Is it "win over" or "win against"?

[wickedwritah]

I understand tightening up writing, but "win over" is wrong -- it's wrong when it comes to AP Style, and it's wrong when it comes to grammar. You are not physically over the opponent.

Yet no one seems to catch this. I had it changed to "win over" in my roundups last week, and it's not a major issue for me, but I'd love to see some consistency in our business.

 

[friend of a friend]

I think I had to change it about five times tonight.

 

[Football_Bat]

MOVE THIS CRAP TO THE JOURNO BOARD! ;D ;D

 

[Tom Petty]

i'm a hater of "over writers."

that is all.

 

[Cansportschick]

Shouldn't this be in the journalism only board?

 

[Ace]

I could win you all over with my charm and good looks.

 

[Big Buckin' agate_monkey]

wicked's a little cranky OVER this morning ... I'm going to let this being on the Anything Goes board, instead of OVER on the Journo board, slide.

 

[wickedwritah]

Figured more people would see it here.

And it's a grammar question as much as a journalism question, so I say it also belongs OVER here.

 

[Chi City 81]

Figured more people would see it here.

And it's a grammar question as much as a journalism question, so I say it also belongs OVER here.

I'm against it moving as well. It doesn't belong over there.

 

[Flash]

Damn board nazis anyway.

 

[wickedwritah]

i'm a hater of "over writers."

that is all.

Dear Tomas,

Please don't let that hatred extend to me. Pretty please?

Hearts,
Wick

 

[Flash]

Wicked,

You need to get OVER it.

 

[Terence Mann]

If AP has a style rule for "win against" instead of "win over," I can't find it.

 

[93Devil]

OK, I am not the grammar or editing king by any measure, but we have all had those late Tuesday basketball nights where we are putting a ton of scores into a roundup. You write a quick lede for each score, but you need to be creative because how many different ways can you write "defeated?"

Since it's preps (and most times anyway), you try to stay away from drubbed, pounded, hammered, crushed etc...

So you have defeated, lost, won and the like, but how many times do you want to type "against" on a single page?


Funny how "lede" comes up as a misspelled word.

 

[Big Buckin' agate_monkey]

OK, I am not the grammar or editing king by any measure, but we have all had those late Tuesday basketball nights where we are putting a ton of scores into a roundup. You write a quick lede for each score, but you need to be creative because how many different ways can you write "defeated?"

Since it's preps (and most times anyway), you try to stay away from drubbed, pounded, hammered, crushed etc...

So you have defeated, lost, won and the like, but how many times do you want to type "against" on a single page?


Funny how "lede" comes up as a misspelled word.

I once used laugher in a 7-0 prep soccer match. I was told, "never again."

Hey, the team that got beat was out of area.

 

[wickedwritah]

If AP has a style rule for "win against" instead of "win over," I can't find it.

I am wrong. It is not expressedly forbidden per the AP Stylebook, but it still sounds crappy.

From The Associated Press Stylebook:

over It generally refers to spatial relationships: The plane flew over the city.
More than is preferred with numerals: Their salaries went up more than $20 a week.

"Mike Johnson scored 20 points in Podunk's win over BFE High" has nothing to do with a spatial relationship.

 

[93Devil]

OK, I am not the grammar or editing king by any measure, but we have all had those late Tuesday basketball nights where we are putting a ton of scores into a roundup. You write a quick lede for each score, but you need to be creative because how many different ways can you write "defeated?"

Since it's preps (and most times anyway), you try to stay away from drubbed, pounded, hammered, crushed etc...

So you have defeated, lost, won and the like, but how many times do you want to type "against" on a single page?


Funny how "lede" comes up as a misspelled word.

I once used laugher in a 7-0 prep soccer match. I was told, "never again."

Hey, the team that got beat was out of area.

hahahahahahaha

damn outsiders from Shelbyville

 

[Terence Mann]

The AP Stylebook on the word "over" simply says:

It generally refers to spatial relationships: The plane flew over the city.
More than is preferred with numerals: Their salaries went up more than $20 a week.

I think it's a stretch to suggest this entry is meant to preclude writers from describing a team's victory "over" another team. Words have multiple meanings. The AP entry itself says the word "generally" refers to spatial relationships. It doesn't say it always does or must. If we're going to take a hard line on "win over," there are lot of other words with multiple meanings that probably have to be eliminated because one of the meanings is not AP style "approved" for a completely different context.

 

[wickedwritah]

Have we heard from a copy editor on this one yet? (Besides me, that is.)

And Terence, if you wanna be that flippant in regard to AP Style, that's opening a whole can of worms.

Why not just misuse the word outright?

 

[Chi City 81]

Have we heard from a copy editor on this one yet? (Besides me, that is.)

And Terence, if you wanna be that flippant in regard to AP Style, that's opening a whole can of worms.

Why not just misuse the word outright?

The boxer had a strong left hand, but figured he could outright his opponent.