tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53954756922167176952024-03-13T14:28:13.196-07:00Copy CurmudgeonA word geek's rant on everyday misuse of the English languageCopy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-64548637365498007112013-01-07T09:28:00.000-08:002013-01-07T09:28:10.911-08:00OK, now they're just taunting me ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Why do you hate me, Subway?</div>
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Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-54793588277768999952012-10-19T09:56:00.000-07:002012-10-19T09:56:22.018-07:00AdjectnounsFollowing my recent string of posts on senseless marketing terms, I've decided it's time to quit driving myself crazy and return to carping about real language (seeing the terms "Couponable" and "IncreDQable" was the last straw).<br />
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So on to the business world, where apparently everyone's so busy they can't take the time to utter an adjective AND the noun it's modifying -- so they just stop at the adjective. It's not "creative marketing" or "creative design"; it's just "creative." As in, "I work in creative."<br />
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I once signed on with an agency called Freelance Creative. I kept calling it Creative Freelance because either way it didn't make sense to me. It was just two adjectives. Freelance Creative <i>what</i>? Creative Freelance <i>what</i>?<br />
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I also worked for a company called XXX Legal & Regulatory. Legal and regulatory <i>WHAT</i>, dammit?!<br />
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And the list is growing. I'm told "interactive" is also a victim of this crime. And yesterday I saw twice the mention of just "social" for social media. "How businesses are achieving success with social." Grrr ...<br />
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I fear that the abbreviated world of texting and Twittering is to blame. A related trend has some hipster colleagues of mine using "sitch" for situation and "obvy" for obviously. Ugh. And don't get me started on "totes."<br />
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What was that I said about driving myself crazy?<br />
<br />Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-58697089088499680162012-09-07T11:57:00.004-07:002012-09-07T11:57:53.916-07:00Kill me now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-67124925694866494692012-08-15T12:55:00.000-07:002012-12-10T08:46:22.239-08:00Stop the insanityRemember <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5395475692216717695#editor/target=post;postID=2864422359309054031">Anytober</a>? And Fruitabulous, and those other ridiculous non-rhyming, non-punning marketing terms? Well, unfortunately, there are more where those came from ...<br />
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(I'm including photos where possible, so you know I'm not making these up. As if I could.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFapZweo9ZgFxDsZgzwxJNk9zBWMpEnj-eKQX3qbupBs67JC20xO6tUjk1P7FJWSgechbUorToP81N-Ru7nb3UVsN3PKp98Y4tx_iylS3mEOXWIwo1WiIJ9Urm9GTaZb2n7aDCSPJEpi8/s1600/Valuelicious.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFapZweo9ZgFxDsZgzwxJNk9zBWMpEnj-eKQX3qbupBs67JC20xO6tUjk1P7FJWSgechbUorToP81N-Ru7nb3UVsN3PKp98Y4tx_iylS3mEOXWIwo1WiIJ9Urm9GTaZb2n7aDCSPJEpi8/s320/Valuelicious.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In a slightly different category, we have:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyvk7kqh3-7WXVjmH0by0OhO32UgO8B7CHpmX7IQ2_8XO8xgDfRHPJDwODFQTD5kOYcyYRtLLe5vYOn8ESSFzFjuwDL0qfg7z3orWzMCNyhIyZNHS5CrjsRPQabyHz8A37xKJY9E2naY/s1600/frydrate.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="78" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyvk7kqh3-7WXVjmH0by0OhO32UgO8B7CHpmX7IQ2_8XO8xgDfRHPJDwODFQTD5kOYcyYRtLLe5vYOn8ESSFzFjuwDL0qfg7z3orWzMCNyhIyZNHS5CrjsRPQabyHz8A37xKJY9E2naY/s320/frydrate.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieERiJrnwxYvDIaSTTKh5uleglkb_VCs7owif_CTmfrEgjWfGwPwOurfUFV27aOyaCIn_omEuDqCvC2GWrTTwGYg5YaxUqkQ9_AJXhcMeyA9p4o4T89hFZbR7-Lu19aUKTCYPRd1Ejw0A/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-12-10+at+10.44.13+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieERiJrnwxYvDIaSTTKh5uleglkb_VCs7owif_CTmfrEgjWfGwPwOurfUFV27aOyaCIn_omEuDqCvC2GWrTTwGYg5YaxUqkQ9_AJXhcMeyA9p4o4T89hFZbR7-Lu19aUKTCYPRd1Ejw0A/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-12-10+at+10.44.13+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Technically</i>, these don't violate the non-rhyming rule — "frydrate" sounds like hydrate, and "YOURgage" sounds like mortgage. But. They're still stupid. (How's that for objective criticism?)</div>
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Please let the insanity stop.</div>
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(Hat tip to Patrick Donnelly for the YOURgage contribution. Thanks a <i>lot</i>, Pat.)</div>
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<br />Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-68795788021668531462012-08-09T16:24:00.001-07:002012-08-09T16:24:45.466-07:00Victory for the Copy Curmudgeon! (Well, sort of ...)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A new sign has gone up at a local restaurant, and it makes me happy:</div>
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Why? Because the Copy Curmudgeon complained about this very establishment in an <a href="http://copycurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2011/08/copy-curmudgeon-blog-kumquats.html" style="text-align: center;">earlier blog post</a>, and it appears that the powers-that-be listened! Or read. OK, likely neither. </div>
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But somebody at Bakers Square got somebody's memo about parallelism and changed its tagline (or whatever it's called) from Restaurant & Pies to Restaurant & Bakery, which makes much more sense.</div>
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I'm still waiting for that free slice of French silk pie, though.</div>
