Althouse: Understanding misspelling: "Massachusettes" — perhaps it's the feminine form of "Massachusetts"...

January 12, 2010

Understanding misspelling: "Massachusettes" — perhaps it's the feminine form of "Massachusetts"...

... as the female candidate goes on the attack in her effort to become the next... Senatorette!

(Via JammieWearingFool, via Instapundit.)

75 comments:

JAL said...: Coakley approved the ad, not the misspellings.

The buck doesn't stop there either.

(But they are paying their ad agency way too much if that's what they get.); 1/12/10, 10:39 AM
vbspurs said...: WOW! Tell me they didn't really misspell their State's name on the campaign ad!

...can you IMAGINE the crapstorm this would generate, if Palin had misspelt "Alasca" in one of her campaign ads. TOAST. DEAD. GONE. But Coakley, still in there.; 1/12/10, 10:40 AM
Anonymous said...: Maybe the graphics person is angling for a job producing White House State Dinner menus.; 1/12/10, 10:43 AM
mccullough said...: I'm bad at orthography as well so I can't really criticize (I mis-spelled Connecticut on a spelling test in grade school a few times), but this is pretty embarrasing.; 1/12/10, 10:49 AM
vbspurs said...: And I didn't think anything could make me laugh more than Peter Orszag's rug. Thanks Martha!; 1/12/10, 10:50 AM
campy said...: Dan Quayle prefers his steak with a baked Massachusettes potatoe.; 1/12/10, 10:55 AM
vbspurs said...: Campy is on a roll! Two days with thread-winning comments.; 1/12/10, 10:57 AM
Ipso Fatso said...: Massa?? Somebody say Massa?? Oh, no I must be a racist!!!!; 1/12/10, 11:03 AM
DaveO said...: I loved watching the Massachusettes do their routine at Radio City Music Hall back in the day...; 1/12/10, 11:05 AM
Balfegor said...: Senatorette!

Isn't the term Senatrix? Or perhaps as senex => Senator, anus => . . . nevermind.; 1/12/10, 11:10 AM
vbspurs said...: Trixie, for short.; 1/12/10, 11:12 AM
Pastafarian said...: Well, Coakley didn't write this herself, so it doesn't prove that she's either a) an idiot or b) a carpetbagger.

But it does seem to show that she outsourced the campaign's publishing work to an out-of-state oufit. I assume that someone native to the state would know how to spell its name.

I could see how this could be used to hurt her.; 1/12/10, 11:13 AM
Anonymous said...: The same thing's already happened to Main, New Hampshir, Vrmont, Rhod Island, and Conncticut. Guess it was our turn.; 1/12/10, 11:35 AM
Der Hahn said...: I know New-r Yorkers suck all-r the R's out-r Haaavadd but who donated the extra E?; 1/12/10, 11:37 AM
vbspurs said...: Massachusetts can't afford Cokeley.

I'd like to buy the world a Cokeley
And keep it company with Blago
Brown's the real thing
What the world wants today
Not Coca-Cokeley
She's the phony thing.

Cheers,
Victoria; 1/12/10, 12:00 PM
Wince said...: Even as a life-long resident of Massachusetts, it's easy to miss or add an extra "s" or "t" by mistake, but that penultimate "e" says "outsider" all over it.

wv-"later" = as in "later, Martha"; 1/12/10, 12:10 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Campy:

Isn't it spelled "stake"? Heh.; 1/12/10, 12:18 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Hopfully the votors will notice.; 1/12/10, 12:18 PM
Original Mike said...: This is why in Minnesota the crowd stands and spells their name after every score. Just to keep in practice.; 1/12/10, 12:20 PM
Joe M. said...: One amusing comment from over there (posted by one wally01106):

She should have run for Senator of Ohio, it's an easier State to spell.; 1/12/10, 12:21 PM
Original Mike said...: I thought it was Ohioe?; 1/12/10, 12:33 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: I assume that someone native to the state would know how to spell its name.

Did they graduate from the public school system? Then probably not.; 1/12/10, 12:33 PM
traditionalguy said...: After Brown wins this election the Senators from the State will be down one from the old Mass-of-two-shits delegation.; 1/12/10, 1:04 PM
Unknown said...: Obviously, someone educated in a Demo-approved public school.

campy said...

Dan Quayle prefers his steak with a baked Massachusettes potatoe.

Believe it or not (I didn't, the first time I was exposed to it), that is an acceptable spelling in the Midwest.

vbspurs said...

