Thursday, December 6, 2012

When painful faux-hip-hop slang meets the FT style guide

From New Statesman:

FT loses its motherloving mind with ill-advised rap-themed front page opinion piece
The FT has an incredible front-page opinion piece today. The print version has the headline "G-Dawg splashes out tax cuts like P Diddy with Dom Pérignon in his blingiest giveaway". Really:

The actual piece – which I so wanted to just cut and paste, because, wow - has more:
George Osborne could reinvent himself as a rapper if politics loses its appeal. He sprinkled his Budget – sorry “Autumn Statement” – with shout-outs to his posse (the MPs for Hereford, Burnley and Thurrock)… Giving back to his homies, the chancellor splashed out with tax cuts like P Diddy dispensing Dom Pérignon to a thirsty entourage…
Mr Osborne also talked up the soljaz on the street, if the small businesses who are the backbone of our nation may be described thus…
Having laid claim to the business ‘hood
– A short break here to point out that marvellously, even when writing in faux-hip-hop slang, the FT style guide still insists on a leading apostrophe in the word "hood" –
...MORE

HT: Counterparties for the tip and the headline.
Also via Counterparties "I am Not a troll".