Error of Attraction

Expression BY Ebere Wabara

THE PUNCH Front Page and Editorial of September 11 welcome us today: “Boy, nine, becomes Nigeria’s youngest Microsoft certified professional” ‘The most widely read newspaper’: Microsoft-certified professional

“We question the continued relevance of the non-performing Federal Roads Maintenance Agency which has failed woefully (abysmally) to justify its existence since it was created 11 years ago.”

From MULTICHOICE Nigeria comes this anniversary slip: “10 couples will win an all-expense paid trip to….” Ideas: an all-expenses-paid trip

Daily Independent Online of September 10 consisted of many slip-ups: “…the Middle region, comprising of present day (present-day) Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kwara states.” Delete ‘of’!

“Resident doctors’ strike unnecessary, says FG…action continues, says (sic) doctors” Is there no other word or form of attribution except ‘say’?

“Few (A few) months ago….”

“Aba has immense potentials (potential or potentialities) for industrialization….”

Next is Daily Trust of September 12l: “But the way the country’s economy and politics are being handled make (makes) the citizens disbelieve the government.”

“Diplomat calls for varsities, companies collaboration” Get it right: companies’ collaboration

“We promise good result, Eagles’ coach assures” Who did he assure?

“New league season kicks-off (kicks off) Nov 22”

“…but making it happen through effective implementation is key with regards (regard) to access and affordability to all.”

“FinaTrust mfb customers experience raises hope for enterpreneurs” Brands & Marketing: customers’ experience and entrepreneurs

“Tinubu kicks off strike prevention (strike-prevention) programme”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY of September 17 indulged in language demolition: “Crash: Identification of victims’ relatives begin (begins)” This is a common error of attraction—not yet proximity!

“False prophecies bane of Nigeria’s problems—Akpabio” ‘Bane of problems’? Impossible! A rewrite: False prophecies bane of Nigeria”

“Sir, in this precious moment of your Birthday (sic) anniversary….” ‘Birthday’ and ‘anniversary’ cannot co-function.

“Top shots eulogise Obey at concert…recount artiste’s heydays (heyday)”

Still on THE NATION ON SUNDAY: “…why churches need administrators and sundry issue (issues)”

“He said APGA could not afford to loose (lose) the election….”

“Arrest operators of baby factories in Anambra, Soludo’s wife tell (how?) police”

“Godswill Akpabio tees-off (tees off) Nigeria Cup’s final”

From the front and inside pages of THISDAY of September 5 come the following infractions: “…as the remains of former governor of the state was (were) buried after a solemn ceremony (would it have been non-serious and happy?) at St. Paul (Paul’s) Anglican Church.” Funerals should be solemn events with all the sobriety possible.

“…aircraft conveying the remains of the former governor to Ondo State for burial crashed few (a few) minutes after take-off in Lagos….”

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER, of September 17 joins the fray today: “What he therefore failed to appreciate is that decisions like this put to question….” Sunday Comment: a decision like this or decisions like these (which is appropriate here).

“…the fight against corruption should be of serious concerns (concern) to President Tinubu.”

“Low voters turn out (sic) characterized FCT council election” A rewrite: Low voter turnout characterizes FCT council election. And this: turnout (also turn-out) but never turn out (when used as a noun).

  “…in view of the open declaration of (by) the supervising ministry, Ministry of Finance, to give the tribunal all the necessary backing.” Would it have given it unnecessary backing? Another perspective: in view of the…to back the tribunal.

“Sokoto APC sacks chairman for alleged anti party activities” No news: anti-party activities

“…her mission was to have a first hand (first-hand) experience of rail transportation (transport) after the federal government have (had) invested so much in turning around the real sector.”

“…artist who has made a name as a passionate bone collage specialist is that he breaths (breathes) life into bones.”

“Apart from the serenity of the environment which he said makes (made) it unique….”

“Stemming Nigeria’s overzealous spend in (on) overseas medical trips” 

FEEDBACK

“VIBRANT and robust intellectual cross-pollination of ideas attended and tempered by a higher sense of maturity, nobility and humility is timely called for. Although one should not rule out occasional testy and tetchy exchanges, I implore you that they are still largely done in a manner devoid of personal brickbats and diatribes. So, our dear linguistic avatar (Ebere Wabara), let ideas exchange the fisticuffs; let ideas wrestle one another—robust intellectual contestation is the in-thing. Again, as observed earlier, most of the corrections made are hardly noticed by the people concerned. They are repeated with jarring regularity. But again, you should not be dissuaded. Some people out there are taking note. (Folorunso Babafemi/Babfranc Educational Services/Ilesa/08133197524)”

“EBERE, please when next you publish some of your readers’ replies, exclude words like ‘witch-hunting’ and ‘upliftment’ which you have many times explained and which, I believe, should not carry ‘ing’ and ‘ment’, respectively, because their insistence on the usage of such words sets us back ages! (Elder N. E. Ijachi/Otukpo/Benue State/08052612721)”

FINALLY, one of the readers of this column faulted my declaration of ‘very best’ as wrong, citing Longman Dictionary to buttress his assertion. I have always maintained in this column that it is not everything that is in the dictionary or other reference sources that must be swallowed dumbly. If “best” is a superlative word that achieves the peak of my application, why do I need to embellish, pad, inflect or adumbrate it? We must develop critical-mindedness and challenge some entries—that is the hallmark of scholarship and knowledge transformation. If anyone decides to remain incorrigibly gullible, blame not the gods!