I REALLY don’t think I’m being pedantic when I react to the mixing of “tiers“ and “levels” in news items in print, online or broadcast. They are different. Now The National is doing it, I have to protest.
Is it not confusing enough for the population to navigate through the public announcements as they change almost daily, without having to work out tiers from levels? I have seen a variety of news outlets in Scotland mix these two words randomly as they seek to explain the changes we face.
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My plea is: use plain language and the terminology of the source of the news to best explain what the public need to hear. Mixing “tier” and “level” in a news item suggests that either you don’t care or you are deliberately trying to confuse or mislead.
Avoid all of that before it gets to the sub-editor, who may not actually know what you’re trying to say!
No more tiers or tears, Ed, please!
Sandy Carmichael
Highland
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