statesmans

Verbivore
Spam Monitor

"Scratch the itch of ignorance."

Posts: 5,907

statesmans Jul 18, 2008 12:37:02 GMT

Quote

Post by Verbivore on Jul 18, 2008 12:37:02 GMT

Maybe I just need to stop reading the news before it gives me an ulcer. So many of my posts seem to be generated by infelicities in ABC News Online! I accept that journos-cum-newswriters are under tremendous pressure to get stories out, but the sloppiness is far too frequent for this old grump.

From www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/18/2308317.htm (ABC News Online):

Second paragraph of an article on Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday (my emphases):

As tributes poured in for one of the world's best loved elder statesmans, Mr Mandela spent the day [...].

Oh dear. The only valid use of statesmans that I can think of is the plural of a faux-prestige Australian car, the (General Motors) Holden Statesman.

"STYLE is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn." — Gore Vidal
"STYLE is knowing what sort of play you're in." — Sir John Gielgud
"Politicians are not born; they are excreted." ― Marcus Tullius Cicero

Paul Doherty Platinum Posts: 2,024	statesmans Jul 18, 2008 13:18:48 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Paul Doherty on Jul 18, 2008 13:18:48 GMT Our own BBC is very good at correcting typos in webpages when pointed out. I wonder whether you should be writing to ABC, vv, not us!

Verbivore
Spam Monitor

"Scratch the itch of ignorance."

Posts: 5,907

statesmans Jul 18, 2008 15:05:43 GMT

Quote

Post by Verbivore on Jul 18, 2008 15:05:43 GMT

Jul 18, 2008 13:18:48 GMT Paul Doherty said:

Our own BBC is very good at correcting typos in webpages when pointed out. I wonder whether you should be writing to ABC, vv, not us!

Tried that many times, Paul - with such limited success that I gave up.

"STYLE is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn." — Gore Vidal
"STYLE is knowing what sort of play you're in." — Sir John Gielgud
"Politicians are not born; they are excreted." ― Marcus Tullius Cicero

Paul Doherty Platinum Posts: 2,024	statesmans Jul 18, 2008 15:43:49 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Paul Doherty on Jul 18, 2008 15:43:49 GMT Oh dear. That's worse than making a mistake in the first place -- we all do that, after all -- as it indicates they just don't care enough.

Tone Platinum "I'm older than my memories but not as old as my knowledge." Posts: 3,085	statesmans Jul 18, 2008 20:54:56 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Tone on Jul 18, 2008 20:54:56 GMT Vv, Mayhap it's the same as "supermans" and "batmans"? Tone
	"Does Magna Carta mean nothing to you? Did she die in vain?" "I try never to burn my bridges -- but an arsonist dogs my footsteps."

Post by Verbivore on Jul 18, 2008 12:37:02 GMT

Post by Paul Doherty on Jul 18, 2008 13:18:48 GMT

Post by Verbivore on Jul 18, 2008 15:05:43 GMT

Post by Paul Doherty on Jul 18, 2008 15:43:49 GMT

Post by Tone on Jul 18, 2008 20:54:56 GMT

Quick Reply