Anderson Cooper Goes to Yale
Posted on January 13th, 2006 in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
The Yale class of 2006 has chosen Anderson Cooper to be its Class Day speaker. This bodes ill for Yale students, not so much because of the choice of speaker, but because of the atrocious grammar used to announce it.
Here’s part of the statement from the Yale Senior Class Council:
His domestic and international journalistic experience will provide unique insight to seniors as they transition out of college. As an alumnus of Yale College, his address will be particularly relevant.
Hmmm. I won’t even mention the dubious usage of the word “unique.” Perhaps certain Yalies need to learn what a misplaced modifier is before they graduate in May…. Because that should read, “As an alumnus of Yale College, he will be particularly relevant.”
A small point, I know. But if you can’t hold Ivy Leaguers to minimum grammatical standards, who can you?
3 Responses
1/13/2006 1:45 pm
actually, “dangling participle” is the specific crime committed.
1/13/2006 3:50 pm
yeah, and moreover, you’re going to rap them for that and then let them get away with an atrocity like “transition out of“?!?
1/13/2006 4:20 pm
Whoops! How embarrassing.
I know, “transition out of” is pretty ugly, but I don’t think it’s technically incorrect.