Zompist Bboard Again

That's almost unparsably confusing.

Man in Space wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 8:00 pm Bristol boy shot when a toddler raises £8k for hospital

If a film/TV producer hasn't optioned that headline yet, there's something seriously wrong.

I just encountered this one: US-Iranian journalist believed to have been detained in Iran (from La Graune).

Maybe it's just me, but on first reading and afterthought too I thought this meant something like "the journalist was detained (we're not sure about the deets) and no longer is". Apologies, not a great Confusing Headline, especially coming immediately on the heels of the last one!

fusijui wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 8:47 am I just encountered this one: US-Iranian journalist believed to have been detained in Iran (from La Graune).

Maybe it's just me, but on first reading and afterthought too I thought this meant something like "the journalist was detained (we're not sure about the deets) and no longer is". Apologies, not a great Confusing Headline, especially coming immediately on the heels of the last one!

I can read this three ways:

1. Journo was previously held in Iran, but is no longer
2. The journo that we all thought was held somewhere has traveled to Iran
3. Journo is missing but we now think he’s in Iran

Man in Space wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 12:30 pm I can read this three ways:

1. Journo was previously held in Iran, but is no longer
2. The journo that we all thought was held somewhere has traveled to Iran
3. Journo is missing but we now think he’s in Iran

Kinda wish you hadn't done that. Feeling wobbly now. Like I need to go get my parser degaussed or something.

This one from the Washington Post, courtesy of the Language Log:

On Baalbek’s edges, the displaced watch strikes rain down on their city

The Guardian wants you to know: US tourist killed while on vacation in Hungary as suspect taken into custody

The suspect was taken into custody while the tourist was being killed?

Or was the person taken into custody a US tourist visiting Hungary in the role of suspect?

first read goes to: a man was on vacation in hungary. he was taken into custody as a suspect. then he was killed.

of course, i'd write that as a normal person: american tourist arrested by hungarian cups and killed (blood lettering)

A great one, not from a headline but from a random Discord conversation:

‘I just ate myself’

The intention was for ‘myself’ to act as emphasis. Alas, it reads differently without a comma…

From the Irish Times' Irish election lifeblog:

Last month’s shock departure of Fine Gael minister Heather Humphreys – who held a seat since 2011 - led Sinn Féin to field a late candidate, councillor Cathy Bennett, a theatre manager in Monaghan town.

They allow dead people to run in elections in Ireland? And to manage theaters?