This biz drives me nuts!

[Produce man]

Does anyone in news know proper grammar?

Every network/cable outlet is guilty of it.

"meanwhile" and "in the meantime".

Why do writers interchange these phrases as if they mean the same thing?! What are these dumbasses learning in school these days?!

AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!! graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif

[ZuZu's Petals]

I find myself irritated by the use of 'jargon' in news and other forms of media.

"Hilary Swank GUESTS on Jimmy Kimmel tonght."

No, she'll be his guest... or A guest. Guests is the plural form of how many people will be over tonight... I seriously hate hearing it used as a verb!

It's like 'efforting' No no no... don't type that into your copy.
Ugh.

[Crash Davis]

While we're at it, "hosts" is a made-up verb too.

[SnowPirate]

I cringe when I see "affect" and "effect" used incorrectly in the prompter. Sadly, it happens all the time. :(

[Another side]

Originally posted by Produce man:
Does anyone in news know proper grammar?

Every network/cable outlet is guilty of it.

"meanwhile" and "in the meantime".

Why do writers interchange these phrases as if they mean the same thing?! What are these dumbasses learning in school these days?!

AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!! graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif I guess I'm one of the dummies. I thought they both meant the same thing. What's the distinction?

[Spike]

Originally posted by Another side:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Produce man:
Does anyone in news know proper grammar?

Every network/cable outlet is guilty of it.

"meanwhile" and "in the meantime".

Why do writers interchange these phrases as if they mean the same thing?! What are these dumbasses learning in school these days?!

AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!! graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif I guess I'm one of the dummies. I thought they both meant the same thing. What's the distinction?</font>[/QUOTE]There is no distinction in meaning. Pooned man is confused. Meanwhile is an adverb. "In the meantime" is a prepositional phrase that functions as an adverb. Both expressions mean exactly the same thing.

And:

Originally posted by Crash Davis:
While we're at it, "hosts" is a made-up verb too.No, it isn't. "He hosts the pageant every year" is perfectly acceptable. I can't figure why you would think that would be a problem.

[Produce man]

Originally posted by Another side:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Produce man:
Does anyone in news know proper grammar?

Every network/cable outlet is guilty of it.

"meanwhile" and "in the meantime".

Why do writers interchange these phrases as if they mean the same thing?! What are these dumbasses learning in school these days?!

AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!! I guess I'm one of the dummies. I thought they both meant the same thing. What's the distinction?</font>[/QUOTE]It's hard to explain, so let me just write a couple of examples...

Federal resrve chairman ******* said today he is worried about the future of the economy. "Meanwhile", other financial experts are feeling the same way.

(in other words, at the same time ******* is worried, others are also worried)

President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. "In the meantime", 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country.

(in other words, Bush is going to get out in 1/08, but until then, more troops will be brought in)

Unfortunately, I see anchors switching them up all the time.

AAAAGGGGHHH!!! graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif

[ January 18, 2007, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: Produce man ]

[Another side]

Sorry ... it's a distinction without a difference. I looked both up in Wesbster's -- Spike's right.

I think your beating your head against the wall for nothing.

[Spike]

Originally posted by Produce man:
It's hard to explain, so let me just write a couple of examples...

Federal resrve chairman ******* said today he is worried about the future of the economy. "Meanwhile", other financial experts are feeling the same way.

(in other words, at the same time ******* is worried, others are also worried)

President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. "In the meantime", 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country.

(in other words, Bush is going to get out in 1/08, but until then, more troops will be brought in)

Unfortunately, I see anchors switching them up all the time.

AAAAGGGGHHH!!! graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif I see where you're coming from, but I think you have identified the problem incorrectly.

To take them out of order, your second example is pretty much meaningless. Substitute the alternative:

"President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. Meanwhile, 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country."

Here meanwhile and "in the meantime" mean exactly the same thing and ARE interchangeable.

It's the first example where they aren't interchangeable, but that's because meanwhile isn't supposed to mean "at the same time." It's supposed to mean "in the intervening time." It has been misused for so long that the originally incorrect definition is now considered acceptable ("Meanwhile, back at the ranch."). You have a problem with the substitution there because meanwhile evolved into the new meaning, while "in the meantime" didn't.

But then, I can't recall ever hearing anyone using "in the meantime" to mean "at the same time." Are you sure you aren't just imagining it?

[Produce man]

Webster's seems to lump them both together. "Meanwhile" fits definition 1. "In the meantime" fits description 2.

I have written a strongly worded letter to Webster to have this matter corrected. In the meantime, you can trust me on this. I AM PRODUCE MAN! tongue.gif

[turdpolisher]

My favorite is pronoun-antecedent mistakes. A business, board, commission, or group is an "it" not a "they" The members are "they."

