BUSINESSDAY WEEKEND of February 8 gave readers a paragraph they should distrust: “Electricity sector stakeholders and consumers have hit back at the Federal Government’s claim that the nation’s electricity generating capacity has reached 4,000 megawatts, saying the claim was false and that generation has indeed nosedived to less (sic) 3,600 megawatts.” Even without being professorially numerical, the reality here is that reduction from 4,000 to 3,600 can never be a nosedive—it is only a slight drop! Let us avoid malapropism, especially when a Diageo Africa Financial Newspaper of the Year is involved.
For the reader that sought the meaning of ‘sic’ via SMS: It is an adverb that means “thus (added in brackets after a word or expression in a quotation which looks wrong or absurd, to show that it has been quoted correctly).” Source: The New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary of The English Language.
From THE NATION ON SUNDAY of February 10 comes the next notoriety: “Five arrested over registration malpractice” I will not arrest the editor for (not over) this solecism! The daily edition of Tuesday, February 15, also fell into the same ditch: “Eight arrested in Ibadan over food poisoning scare”
The next three headline blunders are from Vanguard of February 15: “New Edo lawmaker sworn-in” Phrasal verbs (stave off, swear in) abhor hyphenation.
“Relocation of varsity: Only 2 people die in protest —Police” Tense characterisation of headlines notwithstanding, only 2 persons (not people—even without being a lexicologist!) died (not die, contextually) in protest.
“A money bag (sic) threw some wads of naira notes into the air….” Atiku’s political campaign tragedy: A ‘money-bags’ (not ‘moneybag’) (singular) is someone who has a lot of money—used humorously. Credit: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 6th Edition, for advanced learners.
The Guardian of February 16 equally jumped on the bandwagon of headline slovenliness on two embarrassing occasions: “PENGASSAN is not aversed to PIB, says Ogun” I am averse to ubiquitous headline gaffes.
“Post conviction bail only granted under exceptional circumstances” An all-time critical element: Post-conviction bail…
“Obasanjo, Saraki, Atiku condole victims’ families” Either condole with or simply console.
“UI Lagos alumni restructures” (THE PUNCH Headline, February 14) Alumni (plural) restructure or alumni association restructures. Avoid mix-up.
“Atiku overated himself” (TheNEWS Headline, February 14) Spell-check: overrated.
“I said there is no more monolithic north” (Tribune CHURCH On Sunday, February 24) A rewrite: I said there was no more monolithic north.
“Ministry drafts health officials to cholera infested areas” (SATURDAY TRIBUNE Headline, February 16) Community News: hyphenation (cholera-infested areas) makes a lot of difference in lexis and structure.
“Promoting values based leadership” Leadership initiative: just as corrected above.
The Guardian of February 12 circulated copious headline goofs and other gaffes as follow: “Gowon advocates revival of education sector” Sound literacy: educational sector. Adjective: educational; noun: education.
“British based Nigerian, Aderotimi dies enlarging her backside” First, British-based. Second: a comma after the name to foreclose confusion because ‘coma’ in headlines represents ‘and’ most times.
“To eradicate the level of illiteracy in the state….” You can only reduce illiteracy. Even the most educated nation in the world still has a percentage of illiterate population. Some people are either circumstantially or naturally uneducable! The intro also did not qualify the level of illiteracy in the state.
“Tafawa Balewa crisis: Yuguda’s soothing balm” What else would balm do if not soothe. So, Yuguda’s balm
“Fake journalist arrested in Imo with 4,054 voters card” (Nigerian Tribune, February 13) Two terse observations: voters’ cards.
“Students invest N2m on science lab rehabilitation” (SUNDAY PUNCH Headline, February 3) Invest in (not on).
“Dozens feared dead as Atiku flags-off (sic) campaign in S/South” Confirm before going to bed whether they were dead or not! ‘Feared dead’ does not convey anything. A canon of journalism: when in doubt, leave out. And this: phrasal verbs (flag off/kick off, etc.) do not admit hyphenation. As nouns, yes: kick-off is 4 p. m
“Voter registration: A post mortem” All-time little things that matter, but look insignificant: post-mortem, please.
“…because they are not entirely immuned from the adverse consequences of pervasive poverty in third world nations.” (THE PUNCH, February 16) Get it right: immune (not immuned) from.
“…pay them their retirement benefits as and when due” Just when due. (Daily Independent, February 16) ‘As and when due’ smacks of language poverty
“These are the major factors but there is a final secret with regards.…” (NIGERIAN Tribune, February 16) Get it right: as regards or with regard to.
“Encumbered by the demands by many who need her services, she atimes turn (sic) cases to colleagues in Owerri town”. (Leadership, February 15) No encumbrances: at times (two words).
“LAST week Monday’s press briefing by the administrator….” (Nigerian Tribune, February 16) Functional communication: LAST Monday’s press briefing. ‘Week’ is redundant in the construction.
“Today on the continent, there are all manners of refugees….” (THISDAY, February 16) Not yet in want: all manner of refugees.
The next failed sentence is from The Guardian On Sunday of February 24: “Extremism had also brought about the death of 37 left-wing intellectuals when the hotel in which they were holding a conference in the central town of Sivas was touched (torched) on December 2, 2010.’’
From The Business Report of February 25 comes this fault: “Private sector driven (Private sector-driven) economy will pull W/Africa out of poverty”
“How Supreme Court judgment restored sanity in (to) IPMAN”
“MWUN issues 21 days (either 21-day or 21 days’) ultimatum to Chevron on unioinisation (sic)” (Source: as above).