Dear every media outlet everywhere,
Can you please stop telling us stories about who has been seen coming and going from Tiger Wood's house?
Argh.
December 2, 2009
November 25, 2009
November 20, 2009
Impacted
One of the best things about being a copy editor is the teensy, ridiculous stuff that gets you and your coworkers going at work. For instance, my former colleagues in Colorado and I used to laugh hysterically about the use of IMPACTED as a verb.
While 'impacted' can mean "changed or moved," according to M-W's dictionary, we found the visual of someone being IMPACTED by an event to be nothing short of hilarious.
A wisdom tooth is impacted, we'd say. YOU are not.
If you were 'impacted' by the movie, we visualized, a film would physically pick you up and ram itself into you. Not pretty, but pretty funny. Because you would be impacted by it.
My coffee has kicked in, in case you couldn't tell. Sorry.
While 'impacted' can mean "changed or moved," according to M-W's dictionary, we found the visual of someone being IMPACTED by an event to be nothing short of hilarious.
A wisdom tooth is impacted, we'd say. YOU are not.
If you were 'impacted' by the movie, we visualized, a film would physically pick you up and ram itself into you. Not pretty, but pretty funny. Because you would be impacted by it.
My coffee has kicked in, in case you couldn't tell. Sorry.
SOLD!...to the person with the best grammar!
I've been seeing a lot of "auctioned off."
Do we need off?
Because we know what auctioning is.
Something like "The items were auctioned at a benefit" suffices, no?
Do we need off?
Because we know what auctioning is.
Something like "The items were auctioned at a benefit" suffices, no?
November 12, 2009
October 22, 2009
Custodians revolt!
This is for Wallace.
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There are four copies of this letter in our ladies' office restroom right now — one for each stall. The first stall boasts a copy-edited version, complete with penciled-in semicolons! It wasn't me, but whoever did that is awesome.
For the record, the bathroom is pretty gross. Come on, ladies! Pick up your ish!
.jpg)
There are four copies of this letter in our ladies' office restroom right now — one for each stall. The first stall boasts a copy-edited version, complete with penciled-in semicolons! It wasn't me, but whoever did that is awesome.
For the record, the bathroom is pretty gross. Come on, ladies! Pick up your ish!
September 24, 2009
September 23, 2009
"A total of"
This is a phrase that can usually be eliminated. If you own (a total of) four pairs of shoes, it is assumed you mean that to be the total number.
Now, I can see how someone might quibble with this, seeing as how "Rick owns 1 acre of land" is factual even if Rick owns 50,000 acres of land...but how often does someone say that?
Now, I can see how someone might quibble with this, seeing as how "Rick owns 1 acre of land" is factual even if Rick owns 50,000 acres of land...but how often does someone say that?
September 16, 2009
NO!
People are hyphenating everything these days.
"It ranks number one in celebrity men’s brands for the four-weeks tracked."
No! Four-weeks? No. All I have to say is no.
"It ranks number one in celebrity men’s brands for the four-weeks tracked."
No! Four-weeks? No. All I have to say is no.
September 15, 2009
A prime example of the energy-zapping passive voice
In an average week, TV is being watched by about 43 million in this audience and radio is being listened to by 37 million.
Nooooooooooes!
Let's recast that and put some oomph back in:
In an average week, about 43 million in this audience watch TV, and about 37 million listen to radio.
-------
On a related note, OMG, I'm sorry for never posting anymore. I really want to try harder, as I continue to see "good" examples of terrible offenses daily.
Nooooooooooes!
Let's recast that and put some oomph back in:
In an average week, about 43 million in this audience watch TV, and about 37 million listen to radio.
-------
On a related note, OMG, I'm sorry for never posting anymore. I really want to try harder, as I continue to see "good" examples of terrible offenses daily.
July 10, 2009
A quick redundancy to kick off the weekend
"...at some point in the future."
How about just "at some point"? It being the future is implied, yes?
How about just "at some point"? It being the future is implied, yes?
June 26, 2009
I Propose
To eliminate the following phrases from our paper:
- "Case in point:..."
- "...for the (fashionable/celebrity/eco-friendly etc.) set"
- "de rigeur"
- "To wit,..."
- Any instance of calling someone a "social" instead of a socialite. Because huh?
- "Case in point:..."
- "...for the (fashionable/celebrity/eco-friendly etc.) set"
- "de rigeur"
- "To wit,..."
