Words at Work

Knowing What You Don't Know

2012-12-01T19:54:00.002-05:00

I've always felt I could take care of myself and could figure out what I needed. But that's a bit of self-delusion, especially when something serious happens. This little cancer journey--and I say little because it's new and because there seems to be a positive resolution in the near future--has reminded me that things aren't black and white. Not everything is knowable. The experts don't always

So, Yeah, I've Been Busy

2012-11-28T01:52:00.000-05:00

If I submitted the story of the last five weeks of my life as a soap opera script, it would probably be rejected as too ridiculous, so overloaded with cliched drama as to be utterly unbelievable. The good news is that it all looks like there will be a happy ending. I'll tell this chronologically but keep in mind, it seems to be turning out well. In the space of about two weeks, I was

I'm Stunned

2012-04-01T22:15:00.001-04:00

A conservative group has found evidence that supports conservative complaints about liberal practices at a university. The headline or at least the lede of the story as it appeared online probably should have indicated that. Study: UC leftism leaves many with unbalanced education By Larry Gordon | 5:29 p.m. The study by the California Assn. of Scholars repeats objections conservatives

Get the Question Right

2012-02-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

I just started reading "The Age of Anxiety" by Haynes Johnson, which traces what Johnson calls the culture of fear from the days of Joe McCarthy to present times. Aside from solid research and a smooth writing style, Johnson's book almost immediately notes something we see all the time these days: the failure to ask the right question--any question, really-- in news stories. Johnson relates the

LA Times Joins the Fee Lineup

2012-02-25T08:11:00.002-05:00

The Los Angeles Times will begin charging for access as of March 5. Readers unwilling to pay will still be able to read 15 stories in a 30-day period. I could do without the "membership" business but other than that, this is what a newspaper needs to do to survive. If you want good reporting, someone has to pay for it. Here's how the Times reported it Friday: Los Angeles Times launches new

Diagrams, Detailed

2012-02-21T20:06:00.000-05:00

Does anyone still teach diagramming? If you're of a certain age, you certainly had to learn how. If you want a refresher or want to learn something new, try Eugene Moutoux's site. Go straight to the English section to get started, unless you want to try it in Latin or German. My favorite diagrams of his come from the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Yes, I have

The Stolen Valor Case

2012-02-21T00:29:00.000-05:00

The Supreme Court apparently is going to take up another controversial First Amendment case that pits those who want to punish people falsely claiming military honors against those who believe free speech should have few limits. I'm inclined to go with public shaming when someone falsely claims to have won a Medal of Honor or suffered as a prisoner of war. Anyone who sees old vets sit around

Job Front: Openings for Editors, Feb.20

2012-02-20T08:32:00.000-05:00

As the media landscape continues to shift, all kinds of new jobs are opening up. But there's still some old-fashioned newspaper copy editing jobs around, including some at Newsday and The New York Post Currently, the New York Post is seeking a talented Copy Editor with significant experience editing stories, writing headlines under deadline pressure. Responsibilities: Edit

Leading the Race to the Bottom

2012-02-19T13:44:00.000-05:00

Ha, ha. Usually "worst error ever" is a competition, but it appears The Cranky Copy Editor is winning for now with this citation. I don't know the source.

Updated A Race to Stupid

2012-02-18T12:39:00.001-05:00

Update: ESPN bluntly apologized yesterday and today announced that it had fired the headline writer (who wasn't named), and suspended anchor Max Bretos for 30 days for having asked this, "If there is a chink in the armor, where can Lin improve his game?" Really, the phrase isn't in itself wrong but no one will believe that anything other than stupidity persuaded them to use it.I wonder, too,

What's Good for the Goose...

2012-02-18T11:32:00.001-05:00

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Support OpEd News

2012-02-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

It hasn't received that much attention here on the East Coast, but the collapse of an organization known as International Humanities Center, and with it, the disappearance of funds, is threatening dozens of mostly small nonprofits. One of them is OpEdNews.If you enjoy reading a range of viewpoints from beyond the usual TV gasbags, check out and consider supporting the site.