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<br /></div>Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-16757802721004873592012-07-17T13:33:00.000-07:002012-07-17T13:35:10.306-07:00Would you like a discount on language with that?I really do read things other than newspaper circulars, ads on the Web and retailers' coupons -- I promise. I read my share of fiction and nonfiction books, as well as several weekly and monthly magazines. But they typically aren't the source of such material as below, on which my blog largely depends.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5qdPMki_J1XzhSLNaLMFmPpNwffWCWmQjm7ljSUv5c7linCzIf2w0ntod_DdG1dIcAumlfTJbxDjZapHMoTg5G4BgaxC40dMsOiPTQgoxEmWK1I5I8dtPhVZJS4A5xcHLqcRo_uCECM/s1600/save+15%25+off.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5qdPMki_J1XzhSLNaLMFmPpNwffWCWmQjm7ljSUv5c7linCzIf2w0ntod_DdG1dIcAumlfTJbxDjZapHMoTg5G4BgaxC40dMsOiPTQgoxEmWK1I5I8dtPhVZJS4A5xcHLqcRo_uCECM/s1600/save+15%25+off.JPG" /></a></div>
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To say "Save 15% off your next purchase" is wrong. I can't tell you why, exactly; it just is. Here are some guesses at what this particular store means:<br />
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<li>TAKE 15% off your next purchase.</li>
<li>GET 15% off your next purchase.</li>
<li>WE'LL GIVE YOU 15% off your next purchase.</li>
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So many correct options and yet the incorrect one chosen. [Sigh] Oh, well. It's not enough to stop me from using the coupon. Now, please excuse me while I commence some online shopping ...</div>
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<br />Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-44045221074763964902012-05-24T09:39:00.000-07:002012-05-24T09:39:15.354-07:00Be good. Write well.<div style="text-align: center;">
What's wrong with this picture? </div>
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<a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/04/21/business/adco/adco-popup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/04/21/business/adco/adco-popup.jpg" width="164" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Nothing, really. In fact, I rather like the idea of fudge-covered caramel popcorn. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">And the boots? Well, maybe when I was 20 years younger. Nah. Even back then, I would've rather gone barefoot and eaten fudge-covered caramel popcorn than risk breaking my neck wearing stilettos on cobblestone.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">What's wrong is not the picture, but the slogan: "Be bad. Snack well." </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">OK, I get that the name of the product is Snackwell's and so someone thought it was a clever play on words. Maybe. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">But when you combine "Snack well" with "Be bad," it doesn't work. At least, not for me.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Why? Because "well" is an adverb, describing how an action (snacking, in this case) is being done. The ad is telling you to buy this product in order to "snack well."</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">The problem? "Be bad." "Bad" is an adjective, not an adverb, and therefore not the opposite of "well." It's the opposite of "good." But we all know that to say "Snack good" is wrong, right? (<i>Right?</i>) Well, with the exception of the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5395475692216717695#editor/target=post;postID=8387963203018548104">Applebee's </a>people, that is.</span></div>
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So if these aren't opposites, doesn't that kind of ruin the word play? And logically (granted, maybe logic shouldn't even enter a conversation about marketing), they're telling you to be bad, presumably by indulging in <i>their product</i>, which is supposed to make you "snack well." Wouldn't that be <i>being good</i>?</div>
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I think I'm reading way too much into this. But it makes me think of another topic that should be addressed: when to use "bad/badly/good/well." Hint: You are NOT feeling <i>badly </i>about the Minnesota Twins' pathetic season so far. Stay tuned ...</div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></div>Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-8632068183276600282012-04-16T19:51:00.002-07:002012-04-16T19:51:23.448-07:00Copy editor, Anne Kelley Conklin, has a new post<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hot on the heels of my last post, Lonely Onlys, here </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is another example of a misplaced "only" along with an example of another peeve of mine: </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><i>The American Psychiatric Association defines addiction to include three stages: bingeing, withdrawal and craving. Until recently, the rats <b>had only met two</b> of the elements of addiction, bingeing and withdrawal. But recent experiments by <b>Princeton University scientist, Professor Bart Hoebel </b>and his team showed craving and relapse as well. </i>(Bold mine.)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">The rats had not "only met two of the elements" -- the rats had met ONLY TWO of the elements. 'Nuff said.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">Now. "Princeton University scientist, Professor Bart Hoebel and his team." Where do I begin?</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">First, no comma after <i>scientist</i>. Unless he's the only Princeton University scientist in existence, in which case you would also need to add <i>the</i> to the beginning. AND you would need another comma after his name: "The Princeton University scientist, Bart Hoebel, and his team." </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">(If you're the <i>New York Times</i>, you add <i>the</i> and<i> </i>delete the commas -- even when referring to someone who is <i>not </i>the only Princeton scientist in existence -- a practice I've never understood. Don't be the <i>New York Times</i>. At least not in this sense. And only because it bugs me, which I know is very important to you.)*</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">Second, no </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">Professor</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">. "Princeton University scientist and professor," maybe. And <i>professor</i> is usually not capitalized, even before a name, as it's generally considered a description rather than a formal title. Same as <i>scientist</i>, which they somehow got right.