[Ads-l] intrusive "x"

[Dan Goncharoff]

I have to say, I don't see what the problem is. It is pretty common for
people to use the 'x' in lists of multiple items. It isn't "technical
jargon".

I agree it would be nicer to spell the numbers out, but this is news
reporting, where time is short. The writing may also reflect newer
technology -- were the details of the bombers sent in by text?
On Nov 19, 2015 12:47 PM, "Dave Hause" <dwhause at cablemo.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dave Hause <dwhause at CABLEMO.NET>
> Subject:      Re: intrusive "x"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Newspaper attempt to convince people they know what they're talking about
> by
> including technical jargon.
>
> Dave Hause, dwhause at cablemo.net
> Waynesville, MO
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jonathan Lighter
> Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 5:53 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: intrusive "x"
>
> Explicable but unpronounceable:
>
>
> "During the first wave, 5 x Tu-160 Blackjack, 6 x Tu-95MS Bear and 14 x
> Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers flew round trip missions from airbases in Russia."
>
>
> If too many numbers were the problem, why not just spell 'em out? It ain't
> a newspaper ad.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org