In Case It's Not Obvious Enough?

Even as early as an early teen, it fascinated me the explanation at the end of an article, signed by a name then followed by 'writer and journalist'. With the passing of years, this fascination continues because every article you ever read in any media always ends with such and such a 'name', then 'writer and journalist'. 'David Jones, writer and journalist', 'John Smith, writer and journalist.' I find this as ridiculous as putting 'Rafael Nadal, sportsman and tennis player', or 'Obama, politician and president'.

I always put this superfluous monotony down to little consideration and respect to the journalist to dignify him, almost like saying 'He is journalist, poor man, but he is okay, he can write.'. I wonder whether it's result of the indifference of the journalists themselves, that it matters not to them if it's a full-stop, or a comma, this adjective or better the other. Nobody ever questions it. I have never seen any other professionals that care so little about their profession.

What is more surprising, for me anyway, not only is this absurdity not abating, it propagates more by the day. A few days ago I walked past through the main street in Darnius. On the front of a house, No. 38 of that street, there's a plaque, in which it says 'In this house was born Jose Maria Gironella, writer and novelist'. Same nonsense, this time applies to a novelist. Of course he is both. Isn't that obvious? Would eliminating the superfluous word 'writer' make him less of one?

Not too many things in the world are clear and precise, but I dare presume all novelists are writers, same as all pianists are musicians, and all water-colour artists are painters. Why the idiotic addition then? Later I took a look at the News online, Tribuna.cat, and saw an article - Senlit de Pais - signed by Cesc Serrahima, writer and poet. That's all I need to see for one day! Are there poets who are not writers?

I do realize there are exceptions. These days there are male who are not men, or female who are not women. Aren't there?

Tags:journalist,poet,novelist

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