I have never slept with one of my sources or obtained a story by pretending to be someone other than a journalist. However, these common plotlines in movies and TV shows about reporters can give the wrong impression. While it’s true that journalists don’t always get things right, we often make little (and big) mistakes that irritate experts in the topics we write about. To highlight this, I asked my readers to share examples. And as expected, my accomplished readers had plenty to contribute.
M. Wesley Clark from Fairfax, Va., who worked at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for 20 years, pointed out a common mistake. People often refer to it as the “Drug Enforcement Agency,” but the correct name is the Drug Enforcement Administration. It’s like calling the FBI the “Federal Board of Inquiry,” a mistake even courts sometimes make.
Mary Rice, a retired lawyer and law librarian from La Plata, Md., talked about a mistake she hears often in court cases. People frequently use the term “opening argument” instead of “opening statement.” This misuse frustrates Mary, especially when it comes from people who should know better.
Wendy Samuel, a retired lawyer from Parrish, Fla., cringes at the incorrect usage of “power of attorney.” People often say things like, “I’m the power of attorney for my mother,” but this is incorrect. A power of attorney is a legal document that appoints someone to act on behalf of the signer, designating that person as their attorney-in-fact. It is not a person, but a piece of paper.
Donna L. Vogel from Bethesda, Md., who works in the field of andrology, highlighted a linguistic error. She cringes when people use “testee” as the singular of “testes.” The correct singular form is “testis.” It’s a simple correction that Donna wants everyone to remember.
Frances Vandenbroucke, a retired horticulturist from Alexandria, Va., noticed the misuse of the word “pesticide.” Many people wrongly use it as a synonym for “insecticide.” However, “pesticide” is a general category that includes various compounds used to control garden pests such as insects, rodents, fungi, or plants. It encompasses miticides, rodenticides, fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides. Frances wishes people would stop referring to “pesticides and herbicides” as separate categories, when herbicides are actually a type of pesticide.
Laird White from Arlington, Va., a former math teacher and professional musician, has a bone to pick with the improper use of the word “crescendo.” It means “increasing in volume,” and it grates on Laird’s nerves when people say things like “The storm reached a crescendo” or “The crowd’s roar reached a crescendo.” The storm or the crowd can get louder, they can crescendo, but they never “reach” a crescendo. Laird likens this mistake to nails on a chalkboard for musicians.
Ellen Smoller from Silver Spring, Md., a math teacher, addresses the misuse of the word “calculus.” Calculus is not the same as “calculate.” It is a type of math that focuses on the rate of change over time, or a mathematics course taught in high school and college. Using “calculus” in situations where “calculate” would be more appropriate is incorrect. For example, saying “The calculus of the construction cost indicated it was too expensive” should be replaced with “The builder calculated the construction and determined that it would be too expensive.”
Bryan Tylander, head of the men’s rowing team at Woodson High in Fairfax, expressed his pet peeve regarding the incorrect usage of “crew” as a label for the sport. “Crew” refers to a group of people who row together, so saying “crew team” is redundant. It’s similar to saying “ATM machine.” Bryan is pushing to rebrand the program from “Woodson Crew” to “Woodson Rowing” to align with the correct terminology.
Jim Warfield from Callawassie Island, S.C., finds press accounts announcing events confusing when they invite “Members of the public.” He wonders if he’s a member of the public himself. Jim, rest assured, you’ll always be a member of the public to me.
John Kelly’s Washington