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">So, here's how it should read:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><i>But recent experiments by Princeton University scientist and professor Bart Hoebel and his team showed craving and relapse as well.</i></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">OR:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><i>But recent experiments by Princeton University's </i>[or <i>by the Princeton University</i>] <i>scientist and professor, Bart Hoebel, and his team showed craving and relapse as well. </i>(This is, of course, if he is the university's ONLY scientist and professor -- which I guess wouldn't bode so well for Princeton ...)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">See, you set the name off with commas only when you're clarifying whom you're talking about. If you say the sentence while omitting the name within commas, it should still make sense:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><i>U.S. President Barack Obama is running for re-election this year.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><i>The U.S. president, Barack Obama, is running for re-election this year -</i>OR<i>- America's president, Barack Obama, is running for re-election this year.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><i>Copy editor Anne Kelley Conklin has finished writing this post. </i>(Compare with the cleverly incorrect style of this post's title.)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">Get it? Got it? Good.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">* The New York Times uses <i>the</i> before every description of a person, which has always rattled me. "The singer Lady Gaga" -- as if there's </span><i style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">another </i><span style="color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">Lady Gaga with whom we might confuse her?? "Singer Lady Gaga" does just fine. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Now, if there were another Lady Gaga who was, say, an astronaut, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">then </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #414042; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">you could say "the singer Lady Gaga," as opposed to "the astronaut Lady Gaga" to differentiate them. I doubt that will ever be necessary.</span></span>Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-45128132131684624922012-04-12T09:36:00.001-07:002012-04-12T09:36:14.521-07:00Lonely onlys<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Only </i>is a word that often appears in the wrong place -- so often that this condition should have its own name. You've read about (and, I hope, <i>avoid</i>) misplaced modifiers. What about misplaced onlys?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Don't make your onlys lonely -- lonely for the word or words they're really modifying.</span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Case in point (taken from a Facebook post)</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Anyone is welcome to the Fitz for the line-up announcement, but tickets <b>only </b>go on sale to members of MPR and The Walker first.</i> (Bold mine.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Tickets only go on sale" -- OK, you know what they mean, but is this really what they <i>mean</i>? "Only" here is modifying "go on sale." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What they really want to say is that tickets go on sale <i>only to members </i>... <i>first</i>. This is their point: <u>Only</u> if you're a member do you get this special chance to buy tickets before everyone else can.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Again, you know what they mean. But it's not careful writing. And we all want to be careful writers, don't we?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-84091533912312568062012-03-11T17:41:00.035-07:002012-03-20T09:25:17.414-07:00I appreciate your reading my blog -- yes, "your"I recently joined an online group for writers and editors. As I was reading the group rules, I came across this sentence:<br />
<br />
"Your post should allow discussion and debate among members without them needing to visit an external site."<br />
<br />
You may think this reads perfectly fine. But it's not fine. Especially for a site by and for writers/editors.<br />
<br />
The correct way to cast the sentence is like this:<br />
<br />
"Your post should allow discussion and debate among members without <i>their</i> needing to visit an external site."<br />
<br />
Sound weird? Too bad. It's correct. In this sentence, the word <i>needing</i> is being used as a noun, aka a gerund, rather than a verb. Therefore, the pronoun preceding it needs to be possessive, hence <i>their</i> instead of <i>them</i>.<br />
<br />
Besides, if <i>needing </i>were being used as a verb, the subject would not be <i>them</i>; it would by <i>they </i>(and, of course, would require the helping verb <i>are: they are needing</i>). But obviously that messes up the whole sentence.<br />
<br />
So, now that that's crystal-clear, I look forward to your never making this mistake.Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-15128682723782313122012-03-11T12:22:00.012-07:002012-03-11T18:24:45.337-07:00When being right isn't enoughHave you ever had someone yell at you for doing something wrong, when in fact that person was the one in the wrong? Is there anything more maddening?<br />
<br />
For example: Years ago, my husband was driving down the street he lived on -- which was a one-way street -- when he encountered a car coming toward him. As he did his best to move to the side of the road to let the wrong-way driver past, the driver opened his window and yelled angrily, "It's a one-way street, buddy!"<br />
<br />
Argh! This makes <i>me</i> crazy, and I wasn't even there.<br />
<br />
A much calmer, though no less maddening, instance occurred the other day at a coffee shop where my husband went to do some writing. He asked the barista for the password to the wi-fi account and was told it was "hamster."<br />
<br />
When he entered the password, he could see that he needed eight letters instead of seven. He approached the barista again with this information and was told: "It <i>is</i> eight letters: h-a-m-p-s-t-e-r. People always forget the 'p.'" This was served with a dollop of smugness.<br />
<br />
My husband walked away thinking, "Oh, yeah, the 'p' ... wait -- THERE'S NO 'P' IN HAMSTER!"<br />
<br />
But what are you gonna do?<br />
<br />
