Thanks for another interesting batch! The whole bicep description is strange, and in the Prudence example, I'd expect someone with that name to be a little too dainty to "grab" and "rub"😃. Hard to believe these have all been published. Have you been compiling these for a long time? Do you think errors like these are more common since writers started exclusively using computers?
Yes, every example The Snarky Editor uses has been published, and I have been compiling these over a period of years... though these examples were all from the latest batch I've acquired. Errors like these have become far more common with the explosion of self-publishing, where authors can publish their work without ever subjecting it to an editor (and even if they hire an editor, the qualifications may be questionable).
Sadly, however, many errors like these are also creeping into books published by Big Five traditional publishers. Just yesterday, I ran across a Big Five story where the character said, "You have to listen to we lawyers." Since he wouldn't have said, "You have to listen to we," it should have been "You have to listen to us lawyers." A simple error that the editor in that case just plain missed -- even though he or she is supposed to be professional.
Yes, the we/us is a common mistake. You often see less/fewer used incorrectly,as well--like "more hugs,less drugs"--shouldn't that be fewer drugs? I guess less makes a catchier slogan. I've always wondered if someone and somebody are interchangeable. Are they?
Also over / more than. Lately I see "the truck carried over a ton of goods" when it should be "more than." I'll have to think about someone / somebody, though!
Thanks for another interesting batch! The whole bicep description is strange, and in the Prudence example, I'd expect someone with that name to be a little too dainty to "grab" and "rub"😃. Hard to believe these have all been published. Have you been compiling these for a long time? Do you think errors like these are more common since writers started exclusively using computers?
Yes, every example The Snarky Editor uses has been published, and I have been compiling these over a period of years... though these examples were all from the latest batch I've acquired. Errors like these have become far more common with the explosion of self-publishing, where authors can publish their work without ever subjecting it to an editor (and even if they hire an editor, the qualifications may be questionable).
Sadly, however, many errors like these are also creeping into books published by Big Five traditional publishers. Just yesterday, I ran across a Big Five story where the character said, "You have to listen to we lawyers." Since he wouldn't have said, "You have to listen to we," it should have been "You have to listen to us lawyers." A simple error that the editor in that case just plain missed -- even though he or she is supposed to be professional.
Yes, the we/us is a common mistake. You often see less/fewer used incorrectly,as well--like "more hugs,less drugs"--shouldn't that be fewer drugs? I guess less makes a catchier slogan. I've always wondered if someone and somebody are interchangeable. Are they?
Also over / more than. Lately I see "the truck carried over a ton of goods" when it should be "more than." I'll have to think about someone / somebody, though!
love this new format!