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‘It was carnage’: students describe suspected mass food poisoning at New Zealand university
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2024
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Butchering language is an example of slang with a well-established context. But more than that, you're not going to confuse my use of butchering when it's discussing the concept of language.
Saying a scene is full of carnage, directly implies it resembles a war zone, mass shooting, or an explosion. Not 100 kids shitting themselves from a foodborne illness outbreak.
What if the headline said "It was an orgy of bodily fluids...". This is called poor editorial discretion, and while that also could technically be understood to be accurate, it would also be editorial malpractice.
Oh, and lol. Seriously? What makes you think I didn't spend 90 seconds reading that article about the mass food poisoning event....?
I would describe 100 people shitting themselves and throwing up as carnage lol. It's not the same carnage left by a warzone, or the carnage left in the wake of a black friday sale, or the carnage that happens in a 10 car pileup.
You can take issue with "slammed" being overused or "carnage" being too flashy or something, but to say it amounts to malpractice and is a result of stupidity or low standards is not really fair imo. People use metaphorical language and hyperbole. It's fine and normal
Also, I linked another article using carnage "incorrectly" and I thought that is what you were referring to. The writing quality is fine so I was not sure why you said it was low
I haven't had to write in a news style too often, but headlines (from AP guidelines at least) are meant to stand entirely on their own and without context.
While I agree that language can and should change, the use of hyperbole, slang, or cliches in a headline can negatively impact the clarity of the headline, which is most important.
Does something like decimate or carnage have two widely accepted meanings now? Then as an editor, I would caution against their use in a headline. Something like "Hundreds sickened in suspected mass food poisoning at New Zealand university" seems fine and is without clickbait.
Not a bad point. I think the quotation marks and the subject matter made it clear. However, if there is this much ambiguity in interpretation I think it could be changed justifiably. I still don't think this is some kind of egregious sin, though