Books Quote by Richard Corliss
“In my experience, copy editors, like the stalwart staff I've worked with and learned from in my 34 years at 'TIME,' are linguistic conservatives - the keepers of the flame ignited by the Strunk-White 'Elements of Style,' published in full in 1957 and chosen by 'TIME' as one of the 100 most influential nonfiction books of the past century.”
About This Quote
Source Magazine: TIME, editorial commentary, 1990s
Copy editors preserve core style rules, acting as guardians of linguistic clarity and tradition.
In simple terms: Copy editors keep language clear and traditional.
Key Takeaway
Value and uphold clear style standards.
Themes
editing
tradition
clarity
language
journalism
Mood
respectful
defensive
Type
practical
historical
When to use this quote
- newspaper publishing
- book editing
- online content creation
- academic proofreading
Key Concepts
prescriptivism
communication
literary heritage
Questions to Reflect On
- Should style guides adapt to modern usage?
- When is tradition more important than innovation?
A Different Perspective
May resist necessary linguistic evolution.
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