Time was when there were English word/language gurus. No they didn’t reside at universities, where professors focused their attention on literature, not on the language itself. Rather, they inhabited copydesks (yes, one word) of major U.S. newspapers in major cities – New York, Washington, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles – though other cities also sported such specialized staffs.
These staffs consisted mainly of middle-aged and older journalists. They read every news item published in their publications. It was not unusual for a few sets of copydesk eyes to carefully scrutinize a single piece of copy.
Now, where only a handful of newspapers still have copydesks, these staffs generally have been drastically reduced from groups of a dozen or more such final editors, to one or two individuals occasionally reading an outgoing item, whether it is destined for print or the internet.
With limited language scrutiny, language errors are increasingly popping up in journalism, advertising, you name it.
As examples, here is what we all now are unfortunately reading on a regular basis:
The fire “totally destroyed” the building. Now, isn’t destruction “total” already?
The “media is” covering politics. Last time I checked, “media” was a plural. Should be “media are.”
He flew a “tiny little” red balloon. Isn’t “tiny” already little?
The architectural design was “very unique.” Unique means one of a kind – something that can’t be “very.”
There were “less” soldiers in Russia than reported. No, that should be “fewer” not “less.”
“Data indicates” Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. But “data” are plural, so it should be “data indicate.”
The police officer “died suddenly.” No, death always is sudden. Let’s try instead “died unexpectedly.”
He “hunkered down” in front of the fire. “Hunker” means to go/squat down, so just say he “hunkered.” Period.
She “screamed loudly” at the fireman. Now did you ever hear a “soft” scream? Nope, screams by nature are loud.
He “stepped behind the podium.” A podium is not a “lecturn.”
She was “aggravated” he did not see her. Check it out – the word you’re looking for is “annoyed.”
She received her “free gift” in the mail. Hmm, aren’t gifts by nature free or they wouldn’t be gifts? Ax “free.”
Ah, where are the word police when we still – increasingly – need them? Sigh.
William Babcock was former senior international news editor for The Christian Science Monitor, and for a brief time was on that paper’s copydesk, along with 11 seasoned journalists.
