By Bob Yearick
Pool Rules
A reader who prefers anonymity questions two of the rules on the sign shown here, which she says has been on the wall of UD’s indoor pool for decades. Of the first circled rule, “Lifeguard must be present before entering pool,” she writes, “I’d like to see the lifeguard enter the pool without being present. How about: ‘Do not enter the pool unless the lifeguard is present’?” Of the second, “No food or drink is permitted on pool deck except plastic water bottles,” she comments, “I’ve never tried to consume plastic water bottles. How about: ‘No food or drink is permitted on pool deck except water in plastic bottles’?”
“War” endorses both edits.
Media Watch
• Reader Luann Haney submits this Delawareonline headline: “Personalizing Parking Spaces Is a Right of Passsage for Delaware Seniors.” No, it’s a rite (ritual, custom) of passage.
• Sean McKeown, of The Philadelphia Inquirer, left his modifier dangling with this: “Tied late in the fourth quarter, freshman kicker Mason Walters delivered his first-ever field goal for Penn.” It was the game that was tied. Walters was free to run onto the field.
• BaytoBayNews.com, quoting Nicole Theis, president of the Delaware Family Policy Council: “‘It goes without saying, Charlie had a huge appeal to young men,’ she noted, adding that Mr. Kirk’s late wife, Erika, said during the memorial service that ‘Charlie wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life.’” This implies that not only was Charlie Kirk killed, but his wife is deceased. She is very much alive, and is his widow.
• Melissa Ruggieri, of USA TODAY: “Ronson politely demurred the money twice until Combs barked at him with an expletive to take the money.” Demur (to raise doubts or show reluctance) doesn’t take an object, so the sentence should have read: “Ronson politely demurred twice when the money was offered, until Combs barked at him . . .”
• Demetrius Harvey, of the Jacksonville Times-Union, described a piece of clothing I have long been familiar with but didn’t know the name of; however, he misspelled it. Reporting on Travis Hunter, the No. 1 pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who plays both offense and defense, Demetrius wrote, “In recent days, he’s sported a penny to switch between the sides mid-practice.” Spelled pinny, it’s a derivative of pinafore and, in sports, means a sleeveless shirt or scrimmage vest worn over a team jersey to differentiate one side from the other.
• Colorado football coach Deion Sanders about a new assistant: “This guy knows what he’s doing, and he’s gonna be an intricate part of our success.” We’re pretty sure Deion was going for integral there.
• In the movie Friendship (Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd), a couple is standing in their kitchen and the wife says to her husband, “Bring this package to the neighbors.” The misuse of bring instead of take is maddeningly common, even though the rule is pretty simple: If the action is towards the speaker, use bring. If it is away from the speaker (as in this case), the correct choice is take.
• Reader Janet Strobert submits this crying-out-for-editing excerpt from the website FloralEncounters.com (corrections in parens): “Japanese stiltgrass is a nasty invasive plant that is taking over huge tracks (tracts) of our countryside. It prefers semi-shaded and shaded areas so it has less (fewer) other plants to deal with and is effortlessly replacing them all as the main woodland undergrowth. This is great for the stiltgrass since it ensures that any competition that it might have is removed and it has a free rain (free rein) to take over . . .”
Department of Redundancies Dept.
• An FBI spokesperson, describing an attack on ICE agents, hit my pet peeve button once again with this: “It required considerable pre-planning.” Pre-planning: when planning is never enough.
• A recent commercial on local radio proclaimed that “Carman Lincoln in New Castle is giving away free gifts.” Wait, not charging for gifts? And they’re free?
• Paul Myerberg, in USA TODAY: “Even still, the Nittany Lions were giving up just 4.7 yards per play, the Ducks’ second-lowest average in the first half under Lanning.” This classic pleonasm begins many an errant sentence. Delete “even.”
Word of the Month
canard
Pronounced ke-nard, it’s a noun meaning a false or unfounded report or story, especially a fabricated report; a groundless rumor or belief.
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