If you're still reading me, then I'm assuming you are not outside my office picketing in outrage over my lack of concern over
1. "More than" v. "over"
2. Question headlines
3. Repeating words in a story
Glad you're still with me ...
Here is No. 4 on my list of things I'm not losing sleep over:
Associated Press spelling out state names in body copy
Darn that AP. Why can't they just leave these old style rules alone?
That's because language is a living, breathing thing. It needs to change.
Can you imagine if all websites were written in Early Modern English? Me thinks thou anguish is misdirected. I humbly endeavor to support the accursed Associated Press.
That newfangled World Wide Web has made every piece of content international. People in Nigeria don't know that Mass. is Massachusetts.
Does the change impede comprehension? No. Could it possibly improve comprehension? Yes. So why not? Other than we humans, in general, don't like change.
I've heard some argue that writers need state abbreviations to fit in other words.
Really? Nine letters is all that stands between you and a Pulitzer?
Good thing AP keeps changing other rules so you can gain those precious characters elsewhere. If you use "over" instead of "more than," you've gained back five characters. :)
Does anyone remember when we sweated over Worldwide Web v. World Wide Web? I doubt readers do either. And now, you can just use web, so you've gained back at least 10 characters.
Don't even come near with me, arguing that you learned all those abbreviations so you should be able to use them. When's the last time you put a quadratic equation in a story?
I prithee fluff your pillow as thou slips into dreamless slumber?
Tomorrow: We're too darn boring