- Any instance of calling someone a "social" instead of a socialite. Because huh?
An exercise in brevity, Part II
Just saw this phrase:
...set to take place starting Wednesday and running through Sunday.
And edited it down to:
...set to take place Wednesday through Sunday.
Better, right?
...set to take place starting Wednesday and running through Sunday.
And edited it down to:
...set to take place Wednesday through Sunday.
Better, right?
June 12, 2009
Sometimes, spam is funny
I just got this spam and thought it was funny enough (read: sooooo poorly executed) to blog.
hi
Heya, how are you doing recently ? I would like to introduce you a very good company which I knew. Their company web:[redacted because I don't want to give them press] They can offer you all kinds of electronical products which you need, such as motorcycles, laptops, mobile phones, digial cameras, TV LCD,xbox, ps3, gps, MP3/4, etc. Please take some time to have a look at it, there must be something you 'd like to purchase.
Hope you have a good mood in shopping from their company!
I would never buy from a company whose mass e-mails have horrendous grammar.
hi
Heya, how are you doing recently ? I would like to introduce you a very good company which I knew. Their company web:[redacted because I don't want to give them press] They can offer you all kinds of electronical products which you need, such as motorcycles, laptops, mobile phones, digial cameras, TV LCD,xbox, ps3, gps, MP3/4, etc. Please take some time to have a look at it, there must be something you 'd like to purchase.
Hope you have a good mood in shopping from their company!
I would never buy from a company whose mass e-mails have horrendous grammar.
May 27, 2009
Let's count 'em down
which is
which are
that is
that are
(For example: "He encouraged shoppers to buy shoes that are made in the United States.")
No.
Many — no wait, MOST — times, these can be eliminated in favor of a less-clunky sentence. Cut cut cut!
which are
that is
that are
(For example: "He encouraged shoppers to buy shoes that are made in the United States.")
No.
Many — no wait, MOST — times, these can be eliminated in favor of a less-clunky sentence. Cut cut cut!
While the normal people were getting drunk...
...I was catching sign errors on Fire Island!
I do like lobster, though.
Just opposite, there's a similar sign where we are "over looking" a different set of problems:
As much as I like to eat things that cost 10 'dollas-dollas,' it kind of makes me feel like a gangster.
I do like lobster, though.
Just opposite, there's a similar sign where we are "over looking" a different set of problems:
As much as I like to eat things that cost 10 'dollas-dollas,' it kind of makes me feel like a gangster.
April 20, 2009
No greater redundancy
People, people, PEOPLE! Can we please stop using the phrase "online blog"?
That would be awesome, k thx bai.
That would be awesome, k thx bai.
Short words have feelings too
The street fairs are popping up again, and that means so are terribly spelled signs! One love, purveyors of cheap, awesome shit. One love.
If you're looking for more chuckles, check out the Web site featured in the banner. "The Only Place Find the Quality Jewelry Below Wholesale Price!"
April 10, 2009
Best. Sign. Ever.
Thanks to Alex H. for letting me rip this off. It's his photo, snapped outside a Chinese restaurant in Queens. Presumably in a quite noisy (or prostitution-heavy) area.
April 9, 2009
Via Gawker
I'm obsessed with Gawker, and today they had a bit of fun with grammar, which bears repeating:
Full post here.
Here's a sample Meghan McCain bon mot from her Daily Beast column, wherein she recalled the reaction on the part of Daddy's campaign to her suggestion that she start a blog: "A few people even asked me what's a blog." No! You can render that thought as, "A few people even asked me what a blog is," or you can render it as, "A few people even asked me, 'What's a blog?'" But that is not a sentence.
Full post here.
March 27, 2009
Literally? Literally.
"People tune into me for escapism. When you went to the Glow in the Dark Tour, you were literally transported to another planet."
-Kanye West
Um, NO WE WEREN'T. But I bet he thinks we were.
-Kanye West
Um, NO WE WEREN'T. But I bet he thinks we were.
March 20, 2009
March 18, 2009
March 11, 2009
'An open letter to...'
Isn't an open letter just...a letter? Why is that phrase even used? Someone care to pontificate?
February 19, 2009
This rocks my world
Wait wait WAIT.
Toe the line?
I always thought it was TOW the line.
Trippy.
Also just learned what an eggcorn is. Love!
Toe the line?
I always thought it was TOW the line.
Trippy.
Also just learned what an eggcorn is. Love!
