CyKat Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 (edited) It seems to me that news reporters are stuck on that phrase, and for some reason it annoys the heck out of me. Now I'm no english scholar, but is it correct grammer? Headline in today's Chron."Laptop goes missing with data on administaff workers"CyKat Edited October 16, 2007 by CyKat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 It's sloppy at best. Works somewhat better if it's a person.Laptops don't exactly go anywhere by themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 One of my favorite sources to verify these things, William Safire of the New York Times, says that, while it is inelegant and unpopular with many people, its use is widespread and conveys a point that no other phrase can quite do.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...755C0A9629C8B63It appears to be an idiom that is not leaving the lexicon anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelguy_73 Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Ask Grammar Girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Just becuase it's in the vocabulary of the language (lexicon) does not mean it's fit to print. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 I've also noticed it and found it annoying. It still smacks a little too much of a cliched usage, like "putting our soldiers 'in harm's way.'" It may not be incorrect, but it is still better avoided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 (edited) It seems to me that news reporters are stuck on that phrase, and for some reason it annoys the heck out of me. Now I'm no english scholar, but is it correct grammer? Headline in today's Chron."Laptop goes missing with data on administaff workers"CyKat....as opposed toooooooooooooo ???The writer uses "goes missing" because it has not been proven to have been stolen yet. It is an inanimate object, so it could not have walked away on it's own. The writer could have left out "goes", but it is assumed that it has been stolen, so it "goes" by the help of a second party. Edited October 17, 2007 by TJones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyKat Posted October 17, 2007 Author Share Posted October 17, 2007 (edited) ....as opposed toooooooooooooo ???The writer uses "goes missing" because it has not been proven to have been stolen yet. It is an inanimate object, so it could not have walked away on it's own. The writer could have left out "goes", but it is assumed that it has been stolen, so it "goes" by the help of a second party.I know the laptop is missing. My question was, "is that proper grammer?" It appears, according to the Safire article, that it may be "incorrect to correct it", so, unfortunately, it is an expression that's here to stay. No doubt that the reporters who use it consider themselves clever.Thanks everyone, this is why I like this forum so much and I wont go missing for too long.CyKat Edited October 17, 2007 by CyKat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Headline in today's Chron."Laptop goes missing with data on administaff workers"....as opposed toooooooooooooo ???Lost. "A laptop was lost.." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Lost. "A laptop was lost.."Doesn't quite have that........."Duhn duhn DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNN !!!! " Now does it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northbeaumont Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 ....as opposed toooooooooooooo ???The writer uses "goes missing" because it has not been proven to have been stolen yet. It is an inanimate object, so it could not have walked away on it's own. The writer could have left out "goes", but it is assumed that it has been stolen, so it "goes" by the help of a second party.Oh, c'mon, you can do gooder than that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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