarks with it. I hear this on the BBC ad nauseam. Also, every problem is a 'dilemma'. The word 'implode' seems to be popular as does the phrase--quite meaningless in the contexts--'on the ground'. > "And now, over to Dan live at the scene. What more can you tell us, > Dan?" [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Isn't anyone in charge of teaching English any more? SignatureWhich of the seven heavens / Was responsible her smile / Wouldn't be sure but attested / That, whoever it was, a god / Worth kneeling-to for a while / Had tabernacled and rested. >> Journalists drive me crazy. >> The latest "gap-filler" in trendy use by journalists (you know the >> people who should know better because they earn their living with >> words) is "I mean". >> Specially when some moron _opens_ his remarks with it. > I hear this on the BBC ad nauseam. Also, every problem is a 'dilemma'. > The word 'implode' seems to be popular as does the phrase--quite > meaningless in the contexts--'on the ground'. "On a daily/weeklymonthly basis". "Now" at the beginning of sentences. In just one item of today's BBC news on-line we have: "Former veterans", "has authored a number of military books", and "He has advised a number of military films". Grrr! >>> Journalists drive me crazy. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > "On a daily/weeklymonthly basis". I was just about to mention that one! And I wish they'd all stop worrying about intrusive R's. I'd happily put up with 'Laura Norder' if only they would stop splitting words like 'forever' where the 'r' ISN'T intrusive. It's only a matter of time before we hear 'going for(') a walk'. And I wish they'd differentiate between instant, instance, incident and incidence. 'There have been several recent instants involving the use of knives'. 'There was an incidence yesterday outside a pub.' You'd have to explain to them that 'nce' at the end of a word doesn't make it a plural. But then you'd have to explain plural, and you'd be there all day. > Grrr! Grrr? Don't speak to me about Grrr! Peter |
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