I don't know if it's just me that thinks it's wrong, but shouldn't the comma here be an "and" or at least an "&", if nothing else? It seems to be generally accepted to place a comma (at least in newspapers) instead of the word "and". However, it does lead to some confusion, as at first glance the headline doesn't make sense. You have to you read it two or three times, or just start reading the article, then you realise what the headline is actually referring to. This isn't just a parochial newspaper issue - I've seen it in "The Australian" too.
I asked a journalist I was sailing with what the reasoning was. Space - that's it. Because they can't squeeze the word "and" in, they just put a comma. These editors, these people who (should have) studied English for four years at university, should know better. As if people's spelling isn't bad enough already. If anyone can explain to me how this makes grammatical sense, I would love to know!
2 comments:
It is irritating. I use commas in sentences where you could use an 'and' but not in a sentence like that. Space seems to be the God of newspaper reporting. I wonder if that's why I've always preferred the BBC?
Besides 'situational ethics', journalists are perhaps at liberty to use 'situational grammar' as the case (eg. space) may be.
After all, poets are also entitled to their 'poetic license' in whatever they wish to write!
There's also a saying that the only rule in communication is that there is no rule since the only important thing is that the message can get across clearly from one to another, one way or another?
Here's also hoping that bloggers worldwide will join in to blog on THE ENVIRONMENT, as organised by http://blogactionday.org, on Monday 15th Oct. 2007.
Samuel Goh Kim Eng
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Sun. 14th Oct. 2007.
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