15.9.08

Those posts may not start today (busy-ness became), so instead I leave you with a little exercise.

Count just HOW many times the reporter used the wrongly-spelt word in this article, without it ever once occurring to him/her that it should be 'e', not 'a'. And then wonder how the sub-ed could have let the article through. And then despair (again) at the state of the Indian print media, if even the ET is getting as sloppy as this.

9 comments:

dipali said...

Every single time. Bah, to both author and editor. That's what their business should remain- permanently stationary(:

Shammi said...

Well, I guess they got tired of all those mobile marts whizzing around :) What's wrong with planning for some that stay stationery? I mean stationary.

Anonymous said...

Arre, you don't understand the strategic reason behind this. They want to distinguish themselves from 'thela-wala' community. What better than to 'brand' a generic adjective, eh? Genius! ;-)

PS: If you think ET is bad, have you tried the FT lately. I read newspapers with a red pen. Sometimes I also email the editors and get brusque emails back. I am waiting for the day when I get a mail that says, 'So?'.

Anonymous said...

*Even* the ET? EVEN the ET? Kindly excuse while I have a hysterical few moments. The ET is a crime against English. Sigh! And this, I'm ashamed to say, is my tribe. I think I should retire to Himmy-watsitsname...

??! said...

Talk about touching a sore spot.

Agree with Shyam and Shefaly, maybe the reporter got confused because of the 'fixed' nature of the business.

Shefaly/Brinda:
Well I know ET is bad, but this is criminal. But it really amazes me that financial papers (and yes, the FT too!) can be so lax when they're selling to a segment of the market that places such a premium on getting things right.

Or is it just that they know the business guys won't care about the words, as long as they get their facts right?

Anonymous said...

(Yes, a VERY sore spot!) Oh, ET believes that business people want to read "fancy" writing -- just look at any of its headlines! AND it often doesn't get the facts right either. I think Business Line is the only biz daily that so far deliberately does boring (and also manages reasonably correct English).

??! said...

Itna gussa kyun hote ho ji? Simply take over the paper, and then set down your rules. Anybody who lets a mistake through gets to sit on the covered-in-honey-and-ants chair.

Anonymous said...

shhh! i'll thank you not to publicise my secret plan of newspaper domination

??! said...

Got it! Mum's the word.

(this would perchance be why you don't blog? CoI, and all that?)