NWN and the English language Options

[CBW137Y]

Of course, I am now waiting for the person for whom the penny doesn't drop to reply

[Andy Capp]

Of course, I am now waiting for the person for whom the penny doesn't drop to reply

If the penny doesn't drop, then they might not be likely to reply!

[JeffG]

The one thing which annoys me whilst trying to read some of the online reports is the lack of understanding what a paragraph is!

It rather distracts from the lack of ability to spell somewhat.

One hope there is some training on offer to brush up there English skills.

Of course, I am now waiting for the person for whom the penny doesn't drop to reply

Ah, you mean the four errors in your post were deliberate? Nearly caught me there!

[CBW137Y]

In all seriousness though, I really don't understand the need for single line spacing. Have the reporters never heard of paragraphs?

[x2lls]

In all seriousness though, I really don't understand the need for single line spacing. Have the reporters never heard of paragraphs?

The whole site is a mess. Why no dates on 'related posts'? Who is interested in stuff three years old for example.

Another simple mistake now.

'AN eighty-four man was left with life threatening injuries after being hit by a car in Cold Ash on Friday.
'

[Andy Capp]

The whole site is a mess. Why no dates on 'related posts'? Who is interested in stuff three years old for example.

While I think a date is a good idea, I do sometimes like to (re)familiarise myself with old stories.

[Nothing Much]

'AN eighty-four man was left with life threatening injuries after being hit by a car in Cold Ash on Friday

A bit like the two drunks reporting on the Snooker match. "I remember the good ole days, working as a cub reporter
on the NLN, How many pubs there were in the town. I learnt a lot about the ones with back doors......for a snifter after 4pm.
Spelling? Nobody bothered to check, they were all out to lunch anyway or at the races".

Seeing as there was a hiatus.Just a bit of fun.No harm intended.
ce

[James_Trinder]

A POLICE pursuit through a quite West Berkshire village last night (Weds) ended with four men being placed in police custody.

Quite what is the question. Quite noisy could be an answer.

[Penelope]

A POLICE pursuit through a quite West Berkshire village last night (Weds) ended with four men being placed in police custody.

Quite what is the question. Quite noisy could be an answer.

Could have been worse, could have " custardy" that would have meant they had met a sticky end.

[motormad]

Could have been worse, could have " custardy" that would have meant they had met a sticky end.

Haha

[Baffers100]

I made the mistake of sending a shirty mail to the "Chief reporter" flagging up his rubbish English in an article. He responded the same day, flagging up the one error in my email. (Admitedly, given the nature of the email I should have double-checked!).

That said, I found it rather frustrating that he found the time to send a terse email, but did not actually change the published article. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are forgiveable, but this site totally lacks any attention to detail. I doubt half of the articles on here are proof-read. It makes me wonder why these people bother being in this profession if they can only be arsed to to do half a job?

[Exhausted]

I made the mistake of sending a shirty mail to the "Chief reporter" flagging up his rubbish English in an article. He responded the same day, flagging up the one error in my email. (Admitedly, given the nature of the email I should have double-checked!).

That said, I found it rather frustrating that he found the time to send a terse email, but did not actually change the published article. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are forgiveable, but this site totally lacks any attention to detail. I doubt half of the articles on here are proof-read. It makes me wonder why these people bother being in this profession if they can only be arsed to to do half a job?

Can't really see the importance. Did you understand the text was it ambiguous because of the grammatical error. Probably not so what's the big deal.

Admitedly.....Admittedly

We have too many people whinging about the odd mistake but some of the posts on here beggar belief sometimes. But, usually they make sense (Except dear old "Nothing Much") so why stress about it, especially feeling the need to send an email. Sad really.

[Baffers100]

Can't really see the importance. Did you understand the text was it ambiguous because of the grammatical error. Probably not so what's the big deal.

Admitedly.....Admittedly

We have too many people whinging about the odd mistake but some of the posts on here beggar belief sometimes. But, usually they make sense (Except dear old "Nothing Much") so why stress about it, especially feeling the need to send an email. Sad really.

I knew I would get called up on something (but won't comment too much about the capital E you used at the start of the parenthesis!)

I hear your point, but I don't make a living out of my writing- and I doubt the vast majority on here do. If I did, I would not feel quite so relaxed making the errors in published, paid for work, as I do on a local 'news' forum. If you witness a 'professional' driver driving dangerously, do you turn a blind eye? Maybe some do, but I don't. I really don't see why poor quality work should be tolerated. There are plenty of other people who would take their jobs and use the spell-check function.

The importance, was that the article was rather close to home as it was about a young teenager who lost his life in a glider accident. It is because of the picture that I clicked on the article. I understood it perfectly, but found the lack of proof-reading not only lazy, but also disrespectful. They even spelt the name of his school wrong.

[On the edge]

I hear your point, but I don't make a living out of my writing.....

Actually, NWN doesn't either; its main income comes from selling advertising.

[Nothing Much]

Well I do try to make scent in my posits. Sometimes I fall short. An I get bell telephone calls from odler bro
Arsking what I am on about. I went to the wrong school. Actually I have just had the anal calander, with a note from the present headmaster.... We note from our records that you hav not donated yeti. Dim Sum chance.

If you can make sense of that Exhausted,then I am a journalist. I have been quiet for a while.
ce

[Andy Capp]

The importance, was that the article was rather close to home as it was about a young teenager who lost his life in a glider accident. It is because of the picture that I clicked on the article. I understood it perfectly, but found the lack of proof-reading not only lazy, but also disrespectful. They even spelt the name of his school wrong.

I agree; in the wrong place it can look disrespectful. As an example, I'm reminded of Gordon Brown's letter to a bereaved parent.

[On the edge]

On the Brown affair, I must admit to wondering who had the worst manners.

Of course, the reporters are professionals. I wonder just how many of us never make silly mistakes in our own work and are happy about customers pointing them out?

[Spider]

A thread to let of a little steam about bad English in the NWN or NewburyToday.

Here is the first - a headline on NewburyToday today:

Walrus, horseshoe, handlebars? Gentleman opt for the musketeer moustache for Movember

Gentlemen opt, a gentleman opts. Hopefully just a typo ...

This is not just the NWN but endemic throughout the newspaper industry. Standards have decline over the last 30 years. In fact the whole Newspaper industry has declined.

[Andy Capp]

On the Brown affair, I must admit to wondering who had the worst manners.

I don't think it is a matter of manners. more courtesy - at least get the name right. The point is, it looks rushed, and therefore careless.

[On the edge]

I don't think it is a matter of manners. more courtesy - at least get the name right. The point is, it looks rushed, and therefore careless.

And should never have been made public; that's where manners come in.