I see it all the time, and it drives me crazy!

[Clever Produce York'rr Chatbot3000]

Shall :rolleyes: I des-des-des-des- *tic*
:rolleyes:
Destroy them,
HAR!
_KA-BOOOOM!!! *KILL THEM ALL*
/end.

Master? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Spike]

Originally posted by turdpolisher:
A business, board, commission, or group is an "it" not a "they" The members are "they."Unless you're in Britain. Then companies and organizations are plural, as in "The Human Project have sent a boat."

[Sir Dropham Pants]

Originally posted by Crash Davis:
While we're at it, "hosts" is a made-up verb too.But isn't it possible to host a party or host a game? You can be a host, yes. But you can also host an event.

[Grotto]

Your versus you're.

Our versus are.

And incomplete sentences.

[Big Country]

Your vs. you're is my number one pet peeve!

If your not sure if your using it correctly, look it up! It's you're credibility on the line! graemlins/eusa_whistle.gif

[ January 19, 2007, 03:31 AM: Message edited by: Big No Snow Country ]

[TAFKA wacowx]

My pet peeve is similar:

Using "meantime" alone, not as a part of a prepositional phrase.

"President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. Meantime, 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country."

AND the opposite-

"President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. In the Meanwhile, 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country."

I hear the first more than the second, but have heard both in TV news.

[Marty McFly]

This should make things a little easier:

'Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice...'

'The movie doesn't start until 7pm. In the meantime, I'm going to take a nap.

[Fargin Icehole]

Is anyone else besides me bothered by the orbiter being called a space shuttle? :D

[Spike]

Originally posted by WacoWX:
My pet peeve is similar:

Using "meantime" alone, not as a part of a prepositional phrase.

"President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. Meantime, 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country."

AND the opposite-

"President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. In the Meanwhile, 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country."

I hear the first more than the second, but have heard both in TV news.It may sound strange to you based on the speech patterns of your native region, but both those uses are acceptable. Meanwhile and meantime can both be used as nouns or adverbs and as objects of prepositions.

[ January 19, 2007, 06:01 AM: Message edited by: Spike ]

[Kace]

When people use the word, "anxious," to describe someone who's eager.

[The Mockingbird]

Someone corrected me once about "anxious vs. eager" when I was talking about my parents coming to town.

I looked at him like he was an idiot. He noticed.

"I'm not being anal, those are the correct definitions."

I replied, "I'm well aware. You, however, haven't met my parents."

[Spike]

Originally posted by Kace:
When people use the word, "anxious," to describe someone who's eager.anxious (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=anxious)

—Usage note The earliest sense of anxious (in the 17th century) was “troubled” or “worried”: We are still anxious for the safety of our dear sons in battle. Its meaning “earnestly desirous, eager” arose in the mid-18th century: We are anxious to see our new grandson. Some insist that anxious must always convey a sense of distress or worry and object to its use in the sense of “eager,” but such use is fully standard.

[Good Witch]

I cringe every time I have to prompt for a certain sports anchor because he gets grammar wrong in a 3rd grade sort of way - still confusing "there / their / they're" and "your / you're"

When did it become ok to hire middle school dropouts?

(Oh wait, he finally got fired, nevermind)

[Produce man]

Originally posted by WacoWX:
My pet peeve is similar:

Using "meantime" alone, not as a part of a prepositional phrase.

"President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. Meantime, 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country."

AND the opposite-

"President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. In the Meanwhile, 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country."

I hear the first more than the second, but have heard both in TV news.YES! YES! YES!

[The Mockingbird]

Originally posted by Produce man:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by WacoWX:
My pet peeve is similar:

Using "meantime" alone, not as a part of a prepositional phrase.

"President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. Meantime, 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country."

AND the opposite-

"President Bush says he hopes to begin withdrawing troops by January of 2008. In the Meanwhile, 20,000 more troops will be brought in to help stablize the country."

I hear the first more than the second, but have heard both in TV news.YES! YES! YES!</font>[/QUOTE]Is it just me, or does anyone else feel dirty watching these two interact?

[Produce man]

Just you, you perv. tongue.gif

[Bill Lumbergh]

Is there anything better than the sports guys who refer to runs batted in as RBI in the plural? It's RBIs, fellas. Stop trying to outsmart yourselves.

[adam &amp; doctor drew]

Originally posted by Bill Lumbergh:
Is there anything better than the sports guys who refer to runs batted in as RBI in the plural? It's RBIs, fellas. Stop trying to outsmart yourselves.I certainly hope there IS something better....

