Today is one of those days where spoken English language has taken a bit of a pounding.
There was the spokesman for an organisation which had received a financial award for its work. The reason they gave was that it was a recognition that they were one of many unique projects in that area!
This was followed by the head of a school which had benefited by spending by the DFE. One of the stated strengths of the school was that all the pupils received an education which meant all the pupils were above average. Surely if all were above average then then all were merely average (were there no above or below the 'above average' pupils?)! I assumed he meant the pupils were above some national average or other benchmark.
Yet another spoke of the majority of the people in the area their charity served were supportive of them. The chairman said that over a third of the community had signed petitions asking for a rethink of funding. Poor maths perhaps?
As I travelled it became obvious that many thing impacted (surely had an impact) on the lives of others.
All I needed was some football and the services of a summariser and I'd have been replete with a Colemanballs day of broadcasting.
Cherry on the cake is one of our children bringing home a letter with some interesting words. I asked one of the teachers (we're friends so I could) about a letter they'd sent out. "Oh yeah, English isn't my subject!" Obviously true of the author of the letter that we got this week too!
Star prize still goes to an American doctorate holder who, speaking of an exhibition she had arranged for her employer, the Tate Gallery, said that it had been then 'funnest' job she'd had since working there!
Aaaargh!
8 comments:
One of the comments (or criticisms) of my submissions to the DDO is that my written English is not as articulate as my oral English.
Perhaps I should write in the vernacular?
One thing that I have learned during this process is that my life long language in the Army and outside is not actually up to the mark for academic essays.
Having striven to improve, I am then told that I need to be more myself? You just can't win.
Being pedantic seems to be an essential qualification for those involved in the discernment process.
I was unwise enough to buy an Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus last year which is full of what I would call non-words, and have reverted to using my old (very old) Collins which has at least the semblance of basic English usage at its core.
The mis-use of words is such common practice now that I am beginning to doubt what I was taught.
Whilst acknowledging that language must change and grow, I deplore the basic lack of comprehension, (which was taught as a separate subject when I was at school) which leads to present-day gaffes
Bring back the Victorian educationists!
Simple innit?
Ray,
I know exactly what you mean, I'm beginning to think that I'm becoming a regular curmudgeon when it comes to words! The number of times I find myself thinking, 'things have an impact upon, they don't 'impact'!
I'm happy for an evolving language, this is what a living language does, but some of the adaptations and contrived misallocations (i/e/ the rendering of 'sex'and 'gender' as synonymous whereas they are, respectively, biological and sociological) drives me bonkers.
UKV,
I wrote someone a letter using EDW and they asked me why I begane each paragraph with a number (and this was supposedly an organisation who might have been expected to understand it!0.
This morning I had to smile when an Asst Chief Constable remarked that he hadn't been made available to some information that would have contradicted him!
As much as I chomp at the bit over abuse I also wish we could see more malapropism, Spoonerism and some excellent play on words.
Pax
"Oh yeah, English isn't my subject!"
When I did teacher training for the junior/secondary age range many, many years ago, it was drummed into us that we were all teachers of English, no matter what subject we taught. So no excuse there, in my book.
My real pet hate is the increasingly widespread "should of" and "would of" instead of "should/would have". Makes me want to throw things. I know language is a living, developing thing, but this is just WRONG!!
Cheeky to come back a second time I know, but may I please just add
heard on the TV 10minutes ago(and many times before), "one of the only"!!!
I hate it. How can it be ONE of the only. Is that tautology?
But many people write in this journalese or headline-language which leaves out articles, verbs, and "that". For instance: "Cherry on the cake is one of our children" [is this about a girl called Cherry who spends time on cakes?] - it means "THE cherry on the cake is THE FACT THAT one of our children", or again "Star prize still goes to ..." - is that like "Frankie goes to Hollywood? or is THE star prize being referred to. Decline of language indeed!
What a collection! Was it just in a week's work?
It reminds me of Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon, "where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."
Vic! What a perfect name for a vicar!
What a superb cornucopia - heartily endorse the 'ALL teachers of English', sadly our children have been known to do the English Lit' classics at school by watching the DVD in lessons (I kid you not!).
The tautology is excellent and the return journey to 'Lake Wobegone Days' sublime.
And yes indeedy, 'Vic the Vicar' is worth its weight in gold!
thank you all,
V
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