October 2024 – Page 2 – Subbing Clinic

#586

Times, October 14, 2024

I haven’t got words to express my amazement that the Times pays money to someone who thinks the plural of ‘foot’ is ‘foots’.

A feast of illiteracy from the Times and the Sunday Times, papers with great reputations being daily trashed by the morons in charge. I don’t know what the subbing system is at these papers but surely at least two people (the sub and the chief sub) must see copy before it is published – and there should be several other layers of checking given that they are employing halfwits.

Times, October 11, 2024

The past tense of ‘shine’ is not ‘shined’ but ‘shone’. This is pathetic.

Sunday Times, October 13, 2024

‘Whose’ is an interrogative word in line with ‘why’, ‘where’ and ‘when’, for example ‘Whose shoes are these?’ while what is wanted here is ‘Who’s’, a contraction of ‘Who is’.

Sunday Times, October 13, 2024

It is scarcely believable that anyone thinks the abbreviation of ‘parachute’ is not ‘chute’ but ‘shoot’ yet here is the proof.

I cannot stress strongly enough that it takes years of experience to make a good sub-editor. When I was a junior sub, almost everyone else in the department was older and wiser, and the benefit of their experience was passed down to me. A chief sub would often point out how things could be improved. These days most older subs have been dispensed with and there is no one to teach or mentor the younger ones. Staffs have been so reduced that no one has time to guide anyone else.

This clinic is an attempt to pass on my experience using real examples. I would love to receive items from others as I do not read every paper every day. I will add new entries as I come across them.

Month: October 2024

#586

#585