Preempting goofs that appear as we cover the festive season

We’re in the festive season. Nearly everybody I know is telling me of his holiday plans. Of course, we of the media sector are going nowhere—most of us, that is! The public needs to be informed, educated and entertained even as they “eat” Christmas and New Year!

Today’s column will highlight some words and expressions that are sure to be used or misused when scribblers cover what’s happening as we navigate the festive season that’s on till we say goodbye to 2024 and welcome 2025. Here we go…

There’ll be a lot of travelling with urban dwellers migrating to the rural areas for family reunions. And then, there’ll be movements from the rural areas—rare as they might be—with villagers travelling from, say, Gonja in Same District to Dar to stay at an uncle’s place for at least a week. Reason? So that they too can see for themselves traffic lights, see the Indian Ocean, go out for dinner and such other things which are alien in village settings.

Travelling. Will some of us be travelling WITH a bus to Mbeya? Nope! We’ll be travelling BY bus. Or, BY our private vehicles. As you travel by bus, you may wish to call a friend who’s stuck in Dar since he works for a newspaper or a radio station! Your friend’s workplace doesn’t do strange things like posting a notice on the main gate that reads: “We have suspended operations over Christmas and New Year holidays. We’ll resume services on January 15, 2025.”

What you, the lucky one, will tell your friend holed in a newsroom: “Hello, my friend Rajab, I’m calling while ON a bus to Mbeya.” Yes, don’t say, “…while IN a bus to Mbeya.” You could also be ON a plane to (not IN a plane) to Mwanza. My old pal Msacky who abandoned newsrooms long ago is likely to travel by SGR train to Dar from Dodoma, so he’ll call me and say: “Hello, mtani, right now I’m ON (not in) a train to Dar, I’ll check you up when I arrive.”

Passengers. My wordbook defines “passenger” as “a traveller ON a public conveyance other than the driver, pilot or crew.” With this information, we’re preempting those among us who might slip and inform their readers or listeners that their reporters found stranded PASSENGERS at the Magufuli Bus Terminal because virtually all buses had been fully booked. The thing is, you aren’t a passenger until you get into a vehicle, a ticket in hand. Short of that, you’re simply a TRAVELLER!

Xmas or Xmass? Hello! The word is “Xmas,” which is the short form of the word “Christmas.” It’s advisable that broadcasters pronounce it as “Krismas” (not Ex-mas) since some sections amongst the Christian faithful consider it offensive. Members of the print media nobility are also advised to simply stick to Christmas and leave Xmas to advertisers!

Month-end or End-month. The correct expression is “month-end,” a squeezed form of “end of the month.” Just like we say week-end and not end-week. Don’t argue that “end-month” is fine because it’s rampantly used by our media colleagues to the north of “Bongo”. Just leave them alone! Yes, just like you shouldn’t allow yourself to say “cab be able” just because you hear that from the mouths of their articulate politicians on TV.

Year-end or end-year activities. It’s year-end activities, period!

Accidents. These tend to happen at an alarming rate during festive seasons. In my mind’s eye, I see some scribbler thus reporting: “Abdieli, the most seriously injured accident victim, was RUSHED to the nearest hospital FOR TREATMENT.

Why “rushed” instead of the good old word “taken”? And the words “for treatment” are redundant for, as we all know, badly injured accident are taken to hospital for nothing else but treatment!

Ah, this treacherous language called English!