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Can't believe they wrote that....

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by alleyallen, Mar 13, 2007.

  1. sportshack06

    sportshack06 Member

    Re: Can\'t believe they wrote that....

    Mine too...
     
  2. sportshack06

    sportshack06 Member

    Re: Can\'t believe they wrote that....

    This little quote and attribution made it in a local paper here today.

    \"Also,\" said John Doe, \"we\'re currently working with the groups in Dire Straits to determine their needs.\"
     
  3. Taylee

    Taylee Member

    And to think I've never seen that in a headline. I'll send their SE this link.
     
  4. moonlight

    moonlight Member

    RE: The "said" issue.

    I use both. Most frequently, I use "name said." But if I have a modifier of some sort to throw in, I use it the other way around.

    "We played as well as we could have," said Central coach John Smith, whose team played without two starters.

    That sounds better than this:
    "We played as well as we could have," Central coach John Smith said.
    His team played without two starters.
     
  5. T2

    T2 Member

    "Said Queefnugget" is passive voice; and "Queefnugget said" is active voice.

    Actually, they're both active. Passive would be "was said by Queefnugget," and that form should indeed be avoided.

    "Said Sportschick" makes the reader wait that much longer to find out exactly who said it.

    What, one word longer? If that's the criterion, we should start all quotes with the attribution: "Sportschick said, 'I am ready.'" That's not necessarily a bad idea, but it could become tiresome.

    And I'm not sure it's grammatically incorrect to have the verb before the subject. That word order is rare in English, but there are a few exceptions like "said Queefnugget."
     
  6. Mighty_Wingman

    Mighty_Wingman Active Member

    I was taught that was the only exception to the "Smith said" rule.
     
  7. melock

    melock Well-Known Member

    Ah, you must have been absent the day they taught proper english. Or is it the day proper english taught?
     
  8. clutchcargo

    clutchcargo Active Member

    Gee, I wonder if anyone who has read your stuff has stared at it in stunned disbelief.
     
  9. alleyallen

    alleyallen Guest

    I'm still trying to get the term queffnugget out of my head. Eeewwwww.
     
  10. Dan Rydell

    Dan Rydell Guest

    I hate seeing quotes broken up just because the writer wants to inject a little drama.

    "And it was," Andy Assclown said, "the highlight of my career."

    Don't insert a needless pause. It makes the writing worse, not better.
     
  11. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    I'm not so sure about this. But I might be wrong.
     
  12. BillyT

    BillyT Active Member

    I remember, back in the 80s, when we were drilled incessantly not to use T*A*N -- The*Adjective*Noun.

    The junior quarterback.

    The lanky right-hander.

    The grizzled coach..

    The hungry sportswriter.

    Once was OK, but some folks used four or five iterations in the same story.
     
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