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Matt
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« on: November 12, 2008, 02:59:22 pm » |
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What are your pet hates when copy editing?
If I come across the word "newest" I swear, but the thing that I dislike with a passion is the word impact used "the low price is impacting the economy". In fact this use of "impact" has now reached epidemic proportions--owing to the global media--and nobody uses good, old words like "influencing" or "affecting" any more. It's all "impact this" and "impact that".
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gorky5
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« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2008, 10:27:07 am » |
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I *hate* the phrase "for free", as in "You can get it for free".
"Free" is a shortened form of "free of charge". Sensibly, you'd no more say "I got it for free" than you'd say "I got it for expensively". People should say "it was free" or "I got it for nothing" instead.
I agree with you about "impact". Some manager types where I work occasionally talk about "impactful content". It drives me mad.
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curly
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« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2008, 11:59:26 am » |
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"Is set to" drives me up the wall. As in, "Gordon Brown is set to announce a VAT holiday."
Lazy lazy lazy...
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sarah jappy
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« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2008, 05:14:00 pm » |
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When I'm reading fashion writing, it makes me want to peel my eyes from my skull and stamp on them when I see the phrase 'make like' as in: 'make like cheryl cole and wear your sequins with knitwear this winter.' SO SO ANNOYING. It doesn't make sense and it sounds horrible. I also hate 'do like' which tends to be used in the same way. Revolting.
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maggie
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« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2008, 09:58:14 pm » |
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People have to write "impact" because they can't remember if the synonym is "affect" or "effect"! Ha ha.
I hate this style choice: James's. Publications, please don't choose that style.
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susan_fenton
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« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2008, 10:11:46 am » |
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writers who use words they don't understand because they think it sounds educated. Take the word ENORMITY, which is so often used to suggest great size but means something very different.
Oh, and I can't stand that slangy "We're loving it" so beloved of women's mags. What the f is wrong with "We love it"?
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GreenFish
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« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2008, 12:25:49 pm » |
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Pretentious and totally unjustified use of the semi-colan. Makes me want to weep whilst screaming the house down. Stop it  |
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louise_bolotin
Freelance members
Full Member
Posts: 163
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« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2008, 06:17:36 pm » |
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Did you mean semi-colon?
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curly
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« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2008, 08:48:34 am » |
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I'd argue that not enough people know how to use semi-colons, pretentiously or otherwise, and instead revert to using a dash whenever they're not sure what's the best option. Fine in casual writing - really not good enough in professional work.
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GreenFish
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« Reply #9 on: December 16, 2008, 09:16:41 am » |
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Louise
*Blush*
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Dewcattybatty
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« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2008, 08:50:00 am » |
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Feral apostrophes, use of the term 'inside of' or 'outside of', use of the word 'transportation', sentences started after commas, use of the word 'firstly'... the list is endless.
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allotmentprincess
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« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2009, 03:38:19 pm » |
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Solution.
Everything is a 'solution' these days. HATE HATE HATE.
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curly
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« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2009, 04:32:32 pm » |
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...yet weirdly no one has problems, only challenges.
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gorky5
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« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2009, 09:59:56 am » |
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"Reform" as a synonym for "change". To reform means to improve, but surprisingly few people appear to know that.
Oh, and that reminds me: writers who don't know the difference between "fewer than" and "less than". It's not hard to learn.
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UVRAY
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« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2009, 10:16:24 am » |
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"More better."  I'm hearing people use it quite frequently of late. All this hoo ha is, of course, negatively impacting the English language. |
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