By Bob Yearick
MEDIA WATCH
•Rhea Hughes, on Philly’s Sports Radio WIP, danced with the double comparative: “Beating Dallas last year was much more sweeter.”
•Last month, we covered the no-comma-after-a-title-before-a-name rule, and The Grand Opera House promptly violated it twice with this announcement: “The Grand Opera House Welcomes Acclaimed Louisiana Blues Guitarist, Tab Benoît and Special Guest, Dirty Dozen Brass Band.”
•Clemson University linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. on Instagram: “THANK YOU, Clemson fans! During my time at Clemson, you have shown my family and I nothing but love and appreciation.” Objects of verbs (have shown) take the objective case — me.
•Somewhat similarly, Beatrice Furman, in The Philadelphia Inquirer, wrote this: “Stallone captioned a black and white photo of he and (Burt) Young in character . . .” In this case, the preposition of takes the objective him.
•Matt Breen, in The Inky: “Schwarber had the game’s furthest hit and shortest hit.” Longest would be the best choice here, although farthest (which refers to physical distances) would work. Furthest describes metaphorical distances.
•Tom Schad, in USA TODAY: ”In a letter to Division I schools, Baker outlined the key tenants of — and reasoning for — a proposed shift in governance . . . “ So The News Journal is not the only publication that doesn’t know the difference between tenant (one who rents or leases a building) and tenet (a principle, belief, or doctrine).
•Reader Mimi Gregor found this in the Delaware Eats newsletter: “I needed a complete 360 degrees from anything that was served at Thanksgiving.” As Mimi notes, if you turn 360 degrees, you come full circle. What was meant was 180 degrees.
•Frank Bodani, York (Pa.) Daily Record, in a story loaded with incomplete sentences, wrote this: “He really didn’t have to throw the ball downfield against Penn State. Didn’t really have to throw the ball hardly at all.” Didn’t and hardly at all create a double negative in that nonsentence.
•Menu Puzzler: A reader caught this in an Olive Garden commercial: “Never-ending pasta bowl . . . for a limited time.”
•From an article in Sports Illustrated Golf: “After undergoing surgery to remove a legion in his brain, U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland says he’s progressing.” Pretty sure a lesion was removed.
Word Roamer Romo
Reader Debbie Layton notes that NFL commentator Tony Romo has a problem with the past participle. She heard him say the following on a recent broadcast:
•“The quarterback could have went . . .” Could have gone is correct.
•“He could have ran . . .” and “You’ve ran it down the field.” In both cases, run is correct.
Department of Redundancies Dept.
A couple of old reliables — return back and whole, entire — are among our entries this month.
•Reader Janet Strobert found this on the Homegrown National Park website: “The page you are looking for does not exist. . . Perhaps you can return back to the site’s homepage and see if you can find what you are looking for.”
•Similarly, son Steven spotted this in a People story about Rosalynn Carter: “In 1953, they returned back to Plains when Jimmy left the Navy.”
•According to reader Larry Kerchner, a CNN correspondent reported that a hostage exchange “will happen at 3 a.m.. in the morning.” As opposed to 3 a.m. in the afternoon?
•A reader caught this online notice from the Delaware Division of the Arts regarding a recent featured artist: “Originally born in Sidney, Nebraska, Ron Meick received his BFA in sculpture from Rhode Island School of Design.” Comments our reader: “Makes you question where subsequent births may have occurred.”
•On NBC’s Today, Carson Daly called Cher’s latest album “a major milestone.” By definition, aren’t all milestones major?
•In USA TODAY, Alek Thomas, of the Arizona Diamondbacks, talked about teammate Corbin Carroll thusly: “He’s definitely different than a lot of guys I’ve been around for my whole, entire life.” Also, Carroll is different from, not different than.
Word of the Month
plectrum
Pronounced plek-trum, it’s a small, thin piece of plastic or metal used to pluck the strings of a stringed instrument; a guitar pick.
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