Trixie, for short.

vb, are you suggesting Maatha might prove to be just a little easy if she gets to DC?; 1/12/10, 1:14 PM
Jeremy said...: OH, THIS IS HUGE!!!!

duh.; 1/12/10, 1:32 PM
Ernesto Ariel Suárez said...: Victoria, nice to see you; 1/12/10, 1:34 PM
bagoh20 said...: Someone somewhere should be fired today, but they will likely get a job with the Bureauborg and serve us all.; 1/12/10, 1:43 PM
Jeremy said...: Duh Bunny - "Did they graduate from the public school system? Then probably not."

as in...

"Is our children learning?" G.W. Bush

or...

"I mean, there needs to be a wholesale effort against racial profiling, which is illiterate children. G.W. Bush; 1/12/10, 1:43 PM
bagoh20 said...: yea, I made it up, but it seem to fit.; 1/12/10, 1:43 PM
sort of runic rhyme said...: Someone's made a Messachusetts.; 1/12/10, 1:45 PM
Anonymous said...: If the chamber were comprised of a majority of women, would it be the Senette?

I think that Coakley is still likely to win because of her huge party advantage going in, but becoming a laughingstock can do a lot of damage. People really don't want to vote for a joke, with Biden being the exception that proves the rule.; 1/12/10, 1:54 PM
Jeremy said...: t-man - she's a "laughing stock" because of a typo...produced by a marketing outfit?; 1/12/10, 2:29 PM
KCFleming said...: Yes, Mr. Community College, she is.; 1/12/10, 2:32 PM
Unknown said...: t-man said...

I think that Coakley is still likely to win because of her huge party advantage going in...

Not sure, but I saw something today that seemed to indicate most people in MA have no affiliation as far as registration. May be why this is such a big thing...; 1/12/10, 2:32 PM
Jeremy said...: Pogo - are you still interested in me tea bagging you?

i can break away, between classes, if you bring your mouth around.

let me know...; 1/12/10, 2:48 PM
LonewackoDotCom said...: WOW!!! DOUBLE-WOW!!!!!! This is big!!!!

Some no doubt out-of-state chyron operator misspelling a word trumps all concerns about policies affecting millions of people!!!

Who cares about having a real debate about vital issues, let's just go for the Nelson Muntzes of this world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I'm being sarcastic.; 1/12/10, 2:56 PM
Anonymous said...: she's a "laughing stock" because of a typo...produced by a marketing outfit?

In the same way that Dan Quayle was a laughing stock for reading a misspelling of potato off of a card provided by a Trenton, N.J. public school? Yes, the answer is yes.; 1/12/10, 3:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Who cares about having a real debate about vital issues

Actually, Brown is winning those debates too.; 1/12/10, 3:05 PM
KCFleming said...: Again, Jeremy, your interest in dating is understandable, but I prefer to keep our relationship cordial and platonic.

Best of luck with putting from the rough, though.; 1/12/10, 3:09 PM
Jeremy said...: Nomilk said..."In the same way that Dan Quayle was a laughing stock for reading a misspelling of potato off of a card provided by a Trenton, N.J. public school? Yes, the answer is yes."

right.

comparing a man running for vice president, who can't spell p-o-t-a-t-o...to someone missing a typo that was created by an outside marketing firm is rather weak to say the least.

you're grasping at straws.; 1/12/10, 3:17 PM
Jeremy said...: pogo...you're the one who is obviously obsessed with little ol' me.

let's get together, drop a couple of nuts in your mouth...and be friends.; 1/12/10, 3:18 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/12/10, 3:27 PM
Anonymous said...: comparing a man running for vice president, who can't spell p-o-t-a-t-o...to someone missing a typo that was created by an outside marketing firm is rather weak to say the least.

(1) Quayle was already vice president at the time of the potatoe incident.

(2) Of course, Quayle knew how to spell potato. In the heat of the moment, he went with what on the card provided to him by, uhh, professional educators and bureaucrats of a long-time Democrat-controlled machine.

(3) The Coakley ad in question has an explicit credit line that reads: "APPROVED BY MARTHA COAKLEY." She doesn't even know how to spell the name of the state she wants to represent in the U.S. Senate?