My "favorite" example of this actually happened to me (indirectly). I was working part-time as the copy editor in a communications department of a large corporation but was absent the day a C-level executive (apparently with nothing better to do to justify his six-figure salary) came rampaging through the department, shaking a news release over his head and bellowing that we had been "sending out grammatically incorrect communications."<br />
<br />
Why? Because we had been putting one space, rather than two, after a period. Seriously. Never mind that this has nothing to do with grammar -- or even punctuation. It has to do with updated technology and the fact that a computer's not a typewriter, so typewriter rules don't apply in this day and age.<br />
<br />
But, again, what are you gonna do? This was someone who was not going to admit he was wrong. I'm just glad I wasn't the one who had to stand up to him (although to the credit of whoever did, we continued with our one-space policy).<br />
<br />
This topic is only loosely related to typical Copy Curmudgeon material, but I think we need a name for this phenomenon. Co-wrong-tion (instead of <i>correction</i>)? Wrongteousness? Meh. Please submit your neologisms below, as well as your ideas for how to overcome the madness, rather than silently fuming for the rest of our lives ...<br />
<br />
P.S. Don't even think about yelling at me for my "incorrect" use of <i>whoever</i> above. It is not incorrect.Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-12335839160415879382012-02-01T13:13:00.000-08:002012-02-01T13:13:32.990-08:00Want to be smarter than Mensa? Read on ...Living with a highly gifted child can be exhausting. Especially for someone like me, who is not gifted in any way -- except maybe at putting away large amounts of dark chocolate. (And by "putting away" I do not mean "putting away, back in the cupboard" -- ooh no.)<br />
<br />
Keeping our little guy's very active mind busy is difficult, but if we get lax in providing mental stimulation, he often gets the <i>opposite</i> of lax -- in sassy brattiness born out of boredom.<br />
<br />
So, recently I checked out the Mensa for Kids website for some new ideas. Under "Games and Activities" I found a quiz on country capitals that I thought would be perfect for our little geography whiz.<br />
<br />
Well, it wasn't perfect. For one thing, it was way too easy. And repetitive -- the same questions kept appearing on each supposedly higher level.<br />
<br />
But the biggest imperfection was the misspelling of the South American country Colombia. That's right: it was spelled <i>Columbia</i>. Multiple times. So it can't be excused as a typo.<br />
<br />
Now, I would give the average person some leeway on this since <i>Columbia</i> is such a common name, especially here in the U.S., where we see it all the time, along with <i>Columbus</i>, as a city name. Both derive from Christopher Columbus' name -- also with the "u" spelling.<br />
<br />
But guess what? The country Colombia is also named after Columbus, but being that its name is Spanish, it happens to have a different spelling. It's one of those things that copy editors need to know and always look out for. I would expect a <i>geography</i> quiz on a <i>Mensa</i> site to have the same high standards.<br />
<br />
Be careful not to go too far with correcting Columbia to Colombia, though. I've seen this mistake by people who have learned the difference but then applied their knowledge erroneously to another term: <i>pre-Columbian -- </i>referring to the period before Christopher Columbus' voyage to the "New World" -- by writing it <i>pre-Colombian. </i>Although, as we learned above, since the country <i>also </i>was named after ol' Chris, this may not be as inaccurate as it may seem. But still. Don't do it.Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-4045348723837159402012-01-14T10:47:00.000-08:002012-01-14T10:47:59.904-08:00Back-to-back gripesMy father-in-law, a copy curmudgeon of a higher order than I, and a sports fan of a higher or-- ... wait, I need only say "a sports fan" because I'm not a sports fan of any order -- requested that I address an apparently common phrase among sportswriters: "back-to-back-to-back" (as in "back-to-back-to-back games" or "back-to-back-to-back victories").<br />
<br />
I correctly guessed that this means "three consecutive," but you don't need to be a word nerd to realize that the phrase does not make sense, if you really think about it. If the first two things are back to back, there's no back for the third thing to back up to. As my father-in-law says, "There's no figure in that figure of speech."<br />
<br />
Another remark -- this one from a sportscaster my husband heard on the radio -- that smacks of too many knocks to the head on the gridiron: "one-game winning streak." I'm without words.Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-70623478246826364212012-01-05T09:33:00.000-08:002012-01-05T09:33:22.232-08:00Party at the Conklins'!No, we're not really having a party. Not anytime soon, anyway. But I got your attention, right?<br />
<br />
I promised a post on using both the plural and the possessive with surnames. And you've waited with bated breath. So here it is. Now, why does the title of this post have <em>s'</em> at the end?<br />
<br />
First of all, it's plural. Hence the "s." There are three of us Conklins (four if you include the dog). One Conklin; four Conklins. (Please see my previous post for more on this.)<br />
<br />
Second, it's possessive. Hence the apostrophe. "How is it possessive?" you might ask. "There's nothing after <em>Conklins'</em> to show what they possess." True. But what is implied is that the party is at the Conklins' <em>house,</em> which they in fact possess (or possess in part, anyway -- the bank that owns the majority of it rarely holds parties there. Having too much fun crunching numbers, I guess. Or counting their (our) money.). <br />
<br />
So, are we clear? The only time you need an apostrophe with your surname is to show possession, as above. Although, come to think of it, you could also use an apostrophe to make a surname a contraction: <em>That Conklin's a genius.</em> In which case the apostrophe comes before the "s" because you're talking about only one of the Conklins (the dog, of course). Let's just not use that one too often, OK?Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-80705203177832609632012-01-02T11:47:00.000-08:002012-01-02T11:48:58.072-08:00Happy holidays from the Jones'? Jone's? Joneses?I realize I'm a little late in having this be a timely post, but I was reminded several times during the season that the plural form of family names is still a sticking point for most people (even if they don't know it).<br />