[neodeity]

I'm sure I've posted this before, but I always get a chuckle when I hear an anchor use the word "snafu" to describe any situation where something has gone horribly awry. While it may be the perfect word to describe such a situation, it's not really a word. It's an acronym for Situation Normal, All *****ed Up and probably shouldn't be used on air.

[s'news]

I'm bothered by "ironically," when the right word is "coincidentally."

[NewsWench]

Of course we don't know proper grammar, spelling or usage of the English language. But, then again, we speak American not English.

Everything we learned in J-School about writing directly contridicted what we learned in English classes. DUH!

Just try to write well... or is that good?

[Sultanosurf]

Meanwhile, you're Sultan is anxious over a pounding affect this thread is produce-ing...

[Almost Virga]

My writing ain't elegant; I took remedial courses in college (I'm a science major) and I am still amazed at the errors I find. It should shock y'all that a moron can reasonably feel superior.

Have you seen the times that the plural s is substituted by the possesive? I hate Monday's.

Affect vs. effect ... thanks for reminding me.

And then there are words that are changing meaning. People can now survive when they are electrocuted. Soon people will survive drowning.

[ January 22, 2007, 09:43 PM: Message edited by: Almost Virga ]

[the Skeptician]

Originally posted by Bill Lumbergh:
Is there anything better than the sports guys who refer to runs batted in as RBI in the plural? It's RBIs, fellas. Stop trying to outsmart yourselves.So...that'd make them runs batted ins?

Yeah, THAT sounds right. :rolleyes:

[The Mockingbird]

If you're Runs Batted In, that's also the plural.

If you're saying RBI, RBIs is the plural.

It's the same reason you say "An RBI", but don't say "An Run batted in"; it sounds better.

Anyone remember conversational English?

[jrat33]

How about MIA's? It's not Missings in Action. RBI's is the correct way to say it.

[jrat33]

Originally posted by s'news:
I'm bothered by "ironically," when the right word is "coincidentally."Like rain on your wedding day?

Or a free ride, when you've already paid?

Or good advice, that you just can't take?

Who would of thought, it figured?

[The Mockingbird]

Originally posted by jrat33:
How about MIA's? It's not Missings in Action. RBI's is the correct way to say it.Just lose the apostrophes.

[Bill Lumbergh]

Originally posted by the Skeptician:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Bill Lumbergh:
Is there anything better than the sports guys who refer to runs batted in as RBI in the plural? It's RBIs, fellas. Stop trying to outsmart yourselves.So...that'd make them runs batted ins?

Yeah, THAT sounds right. :rolleyes: </font>[/QUOTE]Yeah, that IS right. :rolleyes:

When you abbreviate runs batted in, RBI becomes its own noun. It doesn't matter what any of the letters stand for. So for any genius sports guy who insists on saying RBI in the plural, I demand you also change the way you say the following as well:
- POW instead of POWs.
- MIA instead of MIAs (good one, jrat!)
- CD instead of CDs (certificates of deposit)
- MP instead of MPs
- should I go on?

Don't buy it? Check the AP Style Book or any other guide to proper grammar. I even wrote the editor of the Gregg Reference Manual once about this, and he wrote me back personally to say RBIs is correct.

Just because the guys on ESPN say it doesn't mean it's right.

[NewsMom]

The easy way to tell if you're listening to an educated individual, or not:

NONE, EITHER, and NEITHER are all
singular nouns.

NONE is the same as NOT ONE
EITHER assumes the extra word, ONE: EITHER ONE
same with neither.

So you'll say: NONE ..... IS available for comment.

Even if it's NONE of the board members... it's still NONE of the board members IS available.

Learn that, and you'll sound intelligent. Or at least more intelligent.

[News Is Broken]

Originally posted by Bill Lumbergh:
Yeah, that IS right. :rolleyes:

When you abbreviate runs batted in, RBI becomes its own noun. It doesn't matter what any of the letters stand for. So for any genius sports guy who insists on saying RBI in the plural, I demand you also change the way you say the following as well:
- POW instead of POWs.
- MIA instead of MIAs (good one, jrat!)
- CD instead of CDs (certificates of deposit)
- MP instead of MPs
- should I go on?

Don't buy it? Check the AP Style Book or any other guide to proper grammar. I even wrote the editor of the Gregg Reference Manual once about this, and he wrote me back personally to say RBIs is correct.

Just because the guys on ESPN say it doesn't mean it's right.You forgot to add "That'd be greaaaaaaaat, thanks..."

Your SN is Bill Lumbergh after all, is it not?

Seriously, who cares? Are 747s going to crash because the fuggin sports guy mispronounced RBI? Holy hell people...