FAIL.; 1/12/10, 3:34 PM
Bart Hall (Kansas, USA) said...: MASSACHUSETTS (proper noun): An old Wampanoag Indian word meaning "land of high taxes."; 1/12/10, 3:39 PM
Original Mike said...: Potatoe is an acceptable spelling. Look it up.; 1/12/10, 3:47 PM
KCFleming said...: I wish you the greatest success in your search for an accommodating male, Jeremy. I think you might want to look around on other websites for that, though. Althouse trends towards politics, generally.; 1/12/10, 3:49 PM
David said...: Here's the lead from Coakley's bio on her campaign web site:

Attorney General Martha Coakley has dedicated the last 20 years of her life to a career in public service. Coakley has a strong history as an advocate—not only for individuals and communities, but also for the best interests of the Commonwealth at large. Coakley brings to the Attorney General’s office a diverse and extensive legal background, a proven track record of bringing people to the table to find effective solutions to the issues that face the Commonwealth, and a strong commitment to her role as a public servant.

Could that me more blaaaaah?

The rest of her site is the same. Totally meaningless papspeak.

No wonder she might lose.; 1/12/10, 4:08 PM
Fen said...: Jeremy: comparing a man running for vice president, who can't spell p-o-t-a-t-o...to someone missing a typo that was created by an outside marketing firm is rather weak to say the least. you're grasping at straws.

Actually it closer than you realize. Qualye was reading off cue cards for spelling lesson to a teachers class.; 1/12/10, 4:45 PM
Fen said...: Well, Coakley didn't write this herself, so it doesn't prove that she's either a) an idiot or b) a carpetbagger.

Campaigns test many traits. This one got past her Administrative Model. A minor but glaring mistake that won't harm her constituents. This time.

I bet she's one of those who vote without reading the bill. We need less of that.; 1/12/10, 4:50 PM
Jeremy said...: "Given that, for Martha Coakley's campaign to misspell the damned state's name is a huge embarrassment. It says they are either illiterate, or, what is much, much worse, Not From Around Here."

or maybe the marketing firm just made a mistake when typing the ad.

duh.

as for nomilk: "The Coakley ad in question has an explicit credit line that reads: "APPROVED BY MARTHA COAKLEY." She doesn't even know how to spell the name of the state she wants to represent in the U.S. Senate?"

she "approved" the content of the ad, but obviously did not see the typo...if she saw the disclaimer before it ran at all. (unless you think she and others running for office, including brown, are sitting in rooms reading and editing, opposed to traveling, giving speeches, interviews, and glad handing voters.)

i realize many here are rooting your little conservative hearts out for brown, but you're really pushing the wing nut envelope on something so petty as a typo in an ad.

and i also thought ann referring to senator kennedy as the "dead kennedy" a few days ago was classless.; 1/12/10, 4:55 PM
Jeremy said...: Fen - "Actually it closer than you realize. Qualye was reading off cue cards for spelling lesson to a teachers class."

and there you have it: really, really dumb "typos."

why not read through what you wrote and tell us where you made your mistakes...not that anyone here would do such a thing.; 1/12/10, 4:59 PM
KCFleming said...: jeremy has gone all e. e. cummings
because
capitalizing letters
only benefits capitalism
where community college
is all about
picking flowers and
random spellings of your home state
a birdcage without any bird,
a collar looking for a dog,
a kiss without lips;
a prayer lacking any knees; 1/12/10, 5:01 PM
Love said...: Hey, c'mon.

Peoples makes mistakes all the time.

I no.; 1/12/10, 5:09 PM
Jeremy said...: pogo - what in the fuck are you blathering on about?

and what's the deal?

am i dropping my balls in your mouth or not?; 1/12/10, 5:11 PM
AllenS said...: duh?

duh!

duh?; 1/12/10, 5:17 PM
KCFleming said...: Jeremy, your fascination with the nether regions of the male anatomy is quite clear. I am glad you finally came out and all.

I do appreciate your intense interest, but must again decline. Perhaps you can find random anonymous men on the beach by your community college to sate your seemingly endless urges.

Leave time for class. The job market for California teachers has gotten pretty tight.; 1/12/10, 5:21 PM
Big Mike said...: Then there's this little assertion, which will no doubt come as a surprise to our combat troops who are being shot at.

