Came across this heading on the BBC newsfeed that I'm subscribing to.
US touts fall in Baghdad attacks
Now, when I first read it, I got it slightly wrong. I thought it meant that "US touts" had fallen in an attack in Baghdad. The mind boggled. What were those people touting??
Nope. I got my verbs and nouns switched round. The verb is "touts" and the associated noun is "fall". Not the other way round. Paraphrased, the sentence means that the US is boasting about a fall in attacks in Baghdad.
I've advised the BBC accordingly.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Funny -the English language is--so many words can be taken alot of ways-so hard teaching this to the young ones.As we do homework together almost everynight and they do get confused with it all.....
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's where you lay the stress on the word touts as you read it too. But it does bamboozle if you keep reading it and rephrasing it. Well spotted Guido.
ReplyDeleteMay I run things past you whenever I write anything again? On second thoughts...perhaps not. You would be there all day correcting it. lol!
You miss nothing you do...lol! (colloquial). <smile>
Jeanie
Good call Guido! :o)
ReplyDeleteLisa
Let's keep these news people straight!! :) Linda
ReplyDeleteCute! And you actually advised the BBC of it?
ReplyDeleteLori