What's the term for introducing an error when you edit a sentence?

Several years ago, I recall learning an English term that described the following sort of error:

1. I write (or begin writing) a sentence without error.
2. I decide to change something in the sentence.
3. I forget to change the rest of the sentence to fit with the changes I made.

For example, let's say I write the following (step 1):

I ate both an apple and a banana.

Then I remember I didn't actually eat a banana, so I erase and a banana (step 2):

I ate both an apple.

But I forget to erase the word both (step 3), so my sentence becomes ungrammatical!

I'd like to be able to refer to this kind of error. Unfortunately, I've forgotten the term I learned, and I've also forgotten exactly where I read it. I'm fairly certain it was somewhere on Usenet, possibly in sci.lang.japan or alt.usage.english. And though I've searched around on Google Groups, I'm afraid I've been unable to find the post in question.

What bits I do remember are so hazy that they're probably useless and unreliable, but I suppose I can add them anyway: I think it was a copy editor who shared the term. And while trying to remember, I had the feeling that it was around eleven letters long and contained the letter 'G'--though I'm afraid these details are likely to be mistaken. (And of course, I would welcome an answer that differs from the term I'm trying to remember, as long as it fits what I've described.)

Anyway, I feel like this would be a pretty useful term to have, even if I end up defining it for people. Is there a usual term for this sort of error?

Solution 1:

This type of error in sentence construction is called faulty parallelism. This term is however not specific for erroneous edits and corrections.

Parallelism in grammar is defined as the use of identical or equivalent syntactic constructions in corresponding clauses or phrases.

A number of examples of faulty parallelism can be found here.

With respect to editing and making corrections the only term that I can think of for this situation is a variant of Murphy's law known as Muphry's law, defined as follows:

Muphry's law: The principle that any criticism of the speech or writing of others will itself contain at least one error of usage or spelling.

In its full formulation Muphry's law dictates that:

1. if you write anything criticising editing or proofreading, there will be a fault in what you have written;

2. if an author thanks you in a book for your editing or proofreading, there will be mistakes in the book;

3. the stronger the sentiment in (a) and (b), the greater the fault; and

4. any book devoted to editing or style will be internally inconsistent.