I May Faint

2011-06-29T22:23:00.000-04:00

Who do you suppose wrote this? "As a general rule, do not use the serial/Oxford comma."

Dept. of Redundancy Dept.

2011-06-22T09:26:00.000-04:00

Is there a style change I missed? Is there a reason we keep getting redundant references on money, like this? This is the third one I've seen in two days. It asked for $1 million dollars and said "no cops."

Wrong Is Just Wrong

2011-06-19T18:17:00.000-04:00

The thing is, there's no good way to say that the robbery went "right" so saying a holdup that turned fatal had "gone wrong" sets up a problem. It's a construction that needs to be avoided. I can think of two

Reaching the 21st Century

2011-06-11T17:53:00.000-04:00

In 2011, why is anyone still using "coed" ? Cops: We Have "Persons Of Interest" In NY Coed's Disappearance In ...‎ - KTLA. It's probably time to strike that one from the vocabulary list.

Getting Personal

2011-05-04T08:03:00.000-04:00

I welcome me back, isn't that nice of me? Three language experts have challenged the attempt to smear President Obama for his alleged overuse of "I," in his statements about the killing of Osama bin Laden. If you continue to doubt the racial element in some of the criticism of Obama, take a look at the undertone they hear in those criticisms. If you think birther accusations and claims that

The Freeze Is Coming! The Freeze Is Coming!!

2010-10-11T21:20:00.000-04:00

Really? People made all these plans on Monday for something that WON'T happen next year? Must everything include such drama? I'm not faulting or criticizing those on Social Security, who no doubt could use more money, but am knocking the mindset that produces stories like this. An analysis of whether the formula written into law that leads to this kind of freeze would be helpful. How about a

Hit job

2010-10-11T09:45:00.001-04:00

OK, after about a month off, I'm back, happily employed in the news biz and working with a great bunch of people, a mix of old newspaper hands, web pros and others. Time to get back to editing talk. First up this morning is this headline: Obama Is in the Jaws of Political Death: Can He Survive?Let me see. His poll numbers are down but not as low as Ronald Reagan's at this point. The House may

Age-Old Questions

2010-09-12T21:20:00.000-04:00

I know we're not supposed to assume anything but this kind of note in an obit drives me crazy (aside from the weird present tense in the last sentence.) Do we really wonder why a 96-year-old has died? And no, I don't know where I'd draw the line on this question. Kevin McCarthy was 96. Cape Cod Hospital spokesman Dave Riley says McCarthy died Saturday morning. He won't reveal the cause of

Hire Some Editors

2010-09-11T22:17:00.004-04:00

I may have said this before. I have never seen this "concerned for" construction and hope to never again. Rodrigues' sister laid into the media on Friday, upset that her family is being portrayed as the cause of the accident and not being concerned for. And speaking of sports: another F! The second web site to drop an F recently and embarrass itself.

Guess the Meaning

2010-09-03T21:27:00.000-04:00

Low Scores Dot Course Before Hurricane’s Edge Visits Deutsche Bank What? a headline is supposed to inform, though I suppose there's a counterargument that says if it's bad enough to make you go read the story, that works, too. In this case, the headline referred to golfers in a tournament sponsored by a bank were recording low scores as the hurricane approached. But the Times' head made mine

Tidbits

2010-09-02T07:19:00.000-04:00

Jon Winokur offers up a list of the best books for writers. And the Chicago Manual of Style makes some changes.

Just in Time for School

2010-09-01T15:00:00.002-04:00

Things I Don't Want to Know

2010-08-31T15:27:00.001-04:00

Not only is this a detail I don't need to know, I don't need to be told four times.... Police: Man accidentally shoots self in testicles Police say a man accidentally shot himself in the testicles at a Lynnwood department store Police say a man accidentally shot himself in the testicles at a Lynnwood department store. Police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions says the man was carrying his handgun