8 Ways to Sunday

I get MSNBC’s Question of the Day via e-mail, and the questions from the last two days have confounded me with their counter-intuitive grammar. Someone more paranoid than me might consider this an example of sneakily politicized media double-speak, but I think it’s probably just bad copy editing. I for one expect more from a major news outlet.

To find out what I’m grousing about, visit the Question of the Day page and check out the two most recent items (about the controversial Regan miniseries), or you can read my peeved note below.*

Dear MSNBC Pollsters,

Can we please have a reprieve from the double-negative-inducing questions? “The Reagan movie: Should it never air?” and “Should Showtime NOT show the Reagan movie?” would both be easier to answer as intended if “never” and “NOT” were removed. Something in the mind (or at least something in my mind) balks at the notion of clicking “no” and responding “No, the movie shouldn’t never air,” or clicking “yes” and answering with “Yes, the movie should never air.” I’d rather not pick either option until I know what exactly I’m agreeing with.

Perhaps I’m being too picky, but I expect more from news publications.

Thanks for hearing me out,
Adam Messinger

* Yes, I sent a peeved note about grammar in a web poll. I blame it all my high school “Accelerated English” teacher. Thanks to her, I’d practically have to be deprogrammed to remove the crotchety grammarian that’s embedded in my subconscious.