<br />
Much like the grocer's apostrophe (seen in signs like "Apple's on sale!"), the plural-surname apostrophe often makes an appearance when it should not. Since we're simply talking plural here (not possessive or contraction), there's no need for an apostrophe.<br />
<br />
If you have a name like Conklin, it's easy: you simply add an "s" to make it plural, just as you would with <i>apple</i>, <i>chair</i> or <i>dog</i>. <i>Happy holidays from the Conklins. </i>No apostrophe needed.<br />
<br />
But what if your name is Morris or Jones? These already end in "s." Well, what would you do with the word <i>glass</i> to make it plural? Add "es," right? Same here. <i>Happy holidays* from the Morrises and Joneses</i>. Look funny? You'll get used to it.<br />
<br />
Of course, you could avoid this issue altogether by printing "... from the Jones family." There's always a way out.<br />
<br />
Up next: What to do if you want to make it plural <i>and</i> possessive.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">* I have intentionally left "holidays" lowercase. Unless the second word is a proper noun (as in "Merry Christmas"), I don't see a reason for capping it. Same with "Happy birthday." Just my two cents.</span>Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-5365177416969256622011-12-16T07:28:00.000-08:002011-12-16T07:29:31.107-08:00We will not be replaced, AP ...<table bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><child did="sctn01"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The offer below arrived in my inbox yesterday. I almost stopped reading at the headline.<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anytime I see something about automated editing of any kind (including spelling and grammar checkers), I bristle. These tools may be helpful to a point, but they will never replace the</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">keen eye and mind of a person experienced in editing. And, no, I'm not saying this because I need a job; I'm saying it because it's true.<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Take a look. Would you have confidence in this product? (Red markings and bold mine.)</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3398c4; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">New AP StyleGuard offers automated style checking in Word</span></child></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="FFFFFF" height="10" width="1"><img height="10" src="http://amp2.h2fmedia.com/Amp/media/images/public/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><dwf><parent did="pictable1"></parent></dwf><br />
<table align="right" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 255px;"><tbody>
<tr><td bgcolor="FFFFFF" height="1" width="5"><img height="1" src="http://amp2.h2fmedia.com/Amp/media/images/public/spacer.gif" width="5" /></td><td align="left" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;" valign="top" width="250"><child did="44581"><child did="pictable1"><a href="http://amp2.h2fmedia.com/Amp/q.aspx?191303119323_ln_82fdf530-b2c4-4431-8e84-8584010f7a61" process="false" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" class="noborder" process="false" src="http://amp2.h2fmedia.com/Amp/q.aspx?191303119323_906664329" width="250" /></a></child></child><br />
Screenshot of AP StyleGuard</td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="FFFFFF" height="1" width="5"><img height="5" src="http://amp2.h2fmedia.com/Amp/media/images/public/spacer.gif" width="5" /></td><td align="left" valign="top" width="250"><img height="5" src="http://amp2.h2fmedia.com/Amp/media/images/public/spacer.gif" width="250" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><child did="44581"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Since 1953, we've brought you AP Stylebook. Now, we offer you an easier way to stay in style automatically with our new product, <b>AP StyleGuard, powered by Equiom </b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Lingustic</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> Labs.</span></b><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b>AP StyleGuard, powered by Equiom Linquistic Labs,</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal;"> is a powerful yet easy solution that integrates with Microsoft Word and provides automatic checking of your documents for AP style. Using defined structure and rules similar to Word's spelling and grammar checking, AP StyleGuard helps ensure the consistency of your writing style. It saves the time of manually referring to the AP Stylebook and offers recommendations on items you might not have realized are covered by AP style.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal;">No matter what type of writing you do, you can rest assured that AP StyleGuard helps you stay on top of all the current spelling, grammar, punctuation and usage guidelines from the journalist's bible.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;"><br />
So this "spelling, grammar, punctuation and usage" tool wasn't able to help with spelling <i>Linguistic</i> </span></child></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;">correctly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;">in its own ad. Or enforcing the only-one-space-after-a-period rule. And it doesn't claim to help with things like unnecessary repetition -- because, of course, how could it? -- but this piece needed that kind of help, too. The kind of help you can get only from a human being.</span><span style="line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><child did="44581"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;"><br />
<br />
It's always good to be reminded that there is no substitute for a real live copy editor. Thank you, AP.</span></child></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-59285242648100829762011-12-13T08:30:00.000-08:002011-12-13T08:30:20.100-08:00"Unstopable" nonsenseAs Joe Jackson would say, "You can read it in the Sunday paper ..." Yes, I'm dating myself by both quoting Joe Jackson and admitting that I still read the newspaper, but look at the fodder I get.<br />
<br />
