Van Dyke Vs goatee: When a Kofi Annan obituary got it wrong

Is Kofi Annan? Yes. A proper one. Pardon the pun and blame an international business magazine for our playful mood with language. The weekly recently carried a delightful correction in its obituary of Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations. A reader had pointed out to the journal that Annan’s beard style was a Van Dyke, not a goatee as written.

Owning up to the error, the publication said, ‘The original version of this article said that Mr Annan wore a goatee. An alert reader has pointed out that he sported a Van Dyke, which is a goatee plus moustache. Sorry to split hairs.’

The Van Dyke was a look named after a 17th century painter named Anthony van Dyck. It’s a proper noun.