4 ms·
I've found editing, not writing, to have gone right down the drain in modern newspapers. It's clear many stories are poorly edited if at all. I don't want to
by SeanLuke 6y ago
I've found editing, not writing, to have gone right down the drain in modern newspapers. It's clear many stories are poorly edited if at all.
I don't want to be That Guy, but I've also noted a huge increase in terrible, incredible examples of the need for the Serial Comma, all by clueless editors. One big one was last week in the WP:
> Jackson’s former colleagues vastly disapproved of his conduct and leadership within the White House Medical Unit, including screaming, belittling colleagues and fits of rage, which demoralized nurses and doctors, the report found.
(https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2021/03/03/ronny-jackson-report-dod/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2021/03/03/...)
So what we've learned is that Jackson's conduct and leadership somehow included rounding up colleagues who screamed and belittled. And the presence of these horrible colleagues, plus his fits of rage, demoralized nurses and doctors...
- Mediterraneo10 6y agoYour example seems perfectly cromulent to me. Obviously an uncharitable reader could interpret it differently, but human language is inherently ambiguous and readers are used to determining how to read lists in context.
- SeanLuke 6y agoI'll bet you also say that to your parents, Ayn Rand and God. The serial comma is meant to remove ambiguity. This passage is not just ambiguous, it's most obvious parse is completely wrong. I think it's a great example of why the serial comma is so important.