February 18, 2009
An exercise in brevity
Before: "All in all, the number of doors will add up to about 300 in the U.S."
After: "There will be about 300 U.S. doors."
I am copy editor; hear me fix your shit!
After: "There will be about 300 U.S. doors."
I am copy editor; hear me fix your shit!
February 16, 2009
Thanks for letting me know.
Even if it's cute, I will never buy a notebook that is printed with the word NOTEBOOK. Because duh.
Same goes for address books that are labeled ADDRESS BOOK. Hate that. Also, it's not 1996 — so it's like, hi, welcome to Google Calendar and/or a Blackberry.
We also have a 240-point sign in our apartment lobby that says LOBBY. It's like a YOU ARE HERE sticker, except irrelevant.
That's all for today.
Same goes for address books that are labeled ADDRESS BOOK. Hate that. Also, it's not 1996 — so it's like, hi, welcome to Google Calendar and/or a Blackberry.
We also have a 240-point sign in our apartment lobby that says LOBBY. It's like a YOU ARE HERE sticker, except irrelevant.
That's all for today.
February 10, 2009
My Scarlet A
"It happens to the best of us," one of my bosses said today as she pointed this out to me.
Although she didn't blame me directly, I was the last one to see the cover before it shipped.
My third, and by far the worst, hed bust to be involved with, ever. [cue mortification]
Although she didn't blame me directly, I was the last one to see the cover before it shipped.
My third, and by far the worst, hed bust to be involved with, ever. [cue mortification]
February 7, 2009
YSV's SIX QUESTIONS: This week ... Derek from Gallery of the Absurd
Eds note: This is the second in an occasional series where I'm featuring short interviews with other grammar bloggers.
Derek won a Webby Award for his blog in 1997, the first year the awards were held, in the "Weird" category. And this was the very first year of the Webbies.
1) How long have you been blogging about this?
I started the Gallery of the Absurd back in 1996, when I was a graduate student and trying to avoid writing my dissertation. Back then, the Gallery was a website, not a blog like it is now. From the very beginning, I have included signs and advertisements that contain inappropriate quotation mark usage....In general, I'm fascinated by all contemporary advertisements, labels, and signs that are strange or weird or just plain stupid, in one way or another.
2) What's your biggest grammatical pet peeve (besides that which is the blog topic)?
I absolutely hate it when people use "like" in ways that are inappropriate and that "fatten up" their verbiage. Many of my students--even graduate students--use "like" constantly, and it's all I can do not scream some syntax awareness into them. But if I did that, I'd come across as a pedantic English professor, wouldn't I?
3) What was the impetus of your obsession with this?
The impetus of the Gallery of the Absurd, its inappropriate grammatical usage and otherwise, was amusement for my students. In graduate school, I used to find weird ads and labels and put them up in my office. That way, when students came by to conference with me, it would give them something to laugh at and they wouldn't feel so nervous and formal. Then in 1996, when a couple of my friends were starting to create documents on a relatively new thing at our university called the "world wide web," I thought I'd try my hand at creating a website.
4) What's your favorite grammar/style resource?
My favorite grammatical/usage source is perhaps H. W. Fowler's Modern English Usage. Although Strunk and White is up there as well. My favorite, or at least most used, style manuals are the MLA Manual of Style and the Chicago Manual of Style. I can work in either.
5) What's one topic you still can't seem to master in your own writing?
Spelling. Even if I know how to spell a certain rarely-used word, I'll look it up. I'm paranoid and obsessive that way, wanting to make sure I'm absolutely right. Also, it looks bad when English professors misspell. But then again, I've always hated that assumption of English folk.
6) Who, as a group, do you believe to be the worst offenders regarding rules of grammar?
I'm not sure I want to go there, since I might be offending whole groups of individuals. Email and text messaging (esp. the latter) has pretty much butchered up the rules of grammar, but then again, this isn't the first time that changes in technology have affected grammar. Perhaps it's neither good or bad, just evolutionary. Language is fluid, and I've never been one to maintain that grammatical rules absolutely can't change. They do over time, and many times we come to accept those changes, to a point. But getting back to my contempt for the inappropriate use of "like": I see this occurring in younger populations. Whenever my kids use "like" in this way, I always correct them. I may be annoying when I correct them, but I won't give up the crusade against useless "likes."
Derek won a Webby Award for his blog in 1997, the first year the awards were held, in the "Weird" category. And this was the very first year of the Webbies.
