Fun With Language Howlers Lost In Translation

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Mis-placed clauses

Good English should tell the reader what has happened, is happening, or will happen. The reader should not have to move the clauses around like a jig-saw puzzle to guess the probably likeliest scenario. For example

Headline:
Man who stabbed three in London court.

(No he didn't stab them in court. Which is the conclusion you jump to on first reading. The writers means: Man in court for stabbing three.)

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home