Coakley isn't the sharpest tack in the bulletin board.; 1/12/10, 5:26 PM
Jeremy said...: pogo - it is you, nit i, who appears to be obsessed. you post inane musings related to my being some kind of community college professor, and love to blather on, denigrating president obama on a regular basis.

since you're obviously a tea bagger and i just thought you'd enjoy experiencing what it's really all about.

as for allens - when did you get out?; 1/12/10, 5:26 PM
KCFleming said...: I truly pray you meet the man of your dreams; I can tell it is eating at you.; 1/12/10, 5:26 PM
KCFleming said...: pogo - it is you, nit i,

Are you writing in Klingon?

Anyways, don't be ashamed. Your frequent mentioning of your desire to engage in a homosexual encounter is no shameful thing. I just don't happen to care for it, and hope you can find your man on another web site, perhaps a dating concern.; 1/12/10, 5:29 PM
AllenS said...: duh?

duh!

duh?; 1/12/10, 5:30 PM
AllenS said...: duhduhduh?
duhduhduh?
duhduhduh?; 1/12/10, 5:32 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: jeremy has gone all e. e. cummings
because

The person typing is one of the many persons/students/sockpuppet handlers that take turns being Jeremy.

Shortly we will likely see the Jeremy that can capitalize, spell and who can write in complete sentences.; 1/12/10, 5:34 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/12/10, 6:45 PM
Wince said...: Jeremy said...
or maybe the marketing firm just made a mistake when typing the ad.

That's the point. A marketing firm not from here.

You see, part of Coakley's negative strategy has been her attempt to create the impression that Brown's support is from out of state, to exploit the nativist character that Theo describes.

That's the significance of Coakley's error, which indicates the complete opposite.

Moreover, Coakley spent today in DC being feted by a gaggle of health care and pharma lobbyists, while Brown is traveled the North Shore. (You can see the invitation at the link.); 1/12/10, 7:35 PM
RLB_IV said...: Just once I would like to vote for someone instead of against the opponent. It has been a long time.; 1/12/10, 8:00 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Yep, DBQ. It's actually a Psychology class at Santa Monica City College.

There's a UCLA component, too, maybe long gone, I dunno. We shouldn't pay trolls any attention.

Well, they are terrible trolls.

Speaking as someone who has been involved in the net probably longer than these dorks have been alive; when DOS was the standard; Windows or GUI platforms were Gate's wet dream; when we used punch cards and Fortan to program....I can respect a good troll.

It takes some skill to be a good troll: one who stealths under the radar for a while and then decides which way to bend/twist the conversation. Lulls you into thinking they are real and gradually you realize....Hey!!.. This guy is fucking with me. Good one.

These guys are just inept and basically an embarrassment to trolldom everywhere.

Pathetic.; 1/12/10, 8:47 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: When we didn't drink so much scotch that we couldn't spell Fortran.

I blame Mr. Natural.; 1/12/10, 8:51 PM
KCFleming said...: Actually, Theo, I found your descriptions of Mass. politics quite useful.

And yer right; it's much easier to spew crap, hence my copious production of it.; 1/12/10, 9:09 PM
Big Mike said...: @DBQ, much as it pains me to point out your error, punch cards and Fortran compilers w-a-a-a-a-y precede DOS. Punch cards and Fortran were long gone back when CP/M was the standard operating system for microprocessors, which was well before quick-and-dirty-operating-system (QDOS, the direct ancestor of MS-DOS) saw the light of day.; 1/12/10, 9:13 PM
Big Mike said...: But I concur with Pogo. Thank you, Theo, for your insights into the politics of Massa, Massachu... How do you spell it? I'll have to ask Brown because Coakley sure doesn't know.; 1/12/10, 9:18 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: @ Mike

Well, I wasn't actually sequential in my recollections. One did come before the other.

I was in college in the late 60's and again in the early/mid 70's. We used punch cards.. I recall being very irritated because one bad key stroke/punch would fuck up the entire batch and I'm a whiz at transposition.

I remember QDOS...sort of. I wasn't a programmer. Just a user of the technology beginning in the earliest days.

The issue is that some of us actually worked with computers and what we now call the net when there was nothing but a black or blue screen with typing on it.

Zork. FTW

Pretty pictures or even different fonts? Forget it. Tabs?? SPELL CHECK Ha ha ha.; 1/12/10, 9:42 PM
Anonymous said...: Fuck you, you stupid motherfucking fuckers. Fuck, Duh.; 1/13/10, 12:59 AM
AllenS said...: Fu duh ck!; 1/13/10, 7:37 AM
Big Mike said...: @DBQ, if you're still checking in on this thread. That's okay. I'm just demonstrating my nerdiness.; 1/13/10, 10:32 AM