I think we're getting some solid results from the New York Times. First, Maureen Dowd's crocheted/croqueted mixup was resolved, albeit with no mention of the correction. Now Alessandra Stanley's truthiness/trustiness gaffe has finally been rectified — this time with a full correction notice:
The TV Watch column last Tuesday, about "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central, misstated the "word of the day" invented for the show's feature "The Word." It was "truthiness," not "trustiness."
Language Log: holding the Gray Lady's feet to the fire. We demand truthiness.
[Update, 11/3/03: Stephen Colbert had some fun with the Times correction on last night's "Colbert Report." Transcript courtesy of Gawker, where the original error was also noted:
Posted by Benjamin Zimmer at November 1, 2005 11:31 PMNow, before we start, there is something else I need to talk about, this correction in yesterday's New York Times. Let's go full frame with this.
You see, the Times mistakenly reported that in the first episode of this show, "The Colbert Report," THE WORD was "trustiness." It was, in fact, "truthiness."
Trustiness? That's not even a word!
Doesn't surprise me one bit the "New York Times" hasn't heard of truthiness.
I'll tell you one thing, somebody better go to jail for 85 days over this.
You know what, New York Times? Apology not accepted.
So let's go straight to THE WORD, which tonight is something even the New York Times can't possibly get wrong. Cat. C-A-T, cat.
I'll give the guys over at the "Times" a second to write it down.]