1) How long have you been blogging about this?
I started the Gallery of the Absurd back in 1996, when I was a graduate student and trying to avoid writing my dissertation. Back then, the Gallery was a website, not a blog like it is now. From the very beginning, I have included signs and advertisements that contain inappropriate quotation mark usage....In general, I'm fascinated by all contemporary advertisements, labels, and signs that are strange or weird or just plain stupid, in one way or another.
2) What's your biggest grammatical pet peeve (besides that which is the blog topic)?
I absolutely hate it when people use "like" in ways that are inappropriate and that "fatten up" their verbiage. Many of my students--even graduate students--use "like" constantly, and it's all I can do not scream some syntax awareness into them. But if I did that, I'd come across as a pedantic English professor, wouldn't I?
3) What was the impetus of your obsession with this?
The impetus of the Gallery of the Absurd, its inappropriate grammatical usage and otherwise, was amusement for my students. In graduate school, I used to find weird ads and labels and put them up in my office. That way, when students came by to conference with me, it would give them something to laugh at and they wouldn't feel so nervous and formal. Then in 1996, when a couple of my friends were starting to create documents on a relatively new thing at our university called the "world wide web," I thought I'd try my hand at creating a website.
4) What's your favorite grammar/style resource?
My favorite grammatical/usage source is perhaps H. W. Fowler's Modern English Usage. Although Strunk and White is up there as well. My favorite, or at least most used, style manuals are the MLA Manual of Style and the Chicago Manual of Style. I can work in either.
5) What's one topic you still can't seem to master in your own writing?
Spelling. Even if I know how to spell a certain rarely-used word, I'll look it up. I'm paranoid and obsessive that way, wanting to make sure I'm absolutely right. Also, it looks bad when English professors misspell. But then again, I've always hated that assumption of English folk.
6) Who, as a group, do you believe to be the worst offenders regarding rules of grammar?
I'm not sure I want to go there, since I might be offending whole groups of individuals. Email and text messaging (esp. the latter) has pretty much butchered up the rules of grammar, but then again, this isn't the first time that changes in technology have affected grammar. Perhaps it's neither good or bad, just evolutionary. Language is fluid, and I've never been one to maintain that grammatical rules absolutely can't change. They do over time, and many times we come to accept those changes, to a point. But getting back to my contempt for the inappropriate use of "like": I see this occurring in younger populations. Whenever my kids use "like" in this way, I always correct them. I may be annoying when I correct them, but I won't give up the crusade against useless "likes."
February 6, 2009
Major 'different'-ces
I've been seeing this a lot lately:
A song performed by five different boys...
A skin care line comprised of three different products...
etc.
Different is implied here, so let's take it out, eh?
A song performed by five different boys...
A skin care line comprised of three different products...
etc.
Different is implied here, so let's take it out, eh?
YSV's SIX QUESTIONS: This week ... Chris Duval from Apostrophe Abuse
Visit Chris on the Web here.
How long have you been blogging about grammar?
Apostrophe Abuse has been up and running since 2005, and each year I seem to get more and more submissions. It's amazing to me how many people share this pet peeve.
What's your biggest grammatical pet peeve (besides that which is the blog topic)?
Less vs. fewer -- that one really seems to stick out recently. Hearing things like "We need less people on this project" or "There are less than four TVs in my house" set off alarms in my head. I tried to explain the rule to a couple people, but now they're saying things like, "I'm just fewer interested in grammar than you are".
What was the impetus of your obsession with this?
Without a doubt, it was the graffiti I spotted on a phone booth in Santa Cruz, CA. The fact that this vulgar phrase also included an erroneous apostrophe struck me as incredibly funny. I took a photo with my camera phone and that ended up being the first post on the blog.
What's your favorite grammar/style resource?
Bartleby.com is pretty good, and I also really like "Common Errors in English."
What's one topic you still can't seem to master in your own writing?
It's actually quite a challenge for me to get what's in my head on to paper/into words. I find that incredibly difficult.
Who, as a group, do you believe to be the worst offenders regarding rules of grammar?
Honestly, it's all over the map -- but I still can't believe when I see apostrophe errors in neon signs. Someone actually heats and bends a glass tube into the shape of an errant apostrophe, and what -- doesn't care? Doesn't notice? How can that be?
How long have you been blogging about grammar?
