I read something on MSN News that makes me wonder about journalists and their grasp of the English Language.
Here is the quote. “Despite being perhaps the most infamous royal abode, Buckingham Palace’s future is looking pretty questionable following news that the Queen has ‘permanently’ moved out.”
Can you see what’s wrong with it?
It’s the use of the word infamous. I also heard it used about the Sydney Opera House a month or so ago.
Buckingham palace is a well-known building, that’s for sure, but I don’t think it’s infamous. Not unless there have been some nasty goings-on there that I don’t know about.
Famous is the word that means well-known.
Infamous also means well-known, but for something bad.
Dick Turpin was an infamous highwayman.
The Cray Twins were infamous gang leaders in London.
The Wests were infamous murderers.
And so on.
Buckingham Palace is NOT an infamous royal abode.
I’ve just spent a weekend staying with my sister in North Wales, hence the rather brief and late post. I would usually have scheduled one, but didn’t get around to that either!
Hopefully I’ll be back to normal next week.
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Here’s a bit about the story.
Maria and her husband, Jack, have moved into an old cottage. They want to furnish it with period furniture and buy a medieval table.
That’s when the mystery begins. Strange sounds in the night. Have they bought a haunted house? But a medium tells them it is not a ‘lost spirit’, but something else she does not recognise.
What is it that is causing them to lose sleep? The answer is more unexpected than anyone thought.
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Dragons Rule OK. V.M.Sang (author) 
Yep poor use of a rich language. And the idea that Buck House is going to be converted into flats or whatever is also lack credibility. Sounds like someone trying to squeeze a story where there’s none
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Too true! I can’t see Buck House as apartments. OK, so it doesn’t belong to the queen, (I’ve described it as a tied cottage) and if she happened to abdicate (not likely, I know) it would no longer be her residence. Along with Windsor Castle. They belong to the Crown, not the individual. Even so, I think she would have something to say about a scheme like that.
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I imagine one wouldn’t
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Even the use of quote marks is incorrect if they’re writing in English, using the United States reversal of single and doubel quote marks – very few people speak or write in English at all now, it’s mostly American. It boils my p … blood.
One that makes me guffaw (with contempt) is ‘very unique’.
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Doubel? Even my fingers and keyboard are betraying me now!
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I think journalism nowadays is more about creating ripples and grabbing attention than delivering the news as it is.
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I agree, many new journalists are more focused on their pet social justice issues than good writing and grammar! My pet peeve is when they mention the name of an organization, device, etc. and then later refer to it by letters, such as DHS. Then I backtrack trying to find something, anything, that those letters could refer to! Many times, unsuccessfully!
The least they could do is the old-fashioned method: Department of Homeland Security (DHS). When you see the letters in parenthesis that alerts you they will use those letters in reference later on. If anything, I can backtrack is easily find the letters in parenthesis!
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Indeed, that is so annoying. The assumption that everyone knows the acronyms!
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