The Language Perfectionist: Unintended Double Meanings

By Don Hauptman

Not long ago, an editor e-mailed a document to me, but it somehow went astray. When I told her that it hadn't arrived, she responded with the words: "I resent it." I wrote back, jokingly, "What do you resent?"

This is a case of a linguistic ambiguity. Because English is filled with double meanings and puns, such confusions can easily occur. The results can be amusing or tragic -- or both.

Here are some classic ambiguous headlines, all alleged to be genuine mistakes. (The first became the title of a book that immortalized such errors.)

• Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge

• Kids Make Nutritious Snacks

• Killer Sentenced to Die for Second Time in 10 Years

• Milk Drinkers Are Turning to Powder

• Enraged Cow Injures Farmer With Ax

• Grandmother of Eight Makes Hole in One

• Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim

Last year, the term crash blossom appeared. It refers to headlines, like those above, that have double meanings and can be misconstrued. This odd coinage itself comes from a newspaper headline: "Violinist Linked to JAL Crash Blossoms." (Explanation: A musician whose father was killed in an airline accident was recovering from the trauma.)

As a veteran collector of funny mistakes, I'm perplexed by the term. It strikes me as excessively twee. The word blooper has been around for more than half a century, and is perfectly adequate to describe these risible ambiguities.

But the important lesson here is to be careful in your writing. A draft should always be reviewed carefully -- by several pairs of eyes -- to ensure that everything is clear and that nothing is subject to misinterpretations that could have embarrassing or dangerous consequences.