Monthly Archives: January 2019

Gotta give The Boston Globe credit for upholding the Journalese Law of Hulking. That’s the law that requires all parking garages to be described as hulking. In a story Jan. 24, 2019, about a planned 43 story office tower that will be the future home of State Street Corp., The Globe reports not once, but twice (in the text and a cutline), that the building will replace Boston’s “hulking” Government… Read Article →

We have commented on reporters’ accepting the size of crowds as given by event organizers, with the Boston classics of one million attending First Night or the July 4 Pops concert and fireworks over the Charles River. This would make the crowds almost twice the city’s population. What brings this up was an unusual crowd size report by David Bienick of WCVB Channel 5 about the Women’s March Boston, Jan…. Read Article →

“Nondescript” is a classic journalese adjective applied to something the reporter doesn’t like. Merriam-Webster defines nondescript as “lacking distinctive or interesting qualities: dull, drab.” What brings this up is a Boston Sunday Globe page one article on Boston’s Faneuil Hall marketplace’s future, with the news peg being the closure of the 192-year-old Durgin-Park restaurant. The Globe describes the market: “Its collection of chain stores ….can be found in any mall… Read Article →

There’s an obscure Law of Journalese that prohibits a reporter from quoting a source and adding that it was said “with a straight face.” This law was followed by Boston Globe business reporter John Chesto on Jan. 8, 2019, in a story about developers being the big donors of the $1.1 million collected by Governor Charles Baker’s second-term inauguration celebration committee. Developers and others who like to help out the… Read Article →

I have no idea when the media started using the word “issues” to mean every trouble, problem or conflict — from an athlete’s aching knee to a nation facing bankruptcy. But is now standard journalese. For example, this headline in the Wednesday Food section of the Jan. 2, 2019, issue — OK, edition — of The Boston Globe: “How to tackle your food issues.” The story begins: “It unfolds the… Read Article →