by MUKUL DUBE
(letter 1)
The “Hindu” newspaper seemed to have pulled up its socks, but what can it do when its knickers have a habit of slipping? On page 3 of its issue of 12 August 2014 we read this: “A little less than two months after the process of converting selective traffic intersections into roundabouts, …”. One dictionary says that “selective” means “tending to select; characterized by careful choice”. What, pray, might a “selective intersection” select? People are selected for writing and editing jobs who do not know the word “selected”. A truly selective paper.
(letter 2)
The “Hindu” newspaper’s knickers slipped again in its edition of 14 August 2014, this time on Page One. “Prashant Bhushan … said that his father should not have expressed his concerns publically.” We must conclude, with astonishment, that a writer and an editor on a major newspaper do not know that the word is “publicly”. Or it may be that where these worthies are concerned, nothing should surprise us any more.
(letter 3)
In the main report on page 3 of the “Hindu” of 16 August 2014, the first sentence includes this: “… unfurled the Tricolour from the ramparts of the historical Red Fort …”. The correct word is HISTORIC, dammit. Later in the same report: “The customary 21-gun salute and unfurling of National Flag followed next.” There is a THE missing, dammit. And REMOVE “next”, dammit: what follows has necessarily to be next.
Mukul Dube can be reached at dube.mukul@gmail.com