Words We Hate

[HandsomeHarley]

Ever when used as "first ever." Worthless 99 percent of the time.

Should NEVER be used. If it's the first and it's expected to become a regular event, use "inaugural."

 

[HandsomeHarley]

Speaking of ... I also hate the term "won first."

You don't ****ing win first place. You either finish first or you win. And NOBODY wins second ... or third.

 

[Vombatus]

Moist.

My wife hates that one. She also hates "panties," and I've never met a woman who likes that word.

Your wife hates moist panties? Dang.

If she liked them....oh my.

Does she go to Barnes and Noble?

 

[Buck]

If you as experienced as you claim, then you know there are situations that come up regularly in which more than one option is grammatically correct.

It's not an issue of being robotic; as with the rules of language in general, it is issue of consistency.

That's the purpose of a style guide.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

'Win' as a noun. It is not a noun.

'Optics'. Save this stupid term for talk radio.

 

[21]

Irregardless.

 

[dooley_womack1]

Methinks that's a good one.

 

[21]

And methinks.

 

[spikechiquet]

Using "percent" as two words in copy.

 

[da man]

Well, I differ.
I'm an award-winning writer, headline writer and experienced editor.
I'm not a slave to some dumb book when it is clearly wrong.

Yes, by all means this makes you the arbiter of all that is right in language.

Because, you know, I'm sure there were no award-winning writers, headline writers and/or experienced editors involved in writing the AP Stylebook (or your newspaper's style book, for that matter).

 

[da man]

'Win' as a noun. It is not a noun.

'Optics'. Save this stupid term for talk radio.

Merriam-Webster begs to differ:


2win noun

: an act of achieving victory especially in a game or contest


Full Definition of WIN


: victory; especially: first place at the finish (as of a horse race)


Examples of WIN

a pitcher with 15 wins

Their win over the first place team was unexpected.


First Known Use of WIN

1862

 

[dooley_womack1]

And methinks.

You knew I couldn't resist.

 

[Buck]

'Win' as a noun. It is not a noun.

'Optics'. Save this stupid term for talk radio.

Merriam-Webster begs to differ:


2win noun

: an act of achieving victory especially in a game or contest


Full Definition of WIN


: victory; especially: first place at the finish (as of a horse race)


Examples of WIN

a pitcher with 15 wins

Their win over the first place team was unexpected.


First Known Use of WIN

1862

Following dictionary definitions is robotic.

 

[da man]

'Win' as a noun. It is not a noun.

'Optics'. Save this stupid term for talk radio.

Merriam-Webster begs to differ:


2win noun

: an act of achieving victory especially in a game or contest


Full Definition of WIN


: victory; especially: first place at the finish (as of a horse race)


Examples of WIN

a pitcher with 15 wins

Their win over the first place team was unexpected.


First Known Use of WIN

1862

Following dictionary definitions is robotic.

Yeah, what the hell do those guys know about English, anyway? Especially compared to an award-winning writer, headline writer and experienced editor.

Geez, the nerve of them.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

We got a problem, chief?

 

[champ_kind]

seriously, though, why don't you think win is a noun?

I hate hyphens in stats when they serve no purpose. He completed 5-of-7 passes. Wtf are the hyphens for? If you write, "on 5-of-7 passing," I get that, it's a compound modifier.

 

[da man]

We got a problem, chief?

You talking to me, hoss?

Nope, I have no problems. How about you?

Me, I'm just here to have fun, not to win a peace prize.

But if I make a friend or two along the way, even better.

 

[I'll never tell]

I love these threads. I feel like I grow as a writers/editor when we actually have intellectual discussions. On to my hangups ...

At my first paper, they acted like you took a dump in the middle of the office if you used "host" as a verb. "It's play host," I heard time and again until I pulled out the dictionary and politely told them to get the expletive over themselves. I cringed when I read the win argument thinking back to those days.

At my current it's not the Tigers earn a 4-3 win OVER the Lions, it's always AGAINST.

That use of over doesn't irk me as much as when it should be "more than."

One of my old sister papers would always: "The car ran good all day," Dale Earnhardt said after the race. Well no ****, you didn't interview him during the race. But they were Busch League. "on the night" or "in the game" gets edited out a lot, too.

I find myself changing "one of the best passers in the league" to "one of the league's best passers" too often.

Coach Smith believes ... Unless they're trying to craft a artsy fartsy lede, you're not a mind reader. Coach Smith said he believes.

But I really hate the word "that." He said that his team would correct the problem. You don't need it. He said his teams would correct the problem. I tried to prove a point to a young writer once by doing a search for the word in one of his long stories. There were at least 20. We took out all but around three.

For the original point, I again stress I hate the word "that." And "rhythm," I may have oddly been blessed with it, but I can't spell it for the life of me. By nothing more than muscle memory I spell it wrong every time.

 

[Steak Snabler]

seriously, though, why don't you think win is a noun?

I hate hyphens in stats when they serve no purpose. He completed 5-of-7 passes. Wtf are the hyphens for? If you write, "on 5-of-7 passing," I get that, it's a compound modifier.

You use the hyphens when it's "he went 5-for-7 passing." It's amazing how many people get this wrong.

 

[MisterCreosote]

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/95281/