The Unbeknownst Media!

by Edd Doerr

Three common English misuses have been annoying me.

Journalists and broadcasters, some of whom I like, have taken of late to using "media" as a singular noun. Hey, "media" is plural; "medium" is singular. What next? "Phenomena is"? "Men is"? "Barack Obama are"? Did George Bush start this with his utterance "Is our children learning"?

"Unbeknownst". Aargh! A half century ago ago I was teaching high school students that the word is archaic. Use "unknown". Gad zooks and Od's bodkins, what next? Thee, thou, thine and prithee?

And the ubiquitous "the". It's a DEFINITE article. Saying "the" writer Joe Blow, or "the" fashion model Jane Roe, suggests that they are the only two in their professions. And think of all the trees wasted with all the extra "the"s.

Yeah, I know that languages evolve. But DEvolve? No, thank you.