Good, Bad, and Ugly
Reader reaction to Reuters news
Sentence lays an egg
Garnett suspended after confrontation with Heat players
Garnett elbowed Quentin Richardson in the face during the fourth quarter of Game One, when the Heat guard approached Boston forward Paul Pierce, who was laying injured on the court.
Your reporter and editor both get a grade of ‘F’ for grammar in the story about Kevin Garnett’s one-game suspension.
If Paul Pierce was “laying” on the court then as Sister Mary Ellen taught me in fifth grade you must be able to answer the question, “What was he laying? Bricks? Eggs? Flooring”.
If you can’t answer this question than you must use the INTRANSITIVE verb, “lying” to indicate a state of rest or repose.
It is incomprehensible to me how a reporter could WRITE this line, let alone that an EDITOR would subsequently let this sneak past. Isn’t Reuters an international news organization, not a high school newspaper?
Karl
Thanks for pointing this out, but if you’re using the word “incomprehensible” to describe a misused word, I wonder what you’re holding in reserve for more serious story errors.
BTW, You misspelled the words “question” and “intransitive” in your e-mail, but I corrected them for you: GBU Editor
Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett looks to the bench during the first half of Game 1 of their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series against the Miami Heat in Boston, Massachusetts, April 17, 2010. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
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Ha ha ha..Mr. B. strikes again!