Pedantic rant, again.

[drcuriosity]

This Stuff.co.nz article (originally from this Sydney Morning Herald article) disturbs me somewhat. Certainly, the subject of the article is a little close to home, given the number of people I know who are roleplayers, have hackerish tendencies, have an interest in or penchant for urban exploration, enjoy collecting "weapons and suspicious items", go by aliases/online nicknames in everyday life, like bands like The Cure, and so on and so forth, and the majority of the population really needs yet another thing to knee-jerk over right now, but...

The thing that really gets me is the utter disregard for English. In the Stuff caption, there is the following monstrous abuse: parafanalia. UGH.

Elsewhere, they talk about a computer nut who "lives to programme", though the SMH article thankfully has "lives to program" instead. Having consulted with one who knows about this sort of thing to confirm it, "programme" isn't ever a verb, unless you're French. But then, I think the SMH website may have actually been subject to editorial review, whereas stuff.co.nz will pretty much publish anything they're given without bothering to look at it, from what I can tell. Either that, or they'll only change it to make it more painful.

Illiteracy (or at least ill literacy) is alive and well in New Zealand, and it's working for Fairfax New Zealand Ltd.

(Oh, and I have wisdom teeth being painy, causing grumpiness and sleep deprivation, but my parents have kindly offered to pay for high-quality dentistry. Yay!)

Comments

[wootduosmaster.livejournal.com]

I want his t-shirt :D

I think the government-law people overracted a bit, really :/

[mattmatt.livejournal.com]

I would use "programme" as a verb if I was a programming director for a television station. Essentially, the distinction stems from the fact that the term '[computer] programming' was coined in the US, and so any reference to 'a program' (or the verb, 'to program') uses the US spelling. Much the same reasoning is behind 'compact disc'/'hard disk'.

[suzsuztbffuz.livejournal.com]

It is the Sydney Morning Herald, which has much credibility and the drunk on the corner when it comes to news. Actually I would tend to believe the drunk, at least he's rational.
They (The Aussie Gov) just want to blame on outsiders, no real aussie would incite violence, certainly not the Unions...

[cheesecat.livejournal.com]

"He is charged with possessing an unlicensed firearm, a prohibited weapon and an item used for disguising a face."
:0

lol, "parafanalia" contains the word "anal".

[memcf.livejournal.com]

He even looks familiar ...

Yeah, I sometimes muse what some might think me guilty of, just through guilt by association. I consort with dark gothy pagan types, hackers, and have a penchant for international travel and hanging out with peacenik commie pinko types. However, I presume my FBI file says nothing worse than "known associate."

[witchcrft.livejournal.com]

In the meantime Bonjela will help with your gums a little bit! ( I found it did anyways, didn't take away the pain but it took the edge off)
Hope you had a good Christmas and a Happy new year :)

[bitchonleash.livejournal.com]

Hello, i've added you because you sound interesting ('get lost sugar i've heard that line before' right?) oh well :P feel free to add me back :) /Note taken

[drcuriosity]

I've heard that line before, but it's certainly not one I react badly to. You appear to be nifty. Nice to meet you :-)