Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

elleng

(136,043 posts)
Wed Mar 15, 2017, 08:12 PM Mar 2017

Bill Walsh, copy editor and witty authority on language, dies at 55.

'Bill Walsh, a Washington Post copy editor who wrote three irreverent books about his craft, noting evolutions and devolutions of language, the indispensability of hyphens and his hostility toward semicolons, and distinctions — for the sake of clarity — between Playboy Playmates and Playboy Bunnies, died March 15 at a hospice center in Arlington, Va. He was 55.

The cause was complications from bile-duct cancer, said his wife, Jacqueline Dupree, a Post informational technology specialist.

In the hurly-burly of a newsroom, where even the best reporters have widely varying degrees of grammatical competence, copy editors are the often unheralded guardians of language and common sense. They are the front-line mud soldiers in an endless war against bad spelling, ill-considered sentence construction and factual errors.

They prevent English teachers everywhere from wincing. They save behinds.

By many accounts, Mr. Walsh stood at the zenith of his profession.'>>>

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bill-walsh-copy-editor-and-witty-authority-on-language-dies-at-55/2017/03/15/6bf9dea4-002e-11e7-8ebe-6e0dbe4f2bca_story.html?utm_term=.17a7305e3208

2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Bill Walsh, copy editor and witty authority on language, dies at 55. (Original Post) elleng Mar 2017 OP
Language authorities are important. JEFF9K Mar 2017 #1
I think I heard them both 2naSalit Mar 2017 #2

JEFF9K

(1,935 posts)
1. Language authorities are important.
Wed Mar 15, 2017, 08:21 PM
Mar 2017

I've never heard of Bill Walsh, but I will look up his books.

My favorite linguist is Jeffrey Nunberg, who appears frequently on NPR.

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Writing»Bill Walsh, copy editor a...