Barbara McNichol Editorial Services

Add power and persuasion to your books, articles, and one-sheets

Cluelessness or Sloppiness? Language Misuses Abound

by 1 Comment

Editor’s note: This article struck a chord (not cord) with me and fans of Word Trippers. It offers numerous examples of written language misuses on television—networks that should know better! Be sure to leave your comments and examples below. (For a resource to find the right words fast, go to www.wordtrippers.com)

Reprinted from e-newsletter for Grammarbook.com

TV networks’ graphics departments have long been out of control with their intrusive cluelessness.

After 9/11, many cable channels initiated a constant “crawl” of news at the bottom of the screen. The spellbinding stream of words, slow and endless, is perversely distracting.

But if you run a news channel, shouldn’t credibility be a front-burner concern? Shaky language skills for all to see raise serious questions about your standards language misusesand practices. Are you stupid, or do you just think we are? Who put manic ignoramuses in charge of your graphics department?

The examples that follow all happened in recent months:

  • An ABC affiliate, thinking mischievous has four syllables, spelled it “mischievious.” Another ABC graphic said, “Wake Forrest,” then proved it was no fluke with “Angeles National Forrest.”
  • An NBC affiliate came up with “To good to be true.” We’re still taught about to, too, and two, aren’t we? Maybe it was Bring Your First-Grader to Work Day.
  • Fox fell into a common trap with “wrecking havoc”—the proper phrase is wreaking havoc. And Fox embarrassed itself with “embarassed.” In “alledged embassy bomber,” it earned an F by adding a second d to alleged. A superfluous ‘i’ in “How has the president faired?” meant fare thee well, credibility.
  • CNN joined the party with “theif” and “Iranian peoples’ belief.” Put that apostrophe where it belongs, would you? And CNN might have won the knucklehead sweepstakes with this bizarre bulletin: “Houses OKs climate change.” Where do you begin with that one? It’s an inspired fusion of horrid grammar and utter meaninglessness.

Why do TV networks, some of them scrutinized around the world, undermine themselves with sloppy grammar, spelling, and punctuation?

Please share your comments and examples of language misuses on TV.

Election Season: Historic vs. Historical … or Hysterical?

by Leave a Comment

by Kathleen Watson (used with permission)

We’re about to the end (thank goodness!) of a historic election.

Or is it a historical election?

Or an historic / historical election?

Or maybe it’s simply hysterical?

If you’re now as confused as I am, here’s the rest of the story:

historic (adjective): famous or important in history, or potentially so; having great and lasting importance

The historic importance of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is widely recognized.
The president was pleased to see so many citizens attend the historic ceremony.
The Supreme Court has heard many historic cases.

historical (adjective): of or relating to history or past events; belonging to the past rather than the present; based on history

He has a collection of historical artifacts from the Revolutionary War.
There’s no historical data to support her claim.
Historical treasures abound at the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
We historically have always followed the board meeting with dinner.

Historical also can mean showing development based on chronological order:

They provided a historical account of the battles of the Revolutionary War.

Killer Tip to help remember the difference:

One source describes historic as implying judgment, because the term deems something as significant. Historical, on the other hand, simply describes anything from or that occurred in the distant past.

And remember: a historical, not an historical

Hysterical, by the way, is defined as marked by uncontrollable, extreme emotion. Enough said.

To complete this post, there is a valid word that I don’t recall every having heard — and I don’t expect to ever use it, unless possibly in jest:

historicalness (noun), the state of having existed in the past; the quality or fact of being historical

Now you have it: the meanings and implications of historic and historical. Expand the enlightenment by sharing this post with others who might find these highly similar terms as confusing as I — and maybe some of you — did.

Kathleen Watson is known as the ruthless editor. She has just published an excellent grammar book that clears up questions that have been festering. Lie vs. lay is just one of 60 tips you’ll find in Grammar for People Who Hate Rules: Killer Tips from The Ruthless Editor. At $8.95, that’s just 15 cents a tip!

To buy your copy, click here: Grammar for People Who Hate Rules: Killer Tips from The Ruthless Editor.

An Irish Word Tripper Fresh from the Blarney Castle

by Leave a Comment

by Barbara McNichol

I simply had to share this sign from the Blarney Castle, which I recently visited on my trip to Ireland and the UK. As the creator of Word Trippers, I recognized there’s a world of difference between “Blarney” and “Baloney.”

Irish Word Tripper

Here’s what the quotation in the small print says:

Blarney is the varnished truth. Baloney is the unvarnished lie. Blarney is flattery laid on just thin enough to like it. Baloney is flattery so thick we hate it.  I firmly believe that if the world had a little more Blarney and a little less baloney, it would not be in the mess it is today. – Monsignor Fulton Sheen

Do you agree with this Irish Word Tripper definition? Do you have a different one? Please share it here–with lots of blarney and no baloney.

