Friday, August 27, 2010

Simulate vs. Assimilate

Does anyone have a problem with this headline?

"Heard scrambles to assimilate OSU"
Published Aug. 25, 2010
www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x254026511/Herd-scrambles-to-assimilate-Buckeyes?r=p

13 comments:

Chris Swindell said...

The mistake just demonstrates that we can't expect copy editors to police the language of others if they're unclear themselves. At the risk of using one example to typify a larger problem, it also seems increasingly obvious that people are using the excuse of "evolving" language to avoid responsibility for truly learning the King's English. I wonder whether professors are within their rights to point up such errors ... or in this new age of everyone's opinion being the right one, that such a gesture would be considered bad form?

MariaRomano said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Whitney Burdette said...

Assimilate is the wrong word. It's saying that the Herd wants OSU to be like them. I often hear "assimilate" in history class when talking about "civilizing" another culture to our standards, such as Native Americans. "Simulate" would be a far better word choice.

MariaRomano said...

Simulate would be the better word choice for this headline. "Assimilate" doesn't imply what the article is actually about.

Kristen said...

Yet another copy editing mistake. Spell check doesn't check if it's the right word. We don't want to mingle with the Buckeyes. We want to play as good or better than them.

twolfe9586 said...

I feel like the correct response has already been stated, and yes simulate is the better word choice. I don't think making OSU like us would help, except maybe give us a better shot if they are a better team. In which case yes, we are trying to make them as bad as we are, it would better our chances. I don't know if thats the case or not.

TL:DR Simulate is the winner winner, chicken dinner.

kquinonez said...

I definitely have a problem with this headline. It is obviously a complete misuse of the word "assimilate." The lead suggests that the word the intended was "simulate," being that the team players needed to "act like Ohio State." The lead is actually a really terrible one.

Ashley Herrald said...

Well, I have a major problem with this headline and definitely agree with everyone else. "Assimilate" makes me think Marshall wants to be like OSU. "Simulate" would have been the better word choice. A simple, yet horrible copy editing mistake.

Casey Shreve said...

This mistake is embarrassing. A major copy edit problem! Assimilate would be to try and incorporate it as your own, which I can see where they would get confused. Yes, I would imagine Marshall would like to make Ohio State's players their own, but that is not what this article was written about. Marshall is trying to "simulate" Ohio State's players for adequate practice, but not assimilate. Better luck next time?

Marlowe Hereford said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Trevan said...

The word should be simulate. Marshall's football team is using it's stadium as an active simulator like that of, Ohio Stadium in Columbus.

Courtney Williamson said...

What an easy, yet costly mistake. Two letters can make all the difference. "Simulate" would better suit this context. Maybe copy editing will be enforced next time? One can only hope.

Troy Hemingway said...

The word assimilate is the incorrect word. Simulate would be the better word for this headline.

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