Election Year or Fear!

[ramAnag]

Will be interesting to see, in lets say 12 months, whether either of those factors have made an iota of a difference to your life I guess you might feel a sense of contentedness that "your team" is back in the premiership, but I doubt you'll see anything beneficial has happened. Same ****, different shovel.

You may be right. Although an interesting local indicator may be that, in January ‘23 a large tree was brought down in a winter storm rendering a crucial local footbridge both dangerous and impassable. Despite numerous complaints over the last 18 months the bridge remained untouched and in an unusable condition until…..Monday, the first working day after Labour took control of both the country and the constituency, when suddenly it was fixed!

I know that’s pushing it, and I am joking, but it does make a pleasant change to now have a PM who looks and sounds statesmanlike instead of the last three who could only manage the respective appearances of an excitable child, a lunatic and an over stuffed scarecrow.

[swaledale]

Having some faith that the government now in charge will actually focus on running the country rather than thinking up ways of enriching their colleagues, stunts designed to appeal to the dumb, getting the NHS, public transport, housing, prisons, justice system, water companies etc. etc. working properly will be a big benefit both to my life and personal well being but also to the country as a whole.

Still I guess if one is determined to be a cynic, to carp from the side-lines having (i may be wrong on this GP is probably a stalwart of the local community)) never participated in politics even at a local level and is concerned only with ones immediate life it won't change much at all.

Nobody thinks it will now all be a land of milk and honey, but having a on the face of it sensible government is a start in rebuilding the UK, fractured by pointless culture wars and expensive mistakes. Having the basics done competently is a relief.

[Geoff Parkstone]

But remember, the Rams only win the FA Cup under Labour, do Starmer has a lot to live up to....

[MadAmster]

I think your bias betrays you a bit, I see appalling syntax and grammar from all sides of the political debate, and for that matter in other spheres, notably football, less so motorsport or cricket. I think you’ll find that the language pedants (I’m one to some extent as my editing job demands it) are always onto a loser because language evolves - who’s to say ‘could of’ won’t be THE way to say it in ten years time? My own pet hate is the Americanism ‘Can I get’ rather than ‘May I have’ but I don’t judge those using the phrase, whether their intellect or otherwise

Often there is little difference between the (far) right and "football lads", IMO. Yes, there are also centrists and left leaners (Swale for one) who butcher our language but not, in my experience, in the numbers of those from the right.

Americanisms. With you there. "From the get go" and "bla, bla, bla... if you will" and many more are annoying to say the least.

Ones that have crept into English are things like "A thought you might like..." "A don't agree" instead of I and as I said earlier "Are house, are country". Language pedant? Guilty as charged, m'lud.

On your editing lark, I'll PM you with a slightly personal question, the answer to which may, or may not, help and editor friend of mine over here. If you find it too intrusive then, "sorry, I don't wish to answer" would be an acceptable reply.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Often there is little difference between the (far) right and "football lads", IMO. Yes, there are also centrists and left leaners (Swale for one) who butcher our language but not, in my experience, in the numbers of those from the right.

Americanisms. With you there. "From the get go" and "bla, bla, bla... if you will" and many more are annoying to say the least.

Ones that have crept into English are things like "A thought you might like..." "A don't agree" instead of I and as I said earlier "Are house, are country". Language pedant? Guilty as charged, m'lud.

On your editing lark, I'll PM you with a slightly personal question, the answer to which may, or may not, help and editor friend of mine over here. If you find it too intrusive then, "sorry, I don't wish to answer" would be an acceptable reply.

Agree totally about butchery of both the English language and style of pronunciation (the latter seemingly linked to our diversity / sub cultures)

Americanisms I personally don't like but the English language has constantly evolved by absorbing elements of other languages, so maybe we will just have to accept it for what it is.

However one thing I will never do is "reach out" to anyone. I once responded to an email using this phrase by saying I was reaching back - the sender wanted to know what I meant!

[ramAnag]

Often there is little difference between the (far) right and "football lads", IMO. Yes, there are also centrists and left leaners (Swale for one) who butcher our language but not, in my experience, in the numbers of those from the right.

Americanisms. With you there. "From the get go" and "bla, bla, bla... if you will" and many more are annoying to say the least.

Ones that have crept into English are things like "A thought you might like..." "A don't agree" instead of I and as I said earlier "Are house, are country". Language pedant? Guilty as charged, m'lud.

On your editing lark, I'll PM you with a slightly personal question, the answer to which may, or may not, help and editor friend of mine over here. If you find it too intrusive then, "sorry, I don't wish to answer" would be an acceptable reply.

Having two American granddaughters I have become used to their ‘linguistic eccentricities’. They’re from a different country and a different culture so who am I/are we to criticise?
Having a mastery of one’s own language is an undeniably useful tool however I can’t help thinking that too much is made of it sometimes. Surely what someone says is more important than how it is said. At least two of the brightest people I know aren’t tremendous masters of the English language, whereas Rees-Mogg and Johnson have, via upbringing, Eton and Oxford, developed literacy skills that might put all of us to shame. Doesn’t stop them spouting divisive and disingenuous, albeit grammatically correct, bollux.

P.S. Can’t help but agree with GP about the ‘reaching out’ thing. Only came across it for the first time earlier this year and I think it sounds genuinely pitiful, but I am informed by my younger relatives that it is totally acceptable.

[MadAmster]

But remember, the Rams only win the FA Cup under Labour, do Starmer has a lot to live up to....

... and Labour was in power the only time England won an International tournament. Can Starmer help the side produce a stormer and emulate Harold Wilson?

[MadAmster]

Having two American granddaughters I have become used to their ‘linguistic eccentricities’. They’re from a different country and a different culture so who am I/are we to criticise?
Having a mastery of one’s own language is an undeniably useful tool however I can’t help thinking that too much is made of it sometimes. Surely what someone says is more important than how it is said. At least two of the brightest people I know aren’t tremendous masters of the English language, whereas Rees-Mogg and Johnson have, via upbringing, Eton and Oxford, developed literacy skills that might put all of us to shame. Doesn’t stop them spouting divisive and disingenuous bollux.

Are house etc is, IMO, fairly and squarely on the likes of Rees-Mