TED2016
Mary Norris: The nit-picking glory of The New Yorker's Comma Queen
Mary Norris: The New Yorkers Komma-dronnings ære i smålig kritik
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"Korrekturlæsning for det amerikanske tidsskrift The New Yorker er som at være angriber på et Superligahold - kritikere er opmærksomme på hver eneste lille bevægelse," fortæller Mary Norris, der har haft positionen i mere end tredive år. I løbet af den tid har hun fået ry for at være hård og for at være "komma-galning", men det er uberettiget, mener hun. Hendes opgave tjener først og fremmest ét formål: at få skribenterne til at tage sig godt ud. Udforsk i denne charmerende tale The New Yorkers karakteristiske stil sammen med den person, som kender den bedst,
Mary Norris - Copy editor
As a copy editor for the New Yorker, Mary Norris enforces some of the most authoritative (some might say eccentric) style rules in publishing. Full bio
As a copy editor for the New Yorker, Mary Norris enforces some of the most authoritative (some might say eccentric) style rules in publishing. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
I have spent the past 38 years
trying to be invisible.
trying to be invisible.
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Jeg har brugt de sidste 38 år
på at forsøge at være usynlig.
på at forsøge at være usynlig.
00:19
I'm a copy editor.
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Jeg er korrekturlæser.
00:21
I work at The New Yorker,
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Jeg arbejder for
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
00:23
and copyediting for The New Yorker
is like playing shortstop
is like playing shortstop
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og at læse korrektur for The New Yorker
er som at være målmand
er som at være målmand
00:27
for a Major League Baseball team:
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i en Superliga-klub:
00:29
every little movement
gets picked over by the critics --
gets picked over by the critics --
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kritikere er opmærksomme på
hver eneste lille bevægelse -
hver eneste lille bevægelse -
00:33
God forbid you should commit an error.
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gud forbyde, at man begår
en fejl.
en fejl.
00:37
Just to clarify: copy editors don't choose
what goes into the magazine.
what goes into the magazine.
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Korrekturlæsere bestemmer ikke,
hvad der kommer med i tidsskriftet.
hvad der kommer med i tidsskriftet.
00:41
We work at the level of the sentence,
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Vi arbejder med sætninger,
00:43
maybe the paragraph,
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måske med afsnit,
00:45
the words, the punctuation.
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ord og tegnsætning.
00:48
Our business is in the details.
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Vores arbejde ligger i detaljerne.
00:50
We put the diaeresis, the double dot,
over the "i" in "naïve."
over the "i" in "naïve."
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Vi sætter tremaet, de to prikker,
over "i'et" i det engelske ord "naïve".
over "i'et" i det engelske ord "naïve".
00:56
We impose house style.
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Vi indskriver tidsskriftets stilregler.
00:58
Every publication has a house style.
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Ethvert tidsskrift har en stil.
01:01
The New Yorker's
is particularly distinctive.
is particularly distinctive.
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Stilen hos The New Yorker
er særligt karakteristisk.
er særligt karakteristisk.
01:04
We sometimes get teased for our style.
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Vi bliver til tider drillet
med vores stil.
med vores stil.
01:07
Imagine -- we still spell
"teen-ager" with a hyphen,
"teen-ager" with a hyphen,
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Tænk sig - vi staver stadig
"teen-ager" med bindestreg,
"teen-ager" med bindestreg,
01:11
as if that word had just been coined.
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som om ordet lige var blevet dannet.
01:14
But you see that hyphen in "teen-age"
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Men når du ser bindestregen
i "teen-age"
i "teen-age"
01:18
and that diaeresis over "coöperate,"
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og tremaet i det engelske ord
"coöperate",
"coöperate",
01:21
and you know you're reading
The New Yorker.
The New Yorker.
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så ved du, at du læser
The New Yorker.
The New Yorker.
01:23
Copyediting at The New Yorker
is a mechanical process.
is a mechanical process.
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Korrekturlæsning hos The New Yorker
er en mekanisk proces.
er en mekanisk proces.
01:27
There is a related role called
query proofreading,
query proofreading,
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Der findes en beslægtet opgave,
der kaldes sprogrevision
der kaldes sprogrevision
01:30
or page-OK'ing.
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eller sprogvask.
01:32
Whereas copyediting is mechanical,
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Hvor korrekturlæsningen er mekanisk,
01:35
query proofreading is interpretive.
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er sprogrevision fortolkende.
01:38
We make suggestions to the author
through the editor
through the editor
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Vi foreslår ændringer til skribenten
gennem redaktøren
gennem redaktøren
01:42
to improve the emphasis of a sentence
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for at forbedre emfasen i en sætning,
01:44
or point out unintentional repetitions
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eller for at gøre opmærksom på
utilsigtede gentagelser,
utilsigtede gentagelser,
01:47
and supply compelling alternatives.
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og vi foreslår fængslende alternativer.
01:52
Our purpose is to make
the author look good.
the author look good.
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Vores opgave er at få skribenten
til at tage sig godt ud.
til at tage sig godt ud.
01:55
Note that we give our proofs
not directly to the author,
not directly to the author,
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Bemærk at vi ikke giver vores rettelser
direkte til skribenten,
direkte til skribenten,
01:58
but to the editor.
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men til redaktøren.
02:00
This often creates
a good cop/bad cop dynamic
a good cop/bad cop dynamic
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Det opstiller ofte en illusion om
"den gode" og "den onde",
"den gode" og "den onde",
02:04
in which the copy editor -- I'll use that
as an umbrella term --
as an umbrella term --
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hvor korrekturlæseren - her brugt som
en paraplybetegnelse -
en paraplybetegnelse -
02:08
is invariably the bad cop.
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altid er "den onde".
02:12
If we do our job well, we're invisible,
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Hvis vi gør vores arbejde godt,
er vi usynlige.
er vi usynlige.
02:14
but as soon as we make a mistake,
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Men så snart vi begår en fejl,
02:16
we copy editors become glaringly visible.
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kommer vi korrekturlæsere
i læsernes søgelys.
i læsernes søgelys.
02:21
Here is the most recent mistake
that was laid at my door.
that was laid at my door.
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Her er den fejl,
jeg senest er blevet præsenteret for.
jeg senest er blevet præsenteret for.
02:25
[Last Tuesday, Sarah Palin,
the pre-Trump embodiment
the pre-Trump embodiment
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[Sidste tirsdag, gav Sarah Palin,
præ-Trump personificeringen
præ-Trump personificeringen
02:29
of populist no-nothingism
in the Republican Party,
in the Republican Party,
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af populistisk ingen-intethed,
sin opbakning
sin opbakning
02:32
endorsed Trump.]
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til Donald Trump.]
02:34
"Where were The New Yorker's fabled
copy editors?" a reader wrote.
copy editors?" a reader wrote.
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"Hvor var The New Yorkers sagnomspundne
korrekturlæsere?", skrev en læser.
korrekturlæsere?", skrev en læser.
02:39
"Didn't the writer mean
'know-nothingism'?"
'know-nothingism'?"
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"Mente skribenten ikke
'intetvidenhed'?"
'intetvidenhed'?"
02:42
Ouch.
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Av.
02:44
There's no excuse for this mistake.
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Der er ingen undskyldning for den fejl.
02:46
But I like it: "no-nothingism."
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Men jeg kan lide det: "Ingen-intethed."
02:49
It might be American
vernacular for "nihilism."
vernacular for "nihilism."
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Det kan være et folkeligt, amerikansk
udtryk for "nihilisme".
udtryk for "nihilisme".
02:53
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
02:57
Here, another reader quotes
a passage from the magazine:
a passage from the magazine:
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Her citerer en anden læser
en passage i tidsskriftet:
en passage i tidsskriftet:
03:00
[Ruby was seventy-six, but she retained
her authoritative bearing;
her authoritative bearing;
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[Ruby var seksoghalvfjerds, men hun
bibeholdt sin autoritative holdning;
bibeholdt sin autoritative holdning;
03:04
only her unsteady gait belied her age.]
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kun hendes usikre gang
bedrog hendes alder.]
bedrog hendes alder.]
03:08
He added:
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Han tilføjede:
03:09
"Surely, someone at The New Yorker
knows the meaning of 'belied,'
knows the meaning of 'belied,'
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"Der må da være nogen,
der forstår betydningen af 'bedrog',
der forstår betydningen af 'bedrog',
03:13
and that it is the opposite
of how it is used in this sentence.
of how it is used in this sentence.
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og at den er det modsatte af,
hvordan det bruges i denne sætning.
hvordan det bruges i denne sætning.
03:16
Come on! Get it together."
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Kom nu! Tag jer sammen."
03:18
Belie: to give a false impression.
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Bedrage: At give et falsk indtryk
03:22
It should have been "betrayed."
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Det skulle have været "røbede."
03:25
E.B. White once wrote
of commas in The New Yorker:
of commas in The New Yorker:
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Skribent E.B. White beskrev engang
kommaer i The New Yorker:
kommaer i The New Yorker:
03:28
"They fall with the precision
of knives outlining a body."
of knives outlining a body."
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"De falder lige så præcist som knive,
der kastes og omridser et menneske."
der kastes og omridser et menneske."
03:33
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
03:34
And it's true -- we get a lot
of complaints about commas.
of complaints about commas.
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Og det er sandt - vi får mange
klager der omhandler kommaer.
klager der omhandler kommaer.
03:38
"Are there really two commas
in 'Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard'?"
in 'Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard'?"
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"Er der virkelig to kommaer i
'Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard'?"
'Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard'?"
03:42
There may not be on the sign, but yes,
that is New Yorker style for "Jr."
that is New Yorker style for "Jr."
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Det er der muligvis ikke på vejskiltet,
men sådan er The New Yorkers stil.
men sådan er The New Yorkers stil.
03:48
One wag wrote:
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En spøgefugl skrev:
03:50
["Please, could you expel,
or, at least, restrain,
or, at least, restrain,
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[Vil I ikke være så venlige at droppe,
eller, i det mindste, begrænse,
eller, i det mindste, begrænse,
03:53
the comma-maniac,
on your editorial staff?"]
on your editorial staff?"]
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komma-galningen, i jeres redaktion?"]
03:56
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
03:58
Ah, well.
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Åh, ja.
03:59
In this case, those commas
are well-placed,
are well-placed,
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I dette tilfælde, er kommaerne
velplacerede.
velplacerede.
04:01
except that there should not be one
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Bortset fra, at der ikke skal være
komma
komma
04:03
between "maniac" and "on."
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mellem "galning" og "i"
04:05
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
04:06
Also, if we must have commas
around "at least,"
around "at least,"
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og hvis vi skal have kommaer
omkring "i det mindste"
omkring "i det mindste"
04:10
we might change it up
by using dashes around that phrase:
by using dashes around that phrase:
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kan vi løsne det op
ved at bruge tankestreger:
ved at bruge tankestreger:
04:14
"... -- or, at least, restrain --"
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"... - eller, i det mindste, begrænse -"
04:18
Perfect.
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Perfekt.
04:19
(Applause)
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(Bifald)
04:21
Then there's this:
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Og så er der dette:
04:22
"Love you, love your magazine,
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"Elsker jer og
jeres tidsskrift
jeres tidsskrift
04:24
but can you please stop writing
massive numbers as text?"
massive numbers as text?"
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men vil I ikke venligst stoppe med
at skrive store tal i tekstform?"
at skrive store tal i tekstform?"
04:29
[two and a half million ...]
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[to og en halv million...]
04:30
No.
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Nej.
04:31
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
04:34
One last cri de coeur
from a spelling stickler:
from a spelling stickler:
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Et sidste klageråb
fra en ordkløver:
fra en ordkløver:
04:37
["Those long stringy things
are vocal cords, not chords."]
are vocal cords, not chords."]
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["de lange, strengede ting
er stemmebånd, ikke -strenge."
er stemmebånd, ikke -strenge."
04:42
The outraged reader added,
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Den forargede læser tilføjede:
04:44
"I'm sure I'm not the first to write
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"Jeg er næppe den første,
der pointerer
der pointerer
04:46
regarding this egregious
proofreading error,
proofreading error,
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denne uhørte
korrekturlæsningsfejl,
korrekturlæsningsfejl,
04:49
but I'm equally sure I won't be the last.
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og er sikkert heller ikke den sidste.
04:52
Fie!"
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Skam jer!"
04:53
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
04:55
I used to like getting mail.
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Jeg plejede at kunne lide
at få post.
at få post.
04:59
There is a pact
between writers and editors.
between writers and editors.
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Der er en pagt mellem
skribenter og redaktøre.
skribenter og redaktøre.
05:01
The editor never sells out the writer,
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Redaktøren forråder
aldrig skribenten,
aldrig skribenten,
05:04
never goes public about bad jokes
that had to be cut
that had to be cut
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fortæller aldrig offentligheden
om dårlige vittigheder, der skulle fjernes
om dårlige vittigheder, der skulle fjernes
05:07
or stories that went on too long.
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eller historier, der blev for lange.
05:10
A great editor saves a writer
from her excesses.
from her excesses.
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En god redaktør redder
skribenten fra hendes overfloder.
skribenten fra hendes overfloder.
05:15
Copy editors, too, have a code;
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Korrekturlæsere har også
et kodeks:
et kodeks:
05:17
we don't advertise our oversights.
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Vi udstiller ikke hinandens
forsømmelser.
forsømmelser.
05:20
I feel disloyal divulging them here,
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Jeg føler mig illoyal ved
at røbe dem her,
at røbe dem her,
05:23
so let's have look at what we do right.
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så lad os se på,
hvad vi gør rigtigt.
hvad vi gør rigtigt.
05:27
Somehow, I've gotten
a reputation for sternness.
a reputation for sternness.
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På en eller anden måde, har jeg fået
et ry for at være hård.
et ry for at være hård.
05:31
But I work with writers who know
how to have their way with me.
how to have their way with me.
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Men jeg arbejder sammen med skribenter
der ved, hvordan de får deres vilje.
der ved, hvordan de får deres vilje.
05:35
I've known Ian Frazier, or "Sandy,"
since the early 80s.
since the early 80s.
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Jeg har kendt Ian Frazier, eller "Sandy"
siden starten af firserne.
siden starten af firserne.
05:39
And he's one of my favorites,
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Han er en af mine yndlinge,
05:41
even though he sometimes writes a sentence
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selvom han til tider skriver
sætninger,
sætninger,
05:44
that gives a copy editor pause.
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der får korrekturlæseren
til at stoppe op.
til at stoppe op.
05:46
Here is one from a story
about Staten Island
about Staten Island
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Her er et eksempel fra en
historie om Staten Island
historie om Staten Island
05:49
after Hurricane Sandy:
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efter orkanen Sandy:
05:52
[A dock that had been broken
in the middle and lost its other half
in the middle and lost its other half
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[En bådebro der var brækket midt over
og havde mistet sin ene halvdel
og havde mistet sin ene halvdel
05:56
sloped down toward the water,
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skrånede ned mod vandet
05:58
its support pipes and wires
leaning forward
leaning forward
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med sine sikkerhedsrør og -liner
hængende ned
hængende ned
06:02
like when you open a box
of linguine and it slides out.]
of linguine and it slides out.]
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som når man åbner en pakke
frisk pasta, og pastaen glider ud.
frisk pasta, og pastaen glider ud.
06:06
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
06:07
This would never have got past
the grammarian in the days of yore.
the grammarian in the days of yore.
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Det ville aldrig være sluppet igennem
hos grammatikeren i fordums tid.
hos grammatikeren i fordums tid.
06:12
But what could I do?
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Men hvad kunne jeg gøre?
06:13
Technically, the "like" should be an "as,"
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Teknisk set skulle "som" have været
"ligesom"
"ligesom"
06:16
but it sounds ridiculous,
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men det lyder latterligt,
06:17
as if the author were about to embark
on an extended Homeric simile --
on an extended Homeric simile --
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som om skribenten ville kaste sig ud i
en omfattende homerisk sammenligning -
en omfattende homerisk sammenligning -
06:22
"as when you open a box of linguine."
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"ligesom når man åbner en
pakke frisk pasta."
pakke frisk pasta."
06:25
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
06:26
I decided that the hurricane
conferred poetic justice on Sandy
conferred poetic justice on Sandy
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Jeg besluttede at orkanen gav
Sandy poetisk retfærdighed
Sandy poetisk retfærdighed
06:31
and let the sentence stand.
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og lod sætningen stå.
06:33
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
06:34
Generally, if I think something is wrong,
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Generelt, hvis jeg synes,
noget er forkert,
noget er forkert,
06:36
I query it three times.
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foreslår jeg
ændring tre gange.
ændring tre gange.
06:37
I told Sandy that not long ago
in a moment of indiscretion and he said,
in a moment of indiscretion and he said,
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Det fortalte jeg Sandy for kort tid siden
i et svagt øjeblik, og han svarede:
i et svagt øjeblik, og han svarede:
06:41
"Only three?"
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"Kun tre?"
06:43
So, he has learned to hold out.
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Så han har lært at holde ud.
06:45
Recently, he wrote a story
for "Talk of the Town,"
for "Talk of the Town,"
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Han skrev for nyligt
en historie i "Talk of the Town"
en historie i "Talk of the Town"
06:47
that's the section
at the front of the magazine
at the front of the magazine
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sektionen på forsiden af
tidsskriftet
tidsskriftet
06:49
with short pieces on subjects
ranging from Ricky Jay's exhibit
ranging from Ricky Jay's exhibit
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med korte historier om alt fra
Ricky Jays udstilling
Ricky Jays udstilling
06:52
at the Metropolitan Museum
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på The Met i New York
06:54
to the introduction
of doggie bags in France.
of doggie bags in France.
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til indførelsen af
"doggie bags" i Frankrig.
"doggie bags" i Frankrig.
06:57
Sandy's story was about
the return to the Bronx
the return to the Bronx
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Sandys historie handlede om
den hjemvendte
den hjemvendte
07:00
of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
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højesteretsdommer, Sonia Sotomayor .
07:02
There were three things
in it that I had to challenge.
in it that I had to challenge.
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Der var tre ting i historien,
jeg måtte ændre.
jeg måtte ændre.
07:05
First, a grammar query.
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Først en grammatisk rettelse.
07:06
The justice was wearing black
and Sandy wrote,
and Sandy wrote,
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Dommeren var klædt i sort,
og Sandy skrev:
og Sandy skrev:
07:09
[Her face and hands stood out
like in an old, mostly dark painting.]
like in an old, mostly dark painting.]
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[Hendes ansigt og hænder skilte sig ud som
i et gammelt, overvejende mørkt billede.]
i et gammelt, overvejende mørkt billede.]
07:15
Now, unlike with the hurricane,
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I modsætning til teksten
om orkanen
om orkanen
07:17
with this "like," the author
didn't have the excuse
didn't have the excuse
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havde skribenten ikke
undskyldningen at bruge "som"
undskyldningen at bruge "som"
07:19
of describing hurricane damage.
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1807
til at beskrive orkanskader.
07:21
"Like" in this sense is a preposition,
and a preposition takes an object,
and a preposition takes an object,
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"som" er i denne betydning en præposition
og præpositioner tager et objekt,
og præpositioner tager et objekt,
07:25
which is a noun.
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hvilket er et substantiv.
07:26
This "like" had to be an "as."
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Dette "som" skulle være "ligesom."
07:29
"As in an old, mostly dark painting."
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"Ligesom i et gammelt, overvejende mørkt
billede."
billede."
07:32
Second, a spelling issue.
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For det andet,
et staveproblem.
et staveproblem.
07:34
The author was quoting someone
who was assisting the justice:
who was assisting the justice:
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Skribenten citerede en,
der assisterede dommeren:
der assisterede dommeren:
07:37
["It will be just a minute.
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["Det tager lige et øjeblik.
07:39
We are getting the justice mic'ed,"]
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2641
Vi skal lige have mic'et dommeren,"]
07:43
Mic'ed?
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Mic'et?
07:44
The music industry spells it "mic"
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1997
Musikindustrien staver det "mic",
07:47
because that's how it's spelled
on the equipment.
on the equipment.
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fordi det er sådan, det staves
på deres udstyr.
på deres udstyr.
07:49
I'd never seen it used
as a verb with this spelling,
as a verb with this spelling,
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2427
Jeg havde ikke set det brugt
som verbum stavet sådan
som verbum stavet sådan
07:51
and I was distraught
to think that "mic'ed"
to think that "mic'ed"
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og jeg blev oprørt over tanken om
at "mic'et"
at "mic'et"
07:54
would get into the magazine on my watch.
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skulle komme med i tidsskriftet
på min vagt.
på min vagt.
07:56
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
07:57
New Yorker style for "microphone"
in its abbreviated form is "mike."
in its abbreviated form is "mike."
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The New Yorkers forkortelse for
"mikrofon" er "mike".
"mikrofon" er "mike".
08:02
Finally, there was a sticky
grammar and usage issue
grammar and usage issue
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Endelig var der et stridspunkt
i den anvendte grammatik,
i den anvendte grammatik,
08:05
in which the pronoun has to have
the same grammatical number
the same grammatical number
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hvor et pronomen skal have
samme grammatisk bøjning
samme grammatisk bøjning
08:08
as its antecedent.
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som sin antecedent.
08:11
[everyone in the vicinity
held their breath]
held their breath]
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[Everyone in the vicinity
held their breath]
held their breath]
08:15
"Their" is plural and "everyone,"
its antecedent, is singular.
its antecedent, is singular.
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Det engelske "their" er pluralis men
antecedenten "everyone" er singularis.
antecedenten "everyone" er singularis.
08:19
You would never say,
"Everyone were there."
"Everyone were there."
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På engelsk ville man aldrig sige
"Everyone were there."
"Everyone were there."
08:22
Everyone was there. Everyone is here.
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Man ville sige "was there"
eller "is here". I singularis.
eller "is here". I singularis.
08:26
But people say things like,
"Everyone held their breath" all the time.
"Everyone held their breath" all the time.
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3614
Men folk siger sætninger som
"Everyone held their breath" hele tiden.
"Everyone held their breath" hele tiden.
08:30
To give it legitimacy,
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For at gøre det legitimt
08:31
copy editors call it
"the singular 'their,'"
"the singular 'their,'"
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kalder korrekturlæsere det
"singularis-'their'"
"singularis-'their'"
08:34
as if calling it singular
makes it no longer plural.
makes it no longer plural.
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som om at kalde det singularis
fjerner pluralis-betydningen.
fjerner pluralis-betydningen.
08:37
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
08:39
It is my job when I see it in print
to do my best to eliminate it.
to do my best to eliminate it.
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Når jeg ser det skrevet, er det min opgave
at gøre hvad jeg kan for at fjerne det.
at gøre hvad jeg kan for at fjerne det.
08:45
I couldn't make it,
"Everyone held her breath,"
"Everyone held her breath,"
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Jeg kunne ikke foreslå
"everyone held her breath"
"everyone held her breath"
08:47
or "Everyone held his breath,"
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eller "everyone held his breath"
08:49
or "Everyone held his or her breath."
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2562
eller "everyone held his or her breath."
08:52
Whatever I suggested had to blend in.
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Mit forslag skulle passe ind.
08:55
I asked, through the editor,
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Jeg spurgte,
via redaktøren,
via redaktøren,
08:56
if the author would consider changing it
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2048
om skribenten ville overveje
at ændre det
at ændre det
08:58
to "All in the vicinity
held their breath,"
held their breath,"
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2571
til "all in the vicinity held
their breath"
their breath"
09:01
because "all" is plural.
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1842
Fordi det engelske "all"
er pluralis.
er pluralis.
09:02
Nope.
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Nej.
09:04
I tried again: "All those present
held their breath?"
held their breath?"
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Jeg prøvede igen: "All those present
held their breath?"
held their breath?"
09:07
I thought this sounded vaguely judicial.
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Jeg tænkte, at det lød
svagt juridisk.
svagt juridisk.
09:09
But the editor pointed out
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1247
Men redaktøren påpegede,
09:10
that we could not have "present"
and "presence"
and "presence"
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at "present" og "presence"
ikke fungerer
ikke fungerer
09:13
in the same sentence.
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i samme sætning.
09:15
When the final proof came back,
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Da den endelige tekst
kom tilbage,
kom tilbage,
09:16
the author had accepted "as" for "like,"
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2576
havde skribenten accepteret
"ligesom",
"ligesom",
09:19
and "miked" for "mic'ed."
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1935
og "miked".
09:21
But on "Everyone held their breath,"
he stood his ground.
he stood his ground.
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3474
Men ved "Everyone held their breath"
holdt han fast.
holdt han fast.
09:25
Two out of three isn't bad.
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1396
To ud af tre er ikke dårligt.
09:28
In the same issue,
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I samme nummer,
09:29
in that piece on doggie bags in France,
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i artiklen om "doggie bags" i Frankrig,
09:31
there was the gratuitous use
of the f-word by a Frenchman.
of the f-word by a Frenchman.
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3738
indgik en franskmands umotiverede
brug af "f-ordet".
brug af "f-ordet".
09:36
I wonder, when the mail comes in,
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2604
Jeg spekulerer over,
ved næste postlevering,
ved næste postlevering,
09:38
which will have offended the readers more.
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2858
hvad der så vil have fornærmet
læserne mest.
læserne mest.
09:41
(Laughter)
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(Latter)
09:43
Thank you.
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1151
Tak.
09:44
(Applause)
201
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3352
(Bifald)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Mary Norris - Copy editorAs a copy editor for the New Yorker, Mary Norris enforces some of the most authoritative (some might say eccentric) style rules in publishing.
Why you should listen
Mary Norris settled into her 30-year New Yorker copy-editing post almost by accident -- and after a picaresque series of occupations ranging from checking feet at a Cleveland swimming pool to driving a milk truck. Over the years, she has mustered her skills in the service of such storied writers as Philip Roth, Pauline Kael and George Saunders.
In her book Between You & Me, Norris reflects on her career, the oft-debated quirks of New Yorker style, the serial comma and the joys of a well-sharpened pencil.
Mary Norris | Speaker | TED.com