For example, yesterday, after twice going through an article I was copy editing, I took one last look at the document and saw this: “Lisa enjoyed math class more then history.” That’s right, that evil little “then” got past me twice. I know the difference between “then” and “than.” It’s simple. Yet this sneaky, evil little bugger almost made a fool out of me.
Here’s another I came across not long ago. “The golfers come from such places as Buenos Aires, Argentina; Caracas, Venezuela; Bogota, Columbia; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.” Catch it? If so, you’re doing better than spell check and better than I did on a first read. It’s Colombia. Not Columbia.
If there’s a leader of the conspiracy, it’s “lead.” Like some kind of evil twin, “lead” likes to stand in for “led,” knowing full well that the metal “lead” sounds exactly like the past tense of the verb, which is spelled “led.” The dastard.
Occasionally, “lead” will recruit new words for its evil cause. Take “peddling,” which recently tried to pass itself off as “pedaling.”
These are ones I caught. Have others gotten past me? Will any of these get past me tomorrow? Are they concocting ever-more-clever ways to get past me, for example, by using words like “complement” and “judgment” to create a diversion while they slip a misused “there” past me?
Not if I remain in a state of cat-like readiness -- a caffeine-fueled, edge-of-my seat mindset characteristic of one of those Jason Bourne movies. If, every time I enter a document, I look under every pronoun, stare down every past participle, then those sinister little words can’t take away my job or my self-respect.
But what’s most important is knowing, deep down in my heart, that I’m not paranoid.
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4 comments:
This is why I'm not a copy editor.
I've had several jobs that involved scanning for things. I was always positive I didn't get everything. Not a feeling I like.
Go you, to persevere!
The reason you were positive you didn't get everything is because no one can. That "Columbia" had gotten past two other editors before I caught it. "Peddling" had gotten past two and a proofreader!
And I know that other people are catching stuff I missed.
Yes, it's so unsatisfying to know that, no matter how hard you try, you can't be sure you got them all. But, on the other hand, the ones you go get are SO satisfying.
My first couple of copy editing jobs were for less-well-funded publications that didn't have as many lines of defense against errors. So every error that made it into print was, I assumed, a failing on my part. Only now do I realize that no human being could have prevented them all.
Wish I'd have known that sooner.
Its hard to beleive simple a few simple mispellings could have slip passed you like that. Good think I'm not one to pass judgement on others.
Toatlly!
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