New York Times Bans Use of Word "Tweet" 426
An anonymous reader writes "New York Times standards editor Phil Corbett has had enough of his journalists' sloppy writing. Their offense? Using the 'inherently silly' word 'tweet' 18 times in the last month. In an internal memo obtained by theawl.com, he orders his writers to use alternatives, such as '"use Twitter" ... or "a Twitter update."' He admits that ' ... new technology terms sprout and spread faster than ever. And we don't want to seem paleolithic. But we favor established usage and ordinary words ...' After all, he points out, ' ... another service may elbow Twitter aside next year, and "tweet" may fade into oblivion.' Of course, it is also possible that social media sites will elbow paleolithic media into oblivion, and Mr. Corbett will no longer have to worry about word use."
While this sounds like it could as well be an Onion story, the memo is being widely reported.
The term I've always used... (Score:3, Funny)
for those who "tweet" is "twat".
Much more fitting.
Re:News flash (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Gained respect for NYT (Score:5, Funny)
Phil Corbett groks journalism.
Re:News flash (Score:1, Funny)
No, it will not forever be the term. "Tweet" is a very Twitter-specific term, and a stupid one at that.
Unlike the term used for the people who use Twitter: "Twats".
Linguistic Progress in Retweet.... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Gained respect for NYT (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Gained respect for NYT (Score:5, Funny)
Re:He has a point (Score:3, Funny)
It doesn't mean you have to use it every other sentence. This is particularly true if the subject of the story is Egyptian mummies, the campaigns of Napoleon, or a new composition by Philip Glass. Actually, on second thoughts it's probably OK for the latter.
Re:He has a point (Score:4, Funny)
"It's also a disingenuous way to represent the current culture climate."
Last time I looked, newspapers were into reporting news. "Represent the current culture climate" is what literature majors are supposed to be doing between shifts at the fryer station.
Re:News flash (Score:5, Funny)
Please tell me you did that - all of it - on purpose.
Re:Gained respect for NYT (Score:3, Funny)
"English doesn't borrow words from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them unconscious, and rifles through their pockets for loose grammar." Still Twitter is for twits that think we care about the minutiae of their lives.
Re:He has a point (Score:5, Funny)
.
Slang terms are unprofessional. You might as well allow NYT editors to write articles like "Popo caps a bitch after she tried to jack a 7-11"
Finally a Slashdot post I can understand!
Re:He has a point (Score:5, Funny)
" You might as well allow NYT editors to write articles like "Popo caps a bitch after she tried to jack a 7-11"
Are you listening NYT? I will buy print and web editions of your paper, as well as follow you on Twitter if this starts happening.
Re:Gained respect for NYT (Score:3, Funny)
Neology is a religion centered around a make-believe Messiah in a highly successful sci-fi trilogy by the Wachowski brothers.
As for 'neologism', well that's just some obnoxious term Wikipedia uses, as parodied by the recent malamanteau xkcd entry.
Re:Agreed (Score:3, Funny)
I just try to work the word 'twit' into the conversation in place of 'tweet' whenever possible. You need to do so as if you didn't notice any difference.
The only good thing about Twitter is... (Score:3, Funny)
http://twitter.com/shitmydadsays [twitter.com]
Everyone else can eat a bag of dicks. Twitter is, to me, a one-liner joke delivery mechanism.
Re:Agreed (Score:4, Funny)
Chance has, I am archeologist of future. Traveled now for investigate your strange word usage {tweet | kleenex | slashdotted}. Also your convoluted sentences for {articles | compounds}.
Thanks arguing for obviate my job, insensitive clod!
Re:Gained respect for NYT (Score:3, Funny)
Re:He has a point (Score:3, Funny)
Oh, really? According to The Twitter Glossary [twitter.com],
If anyone has a right to define terms relating to Twitter, that'd be it.
Re:How about google... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Thank God (Score:3, Funny)
Right on! RT @Antisyzgy: I am very happy this happened. Twitter is for narcissistic people to spout off meaningless snippets of their unimpressive lives. I thought people would have had enough of it from Facebook or Myspace, but apparently people need an even more frequent dose of bullshit.
Re:Gained respect for NYT (Score:4, Funny)
the US wouldn't (heck, already doesn't) recognise British "English" as official and vice-versa.
FTFY
Re:Gained respect for NYT (Score:3, Funny)
HAI! I CAN HAZ TWEETER??
"Using Twitter"? (Score:1, Funny)
I always thought "Using Twitter" was a euphemism for defecation. Just ask Gabe.