“Proofreading is a dying rat”
“Proofreading is a lost art” and “Proofreading is a dying art” are popular sayings.
“There are times when we are pushed toward the belief that proofreading is a lost art” was printed in The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH) on February 20, 1920. “It is pretty generally understood nowadays, that adequate proof-reading is a lost art” was printed in the Hartford (CT) Daily Courant on June 5, 1929. “Has proofreading become a lost art?—Carolyn Wells in the (New York—ed.) Herald-Tribune Conning Tower” was printed in the Holyoke (MA) Daily Transcript and Telegram on May 7, 1931.
“Proofreading is a dying art” was printed in the Staten Island (NY) Advance on June 2, 1990. “Proofreading - a dying art?” was posted on the newsgroup rec.arts.books on January 28, 1992. “Proofreading is a dying art” was printed in The Town Talk (Alexandria-Pinesville, LA) on June 5, 1993.
A joke on the popular saying changes “art” to “rat.” “Proofreading is a lost rat” was posted on Facebook by Ed Freund on June 5, 2022. “Proofreading is a lost rat” was posted on Facebook by Phirebane on July 25, 2022. “Proofreading is a lost rat” is a saying that has been printed on many images.
“Proofreading is a dying rat” was posted on Facebook by Jason Walters on August 16, 2024. “I’ve done it occasionally when copy typing. Truly is it said that proofreading is a dying rat” was posted on Bluesky by Thomas Lumley on August 18, 2024. “Proofreading. It’s a dying rat” was posted on Facebook by Dad jokes Uk on October 9, 2024.
Newspapers.com
20 February 1920 The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), “Philosopher of Folly” by Ted Robinson, pg. 10, col. 3:
There are times when we are pushed toward the belief that proofreading is a lost art.
Newspapers.com
5 June 1929, Hartford (CT) Daily Courant, “Literary Topics” by E. N. C., pg. 8, col. 4:
It is pretty generally understood nowadays, that adequate proof-reading is a lost art, ...
Newspapers.com
7 May 1931, Holyoke (MA) Daily Transcript and Telegram, “The Dinosaur” by T. P. H., pg. 8, col. 7:
Has proofreading become a lost art?—Carolyn Wells in the Herald-Tribune Conning Tower.
Newspapers.com
26 November 1952, Carnegie (OK) Herald, “Who, Me?” by E. J., pg. 3, col. 5:
Doesn’t anybody know how to spell donor? In this age of brainstorm journalism, proofreading is a lost art.
Newspapers.com
2 June 1990, Staten Island (NY) Advance, “Navel goof on diploma,” pg. A7, col. 4:
Proofreading is a dying art.
Google Groups: rec.arts.books
Proofreading - a dying art?
james.beckman
Jan 28, 1992, 8:09:24 AM
Here’s my latest complaint: Lousy (or no) proofreading!
Has this gotten worse lately, or do I just notice it more?
Newspapers.com
5 June 1993, The Town Talk (Alexandria-Pinesville, LA), pg. C-2, col. 5:
Proofreading
is a dying art
By Lydel Sims
Scripps Howard News Service
Google Groups: comp.publish.prepress
*** Typeset Publishing for the Future ***
Craig Faichney
Aug 14, 1996, 3:00:00 AM
(...)
And to think that they consider themselves good typesetters! Proofreading is a
lost art I suppose. I can’t wait to see how they would handle a *lot* of type. oi!
Google Groups: bit.listserv.buslib-l
Quotation help needed -Reply
Mary Margaret Serpento
Jul 17, 1997, 3:00:00 AM
your requester is RIGHT not to trust Bartlett’s. Someone pointed out an
erroroneous attribution in Bartlett’s re: Rubaiyat of Omar Kayam [sp?] to me
last week. Bartlett’s cited “The Moving Finger” as st. 71, and my
correspondent reported that his R. copy had it as *st. 51*. Proofreading is
a dying art!
X/Twitter
Kim Cornwall Malseed
@B2B_MarketingPR
Wow. Just got email from company sells software to B2B marketers with 3 obvious grammar & punctuation errors. Proofreading is a lost art
4:13 PM · Nov 18, 2008
X/Twitter
Jenni Hilton
@gurnage
@B2B_MarketingPR
Proofreading is a lost art! I like Editorial Emergency’s NOC gallery. http://is.gd/81z0
4:23 PM · Nov 18, 2008
X/Twitter
ottokin
@ottokin
Proofreading is a dying art, would you say?)
12:12 PM · Mar 23, 2009
X/Twitter
The Improving Everything Community
@ashy247
Humor: Proofreading is a dying art, would you say? Funny Headlines ... http://u.mavrev.com/98hl
3:10 PM · Jun 9, 2009
X/Twitter
masterwordsmith
@masterwordsmith
PROOF READING IS A DYING ART http://masterwordsmith-unplugged.blogspot.com/2009/06/proofreading-is-dying-art.html
12:57 AM · Jun 18, 2009
Facebook
Ed Freund
June 5, 2022 at 6:53 AM ·
Proofreading
is a lost rat
Facebook
Phirebane
July 25, 2022 at 1:04 PM ·
Proofreading is a lost rat.
X/Twitter
AhadHaamoratsim
@ahadhaamoratsim
Ok familiar, not similar. Like the meme says, proofreading is a lost rat. 🐀
1:36 PM · Dec 17, 2023
X/Twitter
Tyrone Slothrop🇮🇱
@JLimebrook
Proofreading is a lost rat.
2:04 PM · Dec 17, 2023
X/Twitter
Adrian Wade
@DrAdrianPWade
Proofreading is a lost rat…
10:20 PM · Dec 24, 2023
Facebook
Jason Walters
August 16, 2024 at 6:44 PM ·
Proofreading is a dying rat.
Bluesky
Thomas Lumley
@tslumley.bsky.social
I’ve done it occasionally when copy typing. Truly is it said that proofreading is a dying rat.
August 18, 2024 at 5:47 PM
Facebook
Dad jokes Uk ·
October 9, 2024 at 11:13 AM ·
Proofreading. It’s a dying rat.
X/Twitter
Robert Wilkinson
@robertwlk
Proofreading.
It’s a dying rat.
1:14 PM · Oct 13, 2024
Bluesky
Esther Schindler
@estherschindler.bsky.social
You know it’s true
[A meme that says “Proofreading is a lost rat”
ALT]
December 20, 2024 at 3:30 PM
Bluesky
John Lawter
@johnlawter.bsky.social
Proofreading is a dying art.
March 4, 2025 at 2:10 PM
X/Twitter
Alice Mills
@millsalice144
Proofreading is a lost rat.
11:51 AM · Mar 20, 2025
Instagram
lousydrawingsforgoodpeople
April 24, 2025
not an original line, but i had to draw it🗺️🐀
(“proofreading is a lost rat” is shown on an image.—ed.)
X/Twitter
Angie Jordan
@_angelinajordan
Proofreading is a dying art.
2:13 PM · Sep 25, 2025
X/Twitter
Robert Wilkinson
@robertwlk
Proofreading.
It’s a dying rat.
2:24 AM · Oct 11, 2025