 

Everyday Exasperation

by Leave a Comment

by Todd Hunt from Hunt’s Headlines

Two little words. Or one longer word, depending on the meaning.

Every day versus everyday

As two words, they answer the question, “When?”

Correct answer: Every day.every day sign 1

 

 

every day sign2Beverages are available every day, so this sign listing beverages is wrong. It should say every day.

 

“Everyday” as one word answers the question, “What kind?” Everyday low prices–that’s what kind.

every day sign 3Every day = “when”   Everyday = “what kind”

Thanks, Todd, for making this Word Tripper so visual.

Reprinted with permission from “Hunt’s Headlines,” the world’s shortest email newsletter, by business humorist Todd Hunt. Sign up at www.ToddHuntSpeaker.com

“Eager” vs. “Anxious” when Talking About A-Rod

by 7 Comments

by Barbara McNichol
 
Keen sports readers might have caught this Word Tripper in an ESPN online report Monday, April 13th. My hubby did and pointed it out (in red). See why knowing the distinction is important?
 

NEW YORK — If Alex Rodriquez had sat down to draw up how he expected his first week back in the major leagues to go, it’s doubtful even a player with as healthy an ego as his could have come up with anything as unexpected as what we have seen over the New York Yankees’ first six games of 2015.

In the space of six games, he has gone from a guy who was welcomed back uneasily last Monday — the pregame reception for him on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium was decidedly mixed, with more than a few boos intermingled with the cheers — to a player whose at-bats are now eagerly anticipated by the fans and anxiously anticipated by the opposition. (You have to know the difference between eagerness/eager and anxiety/anxious to know what I’m talking about.)

(For the whole A-Rod article, go to http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/yankees/post/_/id/84041/dream-week-for-a-rod)

Well, What’s the Difference?

Are you eagerly (not anxiously) wanting to know the distinction? This description comes from my Word Trippers book (details here).

Anxious, eager – “Eager” means exciting or enthusiastic. “Anxious” means full of anxiety or worry. “I’m eager to hear the details of your trip.” “I have been anxious to learn about your travels ever since I heard about the airline strike.”

What a great example. Share yours here!

 

Best of Word Trippers 2014

by 1 Comment

by Barbara McNichol

If you don’t subscribe to my ezine Word Tripper of the Week, you’re missing out on a regular opportunity to sharpen your word use skills. You’ll find easy explanations of confusng word pairings such as “accept vs. except” and “affect vs. effect.”

Last year’s Word Trippers ezine included the pairs that follow, but that’s only a start! For the complete “Best of 2014” List, email me at editor@BarbaraMcNichol.com and I’ll send you the full PDF list of 25 pesky pairings featured in 2014.

Abstruse, obtuse – “Abstruse” means hard to understand, complex, or highly abstract. It stems from a Latin word meaning concealed or hidden and typically describes texts or arguments. “Obtuse” describes someone who is (or seems to be, based on behavior) not sharp in thinking, perception, or feeling; it can also refer to a remark, argument, or object that is dull or blunt.

“The teacher lost his students’ attention while describing abstruse philosophical topics to his class. He was too obtuse to notice their lack of participation.”

***

Afflict, inflict – Both words mean to cause pain, suffering, distress, or discomfort. “Afflict” with the preposition “with” usually describes an illness or condition. “Inflict” with the preposition “on” concentrates on the force with which the pain, suffering, distress, or discomfort is administered.

“He did not intend to inflict shame on his friend with his calloused remark. It would later afflict him with a deep sense of remorse.”

***

Anticipate, predict – “Anticipate” means to think of something that could happen in the future; to expect or look ahead to something with pleasure. “Predict” means to declare or indicate in advance; to foretell based on observation, experience, or scientific reason.

“It’s easy to predict the youngsters will have a tough time sleeping as they anticipate their trip to Disneyland.”

***

Archetype, prototype – Derived from the Latin term “typus” meaning image, the nouns “archetype” and “prototype” both relate to an original pattern or model. Each prefix establishes the distinction. “Arch” refers to the most accomplished or high ranking of something; “proto” primarily refers to a standard configuration, or an initial model or version of something. Thus, “archetype” has come to mean an ideal example while “prototype” is an unrefined version of something that’s expected to evolve.

“With her perfect GPA, inspiring extracurricular activity, and impressive athletic accomplishments, she’s the archetype of a great student and possibly a prototype for a successful entrepreneur.”

***

Request the whole list with Best of Word Trippers in subject line. When you do, I’ll automatically subscribe you to the bimonthly ezine so you won’t miss out in the future. Enjoy!

Then tell me which ones were most helpful or most surprising to you. Comment here.

P.S. You can order the print version of Word Trippers 2nd edition by clicking on this link. http://bit.ly/WordTrippers

From Our Blog

View all blog posts »

Barbara McNichol Editorial
5090 N. Camino de la Cumbre
Tucson, AZ 85750

Phone: 520-615-7910

Email us »