Every day, journalists at the Guardian face a common challenge: finding the right word. Should it be Twixmas or Twixtmas? Do dinosaurs get capital letters? Is space measured in kilometres or miles? These are just a few of the conundrums that land on the desks of the newspaper's style guide editors, Charlotte Naughton and Katy Guest.
The Delicate Balance of Modern Editing
Appointed in October, Naughton and Guest quickly discovered that no style query has an obvious answer. Their role involves making definitive rulings or updating existing ones to reflect a language in constant flux. They are guided by a maxim from the introduction to the 1960 edition of the guide: "Neither pedantic nor wild." This principle steers them through a landscape where permissiveness and American English increasingly influence how readers speak, while they strive to protect the diversity and complexity of UK English.
The editors note a trend towards more flexible language use but remain cautious. "We need to reflect how readers speak," they explain, "but we are cautious not to erode the diversity and complexity of English as it has evolved in the UK." This creates a fine line to walk, especially for a global readership that may understand 'sidewalk' better than 'pavement'. The Guardian's lexicon, however, remains firmly rooted in British English.
Rulings from Space to Surnames
Some decisions require expert consultation. When questioned about using kilometres versus miles for space measurements, they sought advice from the UK Space Agency's chief scientist, Professor Adam Amara. He confirmed that science uses the metric system, but noted that in space, measurements quickly shift to astronomical units and parsecs. After deliberation, the editors decided not to change the existing guide, which advises using the metric system with exceptions for the mile and pint.
Other rulings carry significant cultural weight. The tradition of dropping the 'al-' prefix from Arabic names when using a surname was examined and ultimately rejected. The editors were aided by Dr Nada Elzeer, a senior lecturer in Arabic at SOAS University of London, who helped them navigate this sensitive issue, aiming to move away from what they see as a careless western convention.
Embracing Change While Honouring Roots
On contemporary terminology, the guide now accepts 'gen AI' for generative artificial intelligence, recognising its common usage. For prehistoric creatures, the ruling was for consistency: a lowercase triceratops, just like hippopotamus. And the pressing festive question? They chose 'Twixmas' as the term for the period between Christmas and New Year, citing its common usage. They also noted its etymological pedigree, tracing back to the Old High German 'zwiski', meaning 'two each'.
The editors acknowledge that some areas, like terminology around mental health, ethnicity, and neurodiversity, require more time and ongoing conversation with experts and communities. They emphasise a commitment to principles of honesty, integrity, and fairness, inviting readers to contribute their expertise or concerns via email to the readers' editor.
Their work, they conclude, is about moving with the times while understanding the roots of the language they curate. As Naughton and Guest put it, style guides play a part in the evolution of language itself, a responsibility they navigate one word at a time.
