Is it over?
When I was a news topical writer, I was reprimanded by a producer everytime I used the word “over” in a tease.
If I said –”They were over $40,000 in debt”…he said it was supposed to be “They were more than $40,000 in debt”. His reasoning was that you don’t physically go above or over a number.
I see this term used a lot in releases…What do you think? Is it ok to use “over”? or is it better to say “more than”??
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Comments
May 2nd, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Me too. Since then, I’ve used more than. Same thing with around, you don’t go around it. Made a similar mistake in a story I wrote today, but I caught it. Thank God for those editors who boxed my ears in!
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:04 pm
“More than” has been engrained in my brain since my college journalism classes. It’s one of the limited AP and writing styles that I can remember without a guide book and it irks me when reporters and PR practitioners don’t correctly state it.
May 3rd, 2007 at 8:04 am
One advantage journalism majors have over communications and PR majors is that they were forced to buy an AP Stylebook early in life and pretty much memorize it! It’s definitely more than when writing about numbers.
May 3rd, 2007 at 10:02 am
I was reading a release written by a marketing guy I know and he used “over”…this is what spurred me to post this. Looks like there is another divider in the PR world–who has a journalism background and who comes from marketing/advertising? Me? I was a Broadcasting and Advertising major…and wrote for years as a TV topical writer. My way of writing is definitely not AP.
May 3rd, 2007 at 10:26 am
I tend to default to AP Style. I figure most of the people I’m sending information to write in that style. I’m a “more than” kind of girl.
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:23 am
This is one of my personal writing pet peeves.
You fly over a building.
You make more than $1 million.
It’s always “more than” when dealing with numbers — it’s a modifier not a preposition. Unfortunately this is an institutionalized mistake — I see it daily.
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:31 am
Loving the comments!!! Keep it coming (for all the blogs)
I never forget that rule after that producer scolded me.
I read this section of “Banned Words” religously to learn from the journalism pros out there in PR..and I don’t include “For Immediate Release” anymore on my releases!
I do use “dot dot dot” a lot, though?! Lord knows that isn’t AP.
June 15th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
I’m so glad someone else recognizes this rule. I was convinced I was the only one.