The coupon inserts from a couple of weeks ago (the only part of the ads I look at) included this gem:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOzbK3mZkZwI3P_JQ22FX-S2TSBLQaDNmTvG39TYOathPAcz33ghWzjHPbVqeLt0TFq0V5F2kLcwMRpGCy8tj7RReZDK4Ald94kTVngMYeyUmK5xizmRNEDrxhgME13BJk-3PwXKijSc/s1600/Unstopables.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOzbK3mZkZwI3P_JQ22FX-S2TSBLQaDNmTvG39TYOathPAcz33ghWzjHPbVqeLt0TFq0V5F2kLcwMRpGCy8tj7RReZDK4Ald94kTVngMYeyUmK5xizmRNEDrxhgME13BJk-3PwXKijSc/s1600/Unstopables.JPG" /></a></div><br />
OK, so where do I begin? The oxymoron? The assignment of a new part of speech? The missing -- no, wait, it's there in one place, so let's make that <i>inconsistent</i> -- hyphenation? <br />
<br />
Well, let's start at the beginning. The name of the product: "Unstopables." No, not <i>Unstoppables</i>, which itself isn't even a word but at least makes more sense in the spelling department. (<em>Unstoppable</em> is a word, yes -- an adjective. By adding an "s" it becomes a made-up noun. See more on this below.)<br />
<br />
I read "Unstopables" as un-STOPE-ah-bulls, because, as we all know, the double consonant following the vowel makes the vowel short (the AH sound), whereas just the one consonant makes the vowel long (the OH sound). What? You didn't know that? Well, shame on your English teacher.<br />
<br />
Anyway, not only does the spelling not make sense, but also the name doesn't make sense. To me, anyway. This is a product that you add to your wash to "boost scent." In other words, to stop odor. But wait — this is called <i>Un</i>stopables. What is it <i>un</i>stoppable at? Boosting scent? Meaning it doesn't stop even after you remove the clothes from the washer? Is that even possible? (Or desirable?)<br />
<br />
Whatever. Let's move on. "New & improved<em>.</em>" Well, which is it? Is it new? Or is it just the original with some improvements? Can't be both. This is called an oxymoron. Like "controlled chaos" or "rap music." <br />
<br />
Next: "Get a fresh too feisty to quit." <em>A</em> <em>fresh</em>. So now <em>fresh</em> is a noun? Oka-a-y... But a <em>feisty fresh</em>? Come on.<br />
<br />
Underneath that: "An in wash scent booster ..." That should be "in-wash" -- and it <em>is</em> hyphenated on the actual product. Inconsistency. Real turn-off.<br />
<br />
And to top it off ... why the French? At least this product also includes Spanish, which makes sense since probably the majority of Americans speak Spanish at this point. But French? So many products (especially in the personal-care category) include only the French translation, as if that makes them more desirable. "Oh, so the French use this moisturizer ... it must be really good!" And one of these days, when I learn French, it'll be fun to see how accurate the translation is. <br />
<br />
Just what you wanted: A copy editor of multiple languages!Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-50961216452564027472011-11-22T19:10:00.000-08:002011-11-22T19:10:13.460-08:00Can we have a word? (Or better, TWO words?)I'm not much into the smushing of two words together to make one. <br />
<br />
I suppose there are good semantic reasons for doing so -- <em>sometimes</em>. <br />
<br />
And -- say it with me now -- language is always changing.<br />
<br />
But. Do we really need <em>foodservice</em>? And <em>caselaw</em>? Would you also then write <em>drinkservice</em> and <em>statutorylaw</em>? <br />
<br />
Now, <em>foodservice</em> is an industry term for those in the business of serving food to others, usually in large numbers, like a restaurant or a corporate cafeteria. So there might be reason to make it its own term. Except, if you kept it two words, what would happen? Would people confuse this kind of food service with any other kind of food service? I don't think so.<br />
<br />
And with words like <em>caselaw</em>, it just looks like it's pronounced CASS-eh-law.<br />
<br />
Which brings me to the most hotly contested issue among copy editors (or is that <em>copyeditors</em>?). That's right: Mavens in this field have an ongoing debate about how to write <i>copy editor/copy edit/copy editing</i>.<br />
<br />
The two-word style is the original, but lately some want to make them each one word, including the foremost publication on the subject: <i>Copyediting</i>, a newsletter that changed its name just a couple of years ago to the one-word style, as well as its spellings of <i>copyedit</i> and <i>copyeditor</i>.<br />
<br />
One opponent of this change, Bill Walsh, copy chief at <i>The Washington Post</i>, says <i>copyeditor</i> looks like it would be pronounced <i>cop-yeditor</i>, and I have to say I agree. I tend to treat each differently: <i>copy edit</i> and <i>copy editor</i>, but <i>copyediting</i>. Some would argue that this looks inconsistent, but it makes sense to me.<br />
<br />
What doesn't make sense to me:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Healthcare</li>
<li>Childcare/Daycare</li>
<li>Backyard (except as an adjective, e.g., <i>backyard barbecue</i>)</li>
<li>Cellphone</li>
<li>Homepage (Spelling this as one word makes sense to me, but it still looks odd. Or it looks French -- oh-mah-PAZH.)</li>
</ul><br />
So, please, before you start smushing, consult a dictionary. It may be one word, but it may not be. Yet. Let's not rush the smush.Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-68992637183142704362011-10-30T12:15:00.000-07:002011-10-30T13:24:11.686-07:00Don't fear the hyphen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we got a dog recently. And along with dog comes the obligatory trip to Petco, the animal equivalent to the Baby SuperStore: a warehouse full of everything for the new dog owner. Many dollars later, we walked out with collars, leashes, and treats, treats and more treats. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Several days later, we returned to the store for our first training session, where we learned that we need four levels of treats, ranging from everyday kibble to such prime people-food as leftover steak, in order to get our dogs to perform certain tricks and commands. Based on this information, I went home armed with even more new treats, including this bag:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQN_3vrNBG-DA35a1MWrln3kSuwMilNSufbhRepaSvFJD0_wB2vw4eEnyOc3gGcuQ6xKsxrUkstcvL6Qyv9o9fQ6In6bqk1XwNh4hb4XKioawFrR4pqsN7JD3MqLKLbkSGSPZt8cPiqU/s1600/Small+Dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQN_3vrNBG-DA35a1MWrln3kSuwMilNSufbhRepaSvFJD0_wB2vw4eEnyOc3gGcuQ6xKsxrUkstcvL6Qyv9o9fQ6In6bqk1XwNh4hb4XKioawFrR4pqsN7JD3MqLKLbkSGSPZt8cPiqU/s1600/Small+Dog.