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Home Mixed Grill

Canvass For, Advocate For-The Mix Up

by admin
August 13, 2019
in Mixed Grill
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The way we speak and
write or communicate
our ideas and opinions
go a long way towards

(correct usage), in (in-
correct) exposing our understanding

of the English language. Often times
we imitate and are influenced by what
we hear or see on radio and television

and read in the newspaper and mag-
azine, among other communications

platform.
The media for example have been

bombarding us with the expres-
sions, “Canvass for,” “Advocate for”

and “Come 2019” etc. wrongly used

though, but has made a lasting im-
pression on our minds as if it has

become a standard English. I have
always advocated (not advocated for),
through this medium that we try to
dishonour the standard English or
bend the rules to suit us, instead as
writers we should keep strictly to the

guidelines of the Newsman’s English,
if I may say so, to communicate better.
Take note that the “advocate for”
phrase that pops up now and then,

made popular by the press, both elec-
tronic and the print, has all this while

been wrongly used by some writers,
journalists and reporters. The correct

usage, when we want to express our-
selves with the noun “advocate,” we

can simply write or speak, for exam-
ple, “Civil rights groups have advocat-
ed the abolition of the death sentence

in Nigeria.” Not “Civil rights groups
have advocated for the abolition of
the death sentence in Nigeria.” Again,
shun the “advocated for” statement. It

is a misnomer in the spoken or writ-
ten English.

Another phrasal summersault wide-
ly abused and has become an embar-
rassment to advocates of the standard

English or the purists and masters of

the language is the expression, “Can-
vass for.” We hear it every day on our

radio and television stations and read
them in newspapers. Many of our
writers, journalists and reporters still
stick to the expression, “canvass for”

when they can simply write and cor-
rectly speak, “The Nigerian Labour

Congress (NLC) has canvassed the clo-
sure of companies that employ or re-
tain Nigerians as casual workers.” You

will be wrong if you write or speak,
“The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC)

has canvassed for the closure of com-
panies that employ or retain Nigerians

as casual workers.”

One can also write and speak, espe-
cially for the headline writer, “Poli-
ticians canvass playing level field for

contestants.” Don’t write, “Politicians

canvass for playing level field for con-
testants.” Or this, “The Nigerian Bar

Association, (NBA) advocates trans-
parency in the conduct of elections in

the country.” You will be wrong if you

write, “The Nigerian Bar Association,
(NBA) advocates for transparency in

the conduct of elections in the coun-
try.”

“Come 2019” is yet another expres-
sion repeatedly abused when we speak

or write. The media are not spared ei-
ther as they churn out the phrase in

their news bulletins recklessly. “Come
Sunday,” or “come any day” of the
week, month or year is un-English. You
can correctly write or speak, “In 2019”
or “on Sunday” or any day of the week,
this or that would take place. Never
again speak or write, “Come 2020” this
or that event would begin.
I must commend some of our media
houses for living up to the billings and
for sparing no efforts in keeping faith
with the standard English as taught us
by the British. Anything else is to fake
it, and unacceptable.
Do remember to get the reworked

e-Book version of English for Com-
municators: Pitfalls and Blind Spots on

www.englishforcommunicators.com
click on book store and download.
You can also access it on Amazon.com

DKP or on Kobo click on mike echi ac-
count and download.

On a rather sad note, we commensu-
rate with the Osuomor family on the

passing of Sir Peter Obiaderi Osuo-
mor (KSJI) at the age of 66 years. The

remains of Sir Osuomor who, during
his life time, worked tirelessly for the
realization of Church projects under
St. Cyprian’s Catholic Church, New
Oko-Oba, Agege, will be buried in
his home town, Agbor in Delta State

after a requiem mass at the Catho-
lic Church of Presentation, Ekoro

Road, Abule-Egba, Alimosho, Lagos
State. May the soul of our brother
and friend, Sir Peter Osuomor and
the souls of all the faithful departed
through the mercy of God rest in
peace. Amen

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