Apostrophe Abuse has been up and running since 2005, and each year I seem to get more and more submissions. It's amazing to me how many people share this pet peeve.
What's your biggest grammatical pet peeve (besides that which is the blog topic)?
Less vs. fewer -- that one really seems to stick out recently. Hearing things like "We need less people on this project" or "There are less than four TVs in my house" set off alarms in my head. I tried to explain the rule to a couple people, but now they're saying things like, "I'm just fewer interested in grammar than you are".
What was the impetus of your obsession with this?
Without a doubt, it was the graffiti I spotted on a phone booth in Santa Cruz, CA. The fact that this vulgar phrase also included an erroneous apostrophe struck me as incredibly funny. I took a photo with my camera phone and that ended up being the first post on the blog.
What's your favorite grammar/style resource?
Bartleby.com is pretty good, and I also really like "Common Errors in English."
What's one topic you still can't seem to master in your own writing?
It's actually quite a challenge for me to get what's in my head on to paper/into words. I find that incredibly difficult.
Who, as a group, do you believe to be the worst offenders regarding rules of grammar?
Honestly, it's all over the map -- but I still can't believe when I see apostrophe errors in neon signs. Someone actually heats and bends a glass tube into the shape of an errant apostrophe, and what -- doesn't care? Doesn't notice? How can that be?
February 3, 2009
Need. Decoder. For British. English.
"We should be perhaps planning on the basis that there is more freak weather about and we shouldn't just buckle to it."
-David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, on the recent flipping-out of London due to a laughably small amount of snow
-David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, on the recent flipping-out of London due to a laughably small amount of snow
January 16, 2009
YSV's SIX QUESTIONS: This week ... Bethany from The Blog of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks
Eds note: This is the first in an occasional series where I will be featuring other grammar bloggers.
How long have you been blogging about quotation marks?
Um, 3 and a half years. That's kind of embarrassing.
What's your biggest grammatical pet peeve (other than the
blog topic)?
You know, I don't know if I have any. But I do get a bit annoyed with wordiness, and people who use big words incorrectly.
What was the impetus of your obsession with this?
I thought it was funny in regular life, and I thought it would be a funny blog. I guess I was right?
What's your favorite grammar/style resource?
Grammar Girl podcasts. She's great!
What's one topic you still can't seem to master in your own writing?
I tend to overuse commas, and capitalize for no apparent reason when I'm not paying attention. I don't know why.
Who, as a group, do you believe to be the worst offenders regarding rules of grammar?
I really can't say, I just see texts and not authors, and any group you might exclude for being blameless has showed up in the "blog."
Read Bethany's blog by clickin' here. It's funny! You will like!
How long have you been blogging about quotation marks?
Um, 3 and a half years. That's kind of embarrassing.
What's your biggest grammatical pet peeve (other than the
blog topic)?
You know, I don't know if I have any. But I do get a bit annoyed with wordiness, and people who use big words incorrectly.
What was the impetus of your obsession with this?
I thought it was funny in regular life, and I thought it would be a funny blog. I guess I was right?
What's your favorite grammar/style resource?
Grammar Girl podcasts. She's great!
What's one topic you still can't seem to master in your own writing?
I tend to overuse commas, and capitalize for no apparent reason when I'm not paying attention. I don't know why.
Who, as a group, do you believe to be the worst offenders regarding rules of grammar?
I really can't say, I just see texts and not authors, and any group you might exclude for being blameless has showed up in the "blog."
Read Bethany's blog by clickin' here. It's funny! You will like!
January 14, 2009
Assumption junction
Just read this (and changed it). I am copy editor; hear me fix your shit!
"The city is heavily populated with outdoor types, but also professionals who work at major companies such as Amazon.com."
Commence overreaction! WHAT?!? Are being outdoorsy and a professional mutually exclusive?!? UM ... DELETED! It will now read:
"The city is heavily populated with outdoor types, and professionals who work at major companies such as Amazon.com."
I would omit the comma after types, but I didn't want to make it sound like the outdoor types all work at Amazon.
"The city is heavily populated with outdoor types, but also professionals who work at major companies such as Amazon.com."
Commence overreaction! WHAT?!? Are being outdoorsy and a professional mutually exclusive?!? UM ... DELETED! It will now read:
"The city is heavily populated with outdoor types, and professionals who work at major companies such as Amazon.com."
I would omit the comma after types, but I didn't want to make it sound like the outdoor types all work at Amazon.
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