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, when I first looked at this, I sighed as I recognized another example of the apparently hyphen-phobic marketers out there -- the same ones who sell Tall Kitchen Garbage Bags. My husband and I have joked about this for years: Are they bags for tall kitchen garbage? Or garbage bags for tall kitchens? Or tall bags for kitchen garbage? As written, it's ambiguous and could mean any of those things -- except, of course, that none of those make sense. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But in the case of Small Dog Training Treats, without a hyphen there is true ambiguity about what exactly is contained inside. I thought about this briefly as I picked it off the shelf. "Well, it must be dog-training treats that are small," I thought (and, yes, I include hyphens when I think). "But aren't all dog-training treats small? It couldn't mean dog-training treats for small dogs -- unless they're smaller for their smaller mouths?" I decided it was just another case of redundancy and tossed them in the basket.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I got home, I opened the package, and in doing so noticed that on the back of the bag was a picture and text indicating that these treats were indeed made for small dogs. We have a large dog, so I was not intending to buy <i>small-dog </i>training treats but rather small<i> dog-training </i>treats. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I reached into the bag to see how these treats were different, and the kicker is, they're exactly the same size as all of our other training treats, which don't indicate <em>what</em> size dog they're for. Color me confused.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, our large dog eats the small-dog treats just as eagerly as she does the others, so it's not a big deal. But please do your part and use the hyphen to eliminate any confusion for your readers. Or, if you yourself are confused by this entire post, just use this as your take-away: Don't try marketing anything tall or small.</div>Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-54516287543497546602011-10-25T07:22:00.000-07:002011-10-27T10:02:53.253-07:00Rock 'n' roll rules(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction<br />
Lay, Lady, Lay<br />
Can't Hardly Wait<br />
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere<br />
You Better, You Bet<br />
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard<br />
<br />
What's wrong with these song titles? They're grammatically incorrect. <br />
<br />
What's right about them? They're rock 'n' roll. <br />
<br />
In other words, they get a pass on grammar. "I cannot get any satisfaction"? "Lie, lady, lie"? I think not. I mean, rock 'n' roll is all about breaking the rules, right?<br />
<br />
Rock on.Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-28644223593090540312011-10-16T19:38:00.000-07:002012-08-15T09:35:33.157-07:00Read my FabuBlog!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Along the lines of <em>crispety, crunchety</em>-type advertising nonsense, I give you one of my biggest peeves: taking two words and combining them to make a new, supposedly "WOW" marketing word. </div>
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Now, this isn't always a bad thing. If you're a radio station and want to celebrate the month of October by playing commercial-free rock 'n' roll, you could call it <em>Rocktober</em>. That works, right? It still sounds like <i>October</i>, but it gets across what's special about <em>this</em> October. </div>
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Or, to use my 8-year-old's example (I love that he gets this stuff), if you owned a car-repair shop and wanted to give your customers a deal on towing during the tenth month of the year, you could call it <em>Oc-TOW-ber</em>. Cute, right?</div>
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Know what's not cute? <em>Anytober</em>. It's not only not cute, it's somewhat embarrassing. Talk about lazy creativity.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8XAWmfeWvtJ-MKdXsyhKGSVuF4CKnw6VEd3MHzb2cjW0PUrcbOdPjqxNRb2iCwJ0aazaniyZh2ofhbElpanJKPmTkll4moD6xsosS6rxKiseRWaIQ8TTqTnu0msXGAbEmco4mYrc3Ms/s1600/Anytober.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8XAWmfeWvtJ-MKdXsyhKGSVuF4CKnw6VEd3MHzb2cjW0PUrcbOdPjqxNRb2iCwJ0aazaniyZh2ofhbElpanJKPmTkll4moD6xsosS6rxKiseRWaIQ8TTqTnu0msXGAbEmco4mYrc3Ms/s1600/Anytober.jpg" /></a></div>
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Another example:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0CX1Kr4WcKlz6n-0Q8mhEcSOpF840YADnoFZgloLHoR7MLxsrnBFZZGZypbVg-iiU4rz1kX93enZ5o0j2RbkuBP1_0IVHKNUHhgQYe29DBGNunVibyhmFbSNcSwB1GlEP9RHp9ZQkms/s1600/Fruitabulous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0CX1Kr4WcKlz6n-0Q8mhEcSOpF840YADnoFZgloLHoR7MLxsrnBFZZGZypbVg-iiU4rz1kX93enZ5o0j2RbkuBP1_0IVHKNUHhgQYe29DBGNunVibyhmFbSNcSwB1GlEP9RHp9ZQkms/s1600/Fruitabulous.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
That's right: <em>fruitabulous</em> (don't forget the all-important trademark symbol -- don't want anyone stealing this gem). Because it sounds so close to <em>fabulous</em>? No, it doesn't. It sounds ridiculous. <br />
<br />
<u>Other offenders:</u><br />
<em>JumpTastic -- </em>A place that rents out large inflatable structures for kids to jump in.<br />
<br />
<em>Snowmageddon -- </em>Heard and seen often last winter during the several severe snowstorms. <em>(Carmageddon, </em>on the other hand, to describe what was supposed to be the end of the world due to road closings in L.A. last summer, totally works.)<br />
<br />
<i>Carbtastic</i> -- I don't remember what product this was used to describe, but it was during the carb-avoiding era, so I guess it doesn't make sense on two levels. Carbs were supposed to be bad, weren't they?<br />
<br />
<i>Pugoween</i> -- Can you guess this one? A Halloween party for pugs in costume. Yeah, I know.<br />
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There has to be a name for these. Awf-non-puns? RidicuNonRhymes? Welcoming your suggestions ...</div>
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Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-85735657065726189242011-10-10T06:36:00.000-07:002011-10-10T06:37:26.260-07:00Copy editors are nauseousSo why are all copy editors feeling sick to their stomach? They're not; that's not what I'm saying.<br />
<br />
If copy editors are nauseous, that means they <i>cause</i> nausea, something with which I'm sure most writers agree. This is the original meaning of <i>nauseous</i>, anyway.<br />
<br />
If I wanted to say copy editors feel like throwing up (like, for example, when they see the following typo), I would say they are <i>nauseated</i>. It's the typo that's <i>nauseous</i>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6hZ3Lb7Kisp4PQQT4beiBLCz4Ncu1nUl0MSbJvr4yehpIeXibCcQIl3jP5t7gxZDMzQKb7UpvOJTTVTcwanHomSwFvWfQYfiq1yVXO7ec8-GKfNBcfmDPkYY2dE3E8ry5Mu3N8JTZWo/s1600/photo+%252820%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6hZ3Lb7Kisp4PQQT4beiBLCz4Ncu1nUl0MSbJvr4yehpIeXibCcQIl3jP5t7gxZDMzQKb7UpvOJTTVTcwanHomSwFvWfQYfiq1yVXO7ec8-GKfNBcfmDPkYY2dE3E8ry5Mu3N8JTZWo/s1600/photo+%252820%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
But, again, these are only the original meanings of the words. They have been misused for so long now that they have swapped definitions. Just another example of our changing language ...<br />
<br />
But I love being a purist and a prescriptivist, so I still say it and write it the original way. So, what makes you nauseated? (Besides purist, prescriptivist, nauseous copy editors, that is ...)Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-32685800724299279462011-09-27T09:21:00.000-07:002011-10-09T20:30:27.879-07:00Crispety? How cutesy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5VhDyUpCQWxZQ7tj4sRh6wrZIzf5PM48RrbdPeSUxHR0z1yQbbNfMV5kZ86VYeaycHvUSTQOgze-DDZB88DHktyFSfo-TicWgDWc0o5ADohPmLB_DXjNWlQ0U7YSik6XRhFwRvJ9V-4A/s1600/Butterfinger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5VhDyUpCQWxZQ7tj4sRh6wrZIzf5PM48RrbdPeSUxHR0z1yQbbNfMV5kZ86VYeaycHvUSTQOgze-DDZB88DHktyFSfo-TicWgDWc0o5ADohPmLB_DXjNWlQ0U7YSik6XRhFwRvJ9V-4A/s200/Butterfinger.jpg" width="150px" /></a></div>Well, looky here. Not only have the language mavens in Nestle's creative department added two new terms -- <i>crispety</i> and <i>crunchety --</i> to the English lexicon, but they've also attempted to translate those words into Spanish.<br />
<br />
Actually, I know enough Spanish to tell you that their "translations" are the Spanish equivalents of <i>crispy</i> and <i>crunchy</i>. So why bother to create the new words in English?<br />
<br />
Do we English-speakers need our candy descriptions shaken up in order to want to buy more of it? Does a crispety, crunchety Butterfinger bar appeal to you more than a crispy, crunchy one?<br />
<br />
Not me. Cut a coupla hundred calories off each bar (without changing the taste, of course) and <i>then</i> talk to me; otherwise, don't expect some fancy new words to make a new or bigger sale. Besides, we all know that hardly anyone actually reads the package, right? We want Butterfingers, we look for the bright-yellow bag with big blue letters. It could say <em>Buttfingers</em> and almost no one would notice (with the exception of copy editors -- and maybe some 8-year-old boys, who, as I know from experience, are obsessed with the word <i>butt</i>).<br />
<br />
<i>Crispety</i> and <i>Crunchety</i> belong in the Graveyard of Desperate Marketing Terms, along with <i>Baconator</i>, <i>Smell Gooder</i> and <i>Landfill</i> (as a verb). I know there are more. Won't you add your favorites to the list?Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-48087131544843671842011-09-17T19:15:00.000-07:002011-09-17T19:24:06.114-07:00To whom it may concernIf you're a tweeter, as I am (but just barely), then you've seen the Twitter banner page. If you're an anal-retentive grammar nerd, as I definitely am, then you've been bothered by said banner page.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafgfsUIJUzWau-FJVDD8blehHQvFnhw1lGNEontX4YUWbgdZLf4S3Hp-fT0yrpIXMMLSGz6InqRqXuUdKH1gVB51o4FwYk2t3kaHKXNUe11e_Q0YGcwFWBINksjtjV7MgTD9pD_mz0iA/s1600/Picture+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafgfsUIJUzWau-FJVDD8blehHQvFnhw1lGNEontX4YUWbgdZLf4S3Hp-fT0yrpIXMMLSGz6InqRqXuUdKH1gVB51o4FwYk2t3kaHKXNUe11e_Q0YGcwFWBINksjtjV7MgTD9pD_mz0iA/s400/Picture+3.png" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><br />
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<em>Who to follow</em>. This is wrong. <em>Who,</em> in this case, should be <em>Whom</em>. It is the object of the verb <em>follow</em>. <br />
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<em>Who</em> is correctly used only in the subjective form, that is, when it's the subject of the sentence, e.g., <em>Who is the best one to follow? Who</em> is the subject of the sentence, similar to <em>he: He is the best one to follow.</em> (No, I'm not being sexist; of course <em>she</em> also works, but I'm using <em>he</em> for a reason, which you'll soon see.)<br />
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In the objective form, when it's the object of a preposition or verb, <em>who</em> becomes <em>whom: <u>Whom</u> should I follow? Follow <u>him</u>. </em>(Notice how they both end in "m" -- that's the trick I use, and that's why I'm using only the male pronoun here.) You wouldn't say <em>Follow he,</em> so you similarly shouldn't say <em>Follow who?</em> or <em>Who should I follow?.</em> (You could also turn the sentence around to figure out which is right: <em>I should follow <u>him</u> <u>(whom)</u>.)</em><br />
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Now, if you're my father-in-law, you simply bellow "WHOM!" whenever you hear <em>who</em> used incorrectly. And you charge a nickel for each offense. Generous person that I am, I'm sparing you -- and Twitter -- that expense.Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5395475692216717695.post-30050364956971095022011-09-06T09:22:00.000-07:002011-09-06T09:35:47.160-07:00NEW BOLG POSTBecause we were driving 70 mph on the highway toward Omaha for a family wedding this past weekend, I was not able to snap a photo of the largest typo I've ever seen. So let me describe it for you. A semi for some kind of company named Robinson had its name emblazoned on the back of the truck in probably 2-foot-high letters as such: ROBINOSN.<br />
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No kidding. Now, I can understand a typo in an email or other typed document (although I would hope even a lame spell-checker would catch something like this) -- but on the back of a big friggin' rig?? There's no excuse. And am I to believe no one had noticed it yet? Or the company just doesn't care enough to fix it? Pathetic, either way.Copy Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13741996652518431144noreply@blogger.com1