Atortuous (or is it torturous?) solecism was committed in the lead op-ed piece of the New York Times last Wednesday, right next to William Satire, he of “On Language.” This kind of writing ought to be quashed (or is it squashed?) and spurned (or is it scorned?). Lawyer Donna Harrison was writing about her decision to switch her children from private back into public schools. She described her disappointed hopes “that the curriculum standards endorsed by the Schools Chancellor, Rudy Crew, were vigorous.” Does she mean rigorous? Or does the New York City Public Schools have some Strength Through Joy program that we ought to know about?
As they say of verbal precision: If you’ve got it, flout it.
