I agree. Also, a neophyte reporter would have an editor. This seems like an attempt to sensationalize. Our local newspaper has definitely gone yellow. And why they didn't put "sic" after the subject/verb error in the first sentence? When you set out to mock someone one, you should make sure you are mock-proof. Susan On Jun 19, 2009, at 2:45 PM, Spruiell, William C wrote: > I had the same reaction to the [sic]- barrage, and am baffled about > the paper's possible motivations. The reporter could be new to the > business, but who would put a neophyte on a story like this one? -- > Bill Spruiell > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar on behalf of > Dick Veit > Sent: Fri 6/19/2009 1:35 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Surface grammar errors > > The paper's excessive use of *sic *is disturbing. In *Writing, > Reading, and > Research* (eighth edition in press)*,* I caution students to use > *sic* with > an error "only if you feel it necessary to identify it as your > source's > error, not your error in copying the passage... This device should > be used > only rarely. Avoid using *sic* to belittle a source with whom you > disagree." > > > Papers typically correct minor errors in letters without fuss and > transform > some expressions (such as *US* to *U.S.*) to conform with their own > style > guidelines. Inserting *sic *a dozen or more times into the letter > gratuitously embarrasses the writer and completely distracts the > reader from > his message. > > Dick Veit > > On Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 11:09 AM, Robert Yates <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > Dear colleagues, > >> >> Today, the Las Vegas Sun reproduced a letter written by the >> husband of >> the wife with whom Senator Ensign was having an affair. The husband >> sent the letter to a reporter at Fox News. >> >> The entire letter is here: >> http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jun/19/text-husbands-letter/ >> >> There are all kinds of reasons to find the letter interesting, but >> I'm >> struck by the number of sic's. The Sun notes it did not correct >> any of >> the grammar and spelling. I assume the letter was proofread and the >> writer is a college graduate. Here are some examples from the >> letter: >> >> . . . >> >> The unethical behavior and immoral choice of Senator Ensign has been >> confronted by me and others on a number of occasions over this past >> year. In fact one of the confrontations took place in February >> 2008 at >> his home in Washington DC (sic) with a group of his peers. One of the >> attendee's (sic) was Senator Tom Coburn from Oklahoma as well as >> several >> other men who are close to the Senator. >> >> . . . . >> >> Today, Senator Ensign's responsibility and stature have increased >> within >> the US (sic) Senate. His is currently the head of "Policy" for the >> Republican Party, the number four position within the Parties (sic) >> leadership team. We on the other hand are completely ruined and >> left to >> deal with the aftermath of very evil and completely unjustifiable >> acts >> by one of our countries (sic) top leaders. >> >> ***** >> >> It looks to me that the good people at the Sun expect US Senate to be >> U.S. Senate. I'm struck by the green grocer 's and the plural for >> the >> apostrophe. >> >> OK, we should not be just in the business of teaching surface grammar >> error, but the number of such errors in a very important document >> written by someone with a college education is interesting. >> >> Bob Yates, University of Central Missouri >> >> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web >> interface >> at: >> http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html >> and select "Join or leave the list" >> >> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ >> > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > interface at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > interface at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/