# ‘Linguistic competence of Newsweek’

By Prof Dr. Sohail Ansari

Conceived and worded by Prof DR Sohail Ansari (originality of concepts and originality of words).

He believes that there can never be a zero scope for improvement and appreciates criticism if it is not for the sake of criticism.

(There has been zero-scope for such errors as long as Newsweek was Newsweek international)

"He Who Must Not Be Named’’ (September 23,2011 Newsweek Pakistan page 20)

BY Nasim Zehra

 ‘’Mindful of the party’s street muscle, Pakistan’s media …have had to tiptoe around the bitter truths of the MQM…. By looping sound bites from this January’s…..the media got to vent its spleen against the unspoken self-censorship that comes into play when covering the MQM…MQM is feared for its unbridled power.….

Non-native speakers apply word on the basis of its meaning in dictionary; or do literal translation from their own language. Words sound incongruous if one does literal translation or has no intimacy with language.

 

‘Tiptoe around the bitter truths of the MQM’

Tiptoe means: carefully avoid discussing or dealing with (a difficult or sensitive subject).

"He admits he has never been one to tiptoe around controversial issues"

Avoid discussing bitter truth sounds incongruous as one does not avoid discussing truth; one avoids discussing topic or issues.  

(One avoids speaking truth; one does not avoid discussing truth)

‘By looping sound bites’

Looping means form (something) into a loop or loops; encircle. Form a circle around; surround.

Sound bites mean a short extract from a recorded interview or speech, chosen for its succinctness or concision.

Writer perhaps wants to say that collecting sound bites from the month of January. (To put all sound bites in circle) this application of loop is perhaps literal translation from Urdu into English; in English it sounds incongruous.

‘media got to vent its spleen against the unspoken self-censorship that comes into play when covering the MQM’

Spleen means: bad temper; spite. Anger

"He could vent his spleen on the institutions which had dumped him"

He vented his spleen on the assembled crowd.

Unspoken means: Not stated; not said in words but understood or agreed between people. Tacit.

"An unspoken assumption"

Come into play means: something has an effect in a particular situation.

In the summer months a different set of climatic factors come into play.

Spleen has a particular use as indicated by sentences above. Unspoken as well is used in a sense of tacit; therefore unspoken self censorship is incongruous. Self-censorship cannot come into play; different factor or emotions or prejudice come into play to have a particular effect.

MQM is feared for its unbridled power.….

Unbridled means: not controlled; therefore extreme.

Unbridled enthusiasm; lust; power.

Uncontrolled; unconstrained.

"a moment of unbridled ambition"

Writer has taken unbridled in a sense of uncontrolled or unconstrained; these are of course the meanings of unbridled; but complete meaning is something that has become extreme because of being uncontrolled. Unbridled violence means violence that has become extreme because of being uncontrolled. Unbridled horse is horse that has no bridle on and because of this, it is not in control. Unbridled power of MQM means the power that is not in control (not even in the control of MQM) as unbridled horse is not in control of its rider.

Better or right word would be ‘Absolute power’

Whole article is marred by same errors.