An extension of the Common Sense Journalism monthly column by Doug Fisher, former broadcaster, newspaper reporter and wire service editor. From new media to old, much of journalism is just plain common sense.
"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Unknown (often improperly attributed to Thomas Jefferson)
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." - Upton Sinclair
"Common sense is not so common" - Voltaire
"Common sense is instinct; enough of it is genius" - George Bernard Shaw
This sentence today from an AP dispatch:
Labels: copy editing, editing problems, modifiers
posted by Doug @ 5:55 PM
2 comments|
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2 Comments:
It would have a different meaning if one used your phrase, wouldn't it? Using "along with" says that in combination they can prevent chrnoic disease. Using your "as can" says that any of the three individually would prevent the disease.
Isn't this just a throw-away quote, anyway? I'll bet I heard the same line thousands of times from the mouths of industry reps. And besides, it doesn't say anything. Using the qualifier "can" commits the speaker to nothing. Tell me something earth shattering, like "will."
Then, under your suggestion, it should be restructured to Lean meat as part of a balanced diet, along with exercise and avoiding smoking, can prevent chronic disease, said Shalene McNeill, dietitian for the beef group.
However, I think mine maintains the same sense. (I'd actually put can help prevent.)
The way it was originally structured, "prevent" actually can be seen to work on the "along with" phrase.
Either way it's a poorly structured sentence that should be untangled.
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