Speak Volumes, Not ‘Volume’

Expression BY Ebere Wabara

YOU are welcome to the second half of the year: “Customs deputy comptroller slumps, dies at Reps (Reps’) investigative hearing”

“We (a comma) the members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), (otiose comma) caucus of the House of Representatives (another comma) felicitate with our….” Delete ‘with’!

“…on his emergence as the vice chairman of the Southern Nigeria Governors (Governors’) Forum.”

“…speak volume (volumes) of your capabilities.” This error-ridden advertorial was signed by five lawmakers!

“…despite the fact that our party performed creditably well.” Yank away ‘well’—it is an overkill. You either use ‘creditably’ or ‘well’ as both cannot co-function.

“…the financial institutions, especially those listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (another comma) are positioning to….”

“This emerged as the SEC yesterday, released its framework to….” Either a comma before ‘yesterday’ or none at all to avoid a disruption of the subject and the verb—there must be a joint relationship.

“…as listed commercial banks give investors opportunity (an opportunity or opportunities) to own a….” 

“…is renowned for her electric music genre, comprising of soul….” Electrocute ‘of’!

DAILY INDEPENDENT online of June 30 signs off the month: “There are times necessity breed (breeds) invention….”

“…uncontrolled contract awards and flagrant disobedience to (of) financial regulations….”

Lastly from the above edition: “Proffer solution to Boko Haram menance first” Spell-check: menace. 

Vanguard of June 26 indulged in malapropism: “Gbagi itches (inches) closer to becoming first African in Rotary’s Arch Klumph Society” 

“We wish to announce the sudden death of our friend…which sad event took place on…in a ghastly motor accident.” (THE GUARDIAN, June 23) When an accident results in death, it is fatal (not ghastly).  

A recurrent blunder: “4 arrested over 62-yr-old man’s death” (Vanguard, June 23) No tiresomeness from error regularity: ‘arrest’ takes ‘for’ (not ‘over’).

“Why we’re promoting artistes of yesteryears” Nigeria’s weekly magazine: yesteryear. The same thing applies to ‘heyday’.

“Our grouse against NHIS, by community pharmacists” (THE GUARDIAN, June 10) My grouse about (not against) media language abuse….

“Before it used to be between 40 to 60.” (THE GUARDIAN, June 17) Even The Flagship? Either from 40 to 60 or between 40 and 60. No muddle, gentlemen. 

“Explosions in the African continent” Conscience, Nurtured by Truth: Explosions on the African continent.

“In the presidential polls (a comma) President…failed to score the mandatory 50 per cent of the vote to be declared outrightly elected” ‘Outrightly’ is perverse American English.  The standard version is ‘outright’ which functions both as an adverb and an adjective.  We cannot continue agonizing over semantics.

“On December 29, the governor added another feather to his cap when….” (Daily Trust, June 15) Stock expression: added (no need for another) a feather in (not to) one’s (his) cap.

“Solutions that create more social trauma and dislocations than is (are) currently the case will not be preferred over (to) solutions that minimize the same.”  I prefer compere to (not over) master of ceremonies.

“The three parties that demanded for the restructuring of the electoral body are….” (Daily Independent, June 16) As a verb, ‘demand’ does not take ‘for’ except in a noun form.

“Given the robust profiles of majority (a majority) of the INEC commissioners, there is every hope that the commission may get its acts together in the next elections.” A review: a majority of…and the fixed expression: get its act (not acts) together.

The following blunders are from Leadership of June16: “Hong Kong, as a colony, is made up of the harbour that is reputed to be one of the busiest in the world comprising of some outlying settlements, ceded to Britain by China in 1842.”  This can’t be a challenge: ‘comprising’ does not require ‘of’.

“I feel the permanent solution is not in importing fuel from abroad….” (Vanguard, June 16) The importation couldn’t have been from within these shores!

“Their roles and participation in the furtherance of dictatorship has (have) seriously.…” (Source: as above)

“Issues bothering on meeting employers’ obligations to employees in form of salary….” There is a sharp distinction between ‘bothering’ and ‘bordering’, which applies here.

“While contesting the alleged sale of the bakery and its ultra-modern equipments….” ‘Equipment’ is uncountable.

“The frequency with which administrations are changed at the grassroot level makes it difficult for any sustainable development to be accomplished.”  Immutable: grassroots makes.

“Given the robust profiles of majority of the INEC commissioners, there is every hope that the commission may get its acts together in the April elections.” A review: a majority of…and the fixed expression: get its act (not acts) together.

“The impression seems to have gained ground that the voter registration was just another white elephant project, a wasteful jamboree.” Get it right: just white elephant.  All the trash about ‘project, a wasteful jamboree’ is simply pleonastic.

“Just imagine if all the money which was sunken into the Ajaokuta steel project.…” Tense mix-up: yank away ‘sunken’ for ‘sunk.’

“I escaped death by a hair’s breath” No lexical mayhem: a hair’s breadth.

“I detest the idea of somebody being nun talk less of my own daughter.”  ‘Talk less’ is Nigerian English employed in place of ‘not to talk of’ or ‘let alone’ which are standard entries.

Feedback

Media Gaffes, June 22, made an interesting reading. But, the rule that says present tense verb becomes past when changing from direct to indirect speech does not always apply, does it? I said there was no more monolithic north against an ‘is’ sounds different in meaning. ‘The geography teacher said the sun ROSE in the east’ will not be a right reported speech version of ‘The sun rises in the east,’ says the geography teacher.’ Will it? (08072246519)

…Response

There are no exceptions to the reported speech rule. The example you gave does not change anything. Thanks for your contribution. Next time, include your name, please.