Not once but severally I have come across embarrassing headlines such as “The party said it will abide by the INEC verdict,” as it concerns elections result, in this case, splashed on newspaper pages. For a reported speech? I might sound blunt here. It cuts across the spoken and written forms of the language. This is the naked truth. Can one then blame it on the gatekeeping error of the editor, the presenter or anyone placed in that position to ensure that some of these mistakes are checked and edited for the reading pleasure of the publics.
The auxiliary verbs “will” and “shall,” expressing or indicating future tense of other verbs, especially where it involves the subject “I” or “We,” are never used in reported speech. Engaging the words “will” and “shall” in reported speech is bad grammar as we were taught in school. It has become necessary to point this out because some writers, journalists and reporters are guilty of this common error which should not be tolerated by the editor or the presenter in the broadcast media, who are now saddled with the responsibility of cutting out words or phrases considered to be in bad taste and injurious to the society, and only with the approval or consent of the editor on the desk. For the avoidance of doubt, the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” are only suitable when it addresses the subject “I” and “We.
” But for reported speech, the auxiliary verb “would” or “should,” as the dictionary explains it , should be preferred and replaces “will” or “shall” in reported speech. One can correctly write or speak “I will take the next exit door to avoid the rush.” Or “We will deal with the issue tomorrow.” In reported speech, our caption should read “The party said it would abide by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) verdict.” Not the ungrammatical headline “The party said it will abide by the INEC verdict.”
Yet, another unpleasant statement that has stoutly resisted the masters of the language caution and repeatedly chorused almost on the hourly and daily basis, whether in the print or electronic media, is “Will go a long way in,” wrongly expressed though, has notoriously gained currency over and above the correct phrase “go a long way towards.” Listen to the local radio and television bulletins at the top of the hour and you would agree with me that the seemingly tired phrase, owing to over use, is steadily spinning into a cliche` although a Nigerian coinage.
If you are tempted to jump on the bandwagon (not join the bandwagon) use the phrase appropriately and stick to “go a long way towards.” Maybe for the sake of emphasis, let me once more explain the logic behind the expression “go a long way towards.” By this statement, the journalist in attempt to convey the result and after effect of an action consciously or unconsciously employs the phrase to inform the listening and reading audience about the likely outcome of a certain action taken by the government, for example, to benefit the people. The argument is that don’t taint or tamper with the accepted standard of the language.
