“Nigercem to resume produce (production) as core investor mobilises (mobilizes, preferably) to site” (Page 2 Business, November 2)
“2 remanded in prison (custody) for dealing in cocaine”
“Camerounian (Cameroonian) dies after sex romp with employer in Bayelsa” There is no need for ‘sex’ here because one of the meanings of ‘romp’ is a ‘period of sexual activity’ Therefore, the Cameroonian died after romp with employer! Sexuality is implied.
The following errors are from a full-page advertorial by the APC candidate for Anambra State 2017, Dr. Tony Nwoye:
“…the Willie Obiano administration has resorted to make-belief (make-believe) and fraud in other (order) to show any sign of performance.”
“Deceit is when APGA preach (preaches) hate against the Buhari led (Buhari-led) APC Government.”
“Fact is that the N Power programme is a Youth Empowerment (youth-empowerment) Initiative (needless capitalization) of the same Buhari led (sic) Government that Willie Obiano despise (despises).”
“We shall embark on massive youth empowerment (sic) and job creation (job-creation) programmes.”
Next Monday in my opinion column here: my declaration on “Anambra 2017”. Please don’t miss it.
“A befitting feather to (in) your cap” (A full-page advertorial by Mantra Solutions Ltd., THISDAY, November 4)
More blunders from THISDAY under review: “Guinness, FRSC begins (why?) 2017 Ember Safety Campaign”
“In spite of booking 2018 World Cup ticket slated for Russia with a match to go, one area that has been given (giving) the….”
“Month of posibilities” City of David: possibilities and this: “extention” (extension) (Full-page advertorial by RCCG City of David, THISDAY, November 4)
“We salute an icon @ 50th (50)” and this: “Board of Trustee” (Trustees)” (Full-page advertorial by ALTON, THISDAY, November 4)
’Upliftment’, meaning ‘uplift’, is a NOUN, like ‘uplift’ and ‘uplifter’; while ‘uplift’ is verb and Noun (WORLD BOOK DICTIONARY, Page 2299) refers. A teacher is a student; nobody is too old to learn. A man must change in a changing world. And only a horse does not change its mind. After all, a change is as good as a feast! Gentlemen, you must keep abreast of the current tendencies in the English language.
’Shorthand for something’, meaning ‘a shorter way of saying or referring to something, which may not be as accurate as the more complicated way of saying it’, is an idiom. Example: ‘Mad Cow Disease’ is shorthand for ‘Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy’; ‘Exco’ is shorthand for ‘Executive Council’; ‘telly’ is shorthand for ‘television’; ‘advert’ is shorthand for ‘advertisement/advertorial’; ‘congrats’ is shorthand for ‘congratulations’.
’British English (BE) resists the use of VERBS as NOUNS as American English (AE) does such as ‘author, critique, host, impact, hemorrhage, loan, party, pressure, and roundtable’; also ‘gun (down)’ which means ‘shoot’ (The Economist STYLE GUIDE–-The Best–Selling Guide on English Usage, Page 74). You can add ‘debut’, ‘task’ and ‘chairman’-–all of which had been made verbs through the force of usage and American influence!
’I repeat, ‘about’ means ‘approximately, nearly, some, circa, more or less’ E.g. ‘About 142 persons reportedly died last April–- some refer to it as Bloody April–-in road mishaps.’ ‘The deportation of about 70 beggars to Anambra State by the Lagos State Government caused national uproar.
’If you are not sure whether to use a term, look it up in a current College Dictionary-–NEOLOGISMS (The Brief Holt Handbook by Kirszner & Mandell, Page 157) Not ‘check it up’ in the College Dictionary! The Mother and Child Centre (MCC) of Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital on College Road, is a beehive of activity.
’Witch hunt’ or ‘witch–hunt’ is a noun; ‘Witch–hunting’, is a noun and an adjective (in the informal sense or context); ‘witch–hunting’ (a noun) means ‘witch hunt’; as an adjective, it means ‘of or having to do with a witch hunt’. Truly, ‘witch hunt’ has not yet been verbalized.
The central question is: am I to blame when some users of the language can’t read on a daily basis or when they can’t afford to buy desk dictionaries? This is simply an academic exercise regarding linguistic skills and word usage.
“Lobby for replacements begin (begins)”
“…the commissioning ceremony (the inauguration) of a new cement plant in Ewekoro, Ogun State.” And this: 36 years (years’) time.
The PUNCH AM BUSINESS of September 11goofed: “People like this (these) are referred to as asset rich, cash poor.”
“A major financial crisis can cause one to dispose of their (one’s) assets at a giveaway price because they need (one needs) the money urgently.” And this: every buyers (buyer’s) dream.
Wrong: intelligent quotient; right: intelligence quotient
DAILY SUN of September 11 indulged in farcical legalese: “Land tussle: Judge advises parties to settle out-of-court (out of court)” The noun ‘out-of-court settlement’ is different from the context here (that is without hyphenation).
“Making a mountain from a little heap of sand” Fixed/stock expression: make (making) a mountain out of a molehill—not ‘from a little heap of sand’!
The PUNCH AM (sic) BUSINESS of September 9 commercialized the English language: “While some advocate for the flexibility that a home-based business gives….” Delete ‘for’.
“This makes it easier to achieve ones (one’s) goals.”
“But when distractions like this become very common it disturbs business focus.” Either of these: distractions like these or a distraction like this.
“From reading materials daily to attending annual conferences or trainings, effort should be put into self-advancement.” Self-improvement: ‘training’ is uncountable.