These are some of the many words and
terms commonly misused, misunderstood
or mispronounced.
 accident: BE CAREFUL. Accidents happen all
the time, but so do intentional acts. Don’t
predetermine cause by a haphazard word choice.
 ad hoc: Means for a specific purpose only. It’s
redundant and wordy to say: The governor has just
created an ad hoc committee to study the issue.
Leave off ad hoc.
 admit: BE CAREFUL. Other than meaning to
grant entrance (a usage that should be avoided in
broadcast because of its awkwardness), the word
means to concede or confess and implies an
acknowledgment of wrong- doing. Generally, limit
use of admit to legal and quasi-legal issues where
it’s clearly appropriate.
 alleged: in general, don’t use this word. See
Chapter 5, “Phrases and Phrasing,” and the
crime and legal section of Chapter 20.
 alumna, alumnae, alumni, alumnus: Alumna
refers to one woman graduate or former
student of a specific institution; alumnae is
the plural for women. Use alumnus for one
male graduate or former student; alumni is
plural for men and should be used as the
plural for a group of men and women.
 among, between: Generally, use among when
something is in the midst of more than two
people or things; use between when
something is in the midst of two people or
things.
 and/or: Don’t use this stilted expression in
broadcast copy.
 average, mean, median: Take the numbers 2, 6 and
7; the average is the total (15) divided by the
number of items being totaled (3). The average
here is 5. The mean is the same as the average, but
use average because it’s more widely understood.
The median is the middle figure in an ascending or
descending series—in this case, 6. Generally, stick
with average and write around the others.
 because, since, as: Because shows a cause-andeffect relationship; since or as usually reflects a
time relationship (one took place after the other),
but the relationship is more indirect than cause
and effect.
 bi-, semi-: Unfortunately, depending on the
source, bi- means either once every two or twice a.
Those opposing meanings suggest that not using
the prefix may be best in the interests of clarity.
Semi- means half or twice a, but use the term only
in a familiar context. (bi-annual, semi-annual)
 boat, ship: These terms are not synonymous. A
boat is generally considered a small vessel,
although ferryboats, PT boats and submarines are
exceptions. Ships are larger, frequently oceangoing
vessels.
 bring, take: Bring involves transporting
something to the speaker (here); take involves
transporting it away from the speaker (there).
 casualties: Includes dead and injured or sick.
 cement, concrete: Cement and concrete are not
the same. Cement powder is one of the ingredients
in concrete.
 consensus: General majority agreement, but not
unanimous. The phrase consensus of opinion is
redundant.
 continual, continuous: Continual means
ongoing at intervals; continuous means ongoing
without stop.
 convince, persuade: Convince generally means
inducing someone to believe something; persuade
involves inducing someone to some action.
 cop: Slang for police, police officer. Better to say
police.
 crisis: Not every problem—or even every
dangerous situation—is a crisis. Don’t overuse.
Plural is crises (KRI seez).
 currently: Currently means now. Presently means
soon.
 daylight saving time: Note that daylight saving
time is singular. See more in Chapter 19,
“Reporting: Seasonal Coverage and the Calendar.”
 dialogue: An overused word that all too
frequently replaces the simpler and more accurate
talk.
 die, kill: All people eventually die; some people
are killed. Use die when death results from natural
causes.
 drugs: this word has taken on the meaning of
narcotics (illegal, controlled substances) and
should generally not be used as a synonym for
medicine.
 elderly: BE CAREFUL. This may be viewed as
negative or simply inappropriate. As healthcare
improves, the age at which people are “elderly” gets
older. If you use the term at all, limit its use to over
70 or even 75.
 emigrate, immigrate: Emigrate means to leave a
country to settle elsewhere; immigrate means to
enter a country from outside.
 ensure, insure: Unless you’re speaking about
insurance, the proper word is ensure—to
guarantee, to make sure of.
 execute: In the sense of dead, only governments,
by virtue of law, can execute. Terrorists or
individuals kill, assassinate or murder; they do not
execute.
 February: Although difficult to pronounce
properly, there are two r’s in February. See also
library, hundred and nuclear.
 fewer, less: Both mean the same, but fewer relates
to numbers and less relates to amount, more
abstract ideas, bulk numbers and singular nouns
and pronouns. fewer dollars, less money.
 figuratively, literally: Figuratively means like (as
in a metaphor); literally means exactly.
 Farther, further: In the U.S., farther is more
often used to refer to physical distances,
and further more often refers to figurative and
nonphysical distances.
 firefighter, fireman: Although common in usage,
use the gender neutral term firefighter. If you
wouldn’t say firewoman (and you wouldn’t), don’t
say fireman.
 flammable, inflammable: Both mean exactly
the same thing—easily ignited—but use
flammable because too many people think
inflammable means the opposite of its correct
definition.
 gay: This word’s only current usage relates to
homosexuality, and it should be used as first
reference.
 ghetto: BE CAREFUL. This means a section of a
city overwhelmingly inhabited by members of a
minority group. The term also implies that a
minority group has been forced to live in that
section, so don’t use this term lightly.
 good, well: Good is almost always an adjective
meaning well-done, worthy, kind and the like.
Well is almost always an adverb meaning properly
(except as an adjective meaning healthy).
 gun: Acceptable term for any firearm.
 half-mast, half-staff: What takes place in
honoring the dead. Half-mast is for ships and
naval stations; half-staff is on land.
 Halley’s Comet: Currently accepted
pronunciation is HAL (as in pal) eez, not
HAIL eez.
 hang, hanged, hung: Everything hangs.
People are or have been hanged; everything
else has been hung.
 hundred: Pronounced HUHN dred, not
HUHN derd.
 illegal: BE CAREFUL. Use this word only in
reference to a violation of law—and with proper
attribution. See the crime and legal section of
Chapter 20, “Reporting: Specialized Coverage.”
‘Politically correct’ issue: illegal aliens
 impact: Don’t use this word as a verb. The illegal
aliens issue will impact the next elections.
 indict: Use this word only in its legal context of
bringing charges. See the crime and legal section
of Chapter 20, “Reporting: Specialized Coverage.
 irregardless: Not a word. Use regardless instead.
 issue: Saying that something is a controversial
issue is redundant; it wouldn’t be an issue if it
weren’t controversial.
 key: Another overworked word that only works, if
at all, in the spirit of its original meaning of
opening a lock.
 kid, kids: Perfectly acceptable in broadcast for
child, children.
 lady, woman: Use lady only in quotes and in
formal titles (as in Lady Marian); otherwise, use
woman, women.
 End of A thrugh L
 major: Another overworked word.
 majority, plurality: Majority means more than
half; plurality means more than any other (as in
the winner of a three-way race, perhaps).
 massive: Another word worth resting.
 media: Includes all media and requires a plural
verb (singular is medium). Use media rather than
press unless you’re specifically referring to print
media only.
 mile, knot: Mile is a measure of distance (5,280
feet), as distinguished from knot, which is a speed
of one nautical mile (6,076.1 feet) per hour. See the
weather section of Chapter 18, “News, Weather &
Sports.”
 none: Usually means no one or not one and
almost always takes a singular verb.
 NOW: National Organization for Women—not of.
 nuclear: Pronounced NU klee ur, not NU kyu lur.
 press conference: Most broadcasters prefer news
conference because press refers to print media
only, although some argue that the term news
conference elevates most of these gatherings
beyond their substance. Same with news release /
press release.
 rebut, refute: Rebut means to argue against with
evidence; refute means to prove wrong. Don’t
confuse the two.
 some: Means an unspecified number. Its use to mean
about (e.g., some one hundred years ago) is classic
journalese. Normal people don’t talk like that. If you mean
about, say about.
 sources: An overworked, meaningless term that should be
used more carefully. Don’t use the word alone; it doesn’t say
enough to give any credence to a report or bit of
information. Don’t use with unnamed. The source does
have a name, making the correct term unidentified. Even
so, use some accompanying word or substitute phrase that
provides more substance to the source (e.g., a senior White
House official says . . . ).
 survey: BE CAREFUL. Don’t use this word when there
really hasn’t been a formal survey.
 that, which, who: As pronouns, use who to reference




people; use the appropriate choice of that or which to
reference things.
toward: Not towards.
unique: Means the one and only. No adjective
modifying unique makes much sense. Things cannot
be more or less unique.
viable: Means able to live. Much overworked term.
warn: Means to inform of possible trouble. Don’t use
the word when what’s involved is really a statement
and not a warning.
 whether or not: Should almost always be just
whether.
 which, who: See that.
 wide-ranging: Overworked phrase.
 A few other clichés or inaccuracies… area residents,
budget woes, first annual, completely destroyed,
brandishing a firearm, aftermath, Campaign Trail,
Clash With Police, clinging to life, Fled on Foot,
gearing up, hunker down, Gunned Down, Here At
Home… see more at:
http://www.newswriting.com/groaners.htm
 Look ahead and keep looking back at these
in Chapter 4