Nov12 |
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Here’s Some Change I Can Get Behind
The Associated Press is adopting a universal style for referring to all heads of state, including the United States. Effective Thursday at 3 a.m. EST, the AP will use the title and first and family names on first reference: President George W. Bush, not just President Bush; President-elect Barack Obama, not just President-elect Obama; President Nicolas Sarkozy, not just President Sarkozy. There’s several awesome things about this note from the AP, but my favorite one is that this changeover has a middle-of-the-night start time. Oh, how will President Barack Obama deal with this 3 a.m. crisis?! But, really, who can get excited about changes like this when papers still use “Web site” as their style? There are still major changes to fight for, people. [via Romenesko] |
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Hey, so what’s the beef with “Web site” ?
(1) it’s AP style
(2) it’s the “World Wide Web” — one has a site on the World Wide Web — therefore, one has a “Web site”
(3) if we say it’s “website” then there’s potential for a run on apostrophes so people can correctly refer to “my ’site” — and we all know the punctuational terror that will result from THAT
You want to get cranky about something, how about the fact that if I used letters instead of numbers in that list above, the third one would wind up as a copyright symbol and there’s no way around it — now THAT’S annoying!
Oh, and don’t get me started on “upwards” or “could care less” or that damn apostrophe in plurals (the Smith’s — ARRRGGGHHHHH!)
While I’m at it: Can we PLEASE delete the word “ecosystem” from everyone’s vocabulary? We’re starting to get a handle on squashing that uptalk thing, and this would be another step in the right direction.
Happy hump day (or is it humpday?), everyone!
Coffee … gimme more coffee …
Geez. And I thought I was a stickler for grammar and AP Style.
Craig, next time I’m in need of a copy editor, I’m calling you.
@sarah: thanks, Sarah — “custom editorial” — it’s what I do
;-)
http://www.ckpcreative.com
http://www.lohad.com
Here’s an idea… If you have to take a test to drive a car, you have to take a test to use the internet. It would be a simple two question test.
One, give the three spellings of the word there/their/they’re and use each in a sentence.
Two, give the three spellings of two/too/to and use each in a sentence.
I might be swayed to your racist viewpoints, philly.com users, if only you could master these two concepts. As is, you just look stupid.
‘Web site’ is wretched. When AP collapses, will people still deem it necessary to follow its style?
May I suggest a third question for the internet test?
Three, identify and briefly explain the difference between the words “then” and “than”.
Their/they’re/there as well.