Verb: were vs. was

[bmo]

Today's San Jose Mercury News:

"For Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Bush's attempts during the first part of the speech to justify the war in Iraq was misleading when he noted that former United Nations weapons inspector ......"

Is "was misleading" wrong?

Thanks.

BMO

[Red5]

Yes, personally I think it is. I would have used were there because attempts is in the plural.

[bmo]

Thanks Red5. Newspaper can be wrong too, but if they are quoting someone else, it should have a "(sic)" after the wrong place, I think. BMO

[Red5]

Indeed, using a (sic) would have made it clear that they were aware of the error.

[bmo]

Great. Thanks again. BMO

[jzink]

Indeed, using a (sic) would have made it clear that they were aware of the error.

What exactly does (sic) mean? Is it an acronym or abbreviation of some sort?

Jessica

[Red5]

Indeed, using a (sic) would have made it clear that they were aware of the error.

What exactly does (sic) mean? Is it an acronym or abbreviation of some sort?

Jessica

sic
adv.
Thus; so. Used to indicate that a quoted passage, especially one containing an error or unconventional spelling, has been retained in its original form or written intentionally.

From: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=sic&r=67

[bmo]

sic is a Latin, I think it means something like "If it is wrong, let it be, we did not change anything." If a newspaper prints a ransom note, and there is a spelling error in the note, they probably would put a "(sic)" after the error.

This is from a dictionary: adv. Latin Thus, so. Used in written texts to indicate... a word is not a mistake and is to be read as it stands." I think "a mistake" indicates that a mistake of the newspaper printing.

BMO

[jzink]

Thanks! I've always wondered about that!

Jessica