From the New York Times online today: the top version uses “curriculums”. The bottom version is what I see after clicking: it’s missing “a” before “new curriculum”. Unless they really meant curricula/“curriculums”.
@grammartable @nyttypos
If each grade has it's own curriculum, then "new curriculums" would be correct. If for some reason they decided to change it to singular, then forgetting the article is a common mistake, especially with an interceding modifier.
In headlines, articles are often dropped, but these here have periods on the end of them, so they are sentences, not subheads.
Also, I think "Half of the children..." is correct, not "Half of children...", because it's talking about specific children, not children in general, so the definite article is required.
Given the subject matter, I wonder if these errors were intentional ironic humor.
(The AP style guide may specify "curricula" instead of "curriculums", I'm not sure, but either form is acceptable generally.)
@Pat @grammartable That reminds me of something I tooted earlier today: I hope *this* is ironic humor: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/author-ellen-jovin-answers-the-nations-grammatical-dilemmas/#x
Not all problems are dilemmas.
@Pat @grammartable Does “half of children” mean the right half? The left half? The top half? 😉
@spradlig haha, I’m just seeing your posts now, sorry!
@grammartable No problem! This is from July 16: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/15/opinion/and-just-like-that.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare : “ for most of the show, she is flatly disinterested in commitment to a man.”
“Disinterested”? I expect more from the Gray Lady. Also, “Cosmopolitan” isn’t capitalized: Google confirmed my hunch that it should be.
I quit Twitter for the usual reason. I miss you, Typos of the NYT, and the NYT PitchBot the most.
@spradlig I don't use it without the article, but it's familiar to me. (Yes, I know I'm responding a wee bit late, but I missed it before!) 😜
@grammartable @nyttypos Hmmm…I Googled it, and “curriculums” seems to be less popular but still considered correct🤮.
“Curriculum” without an article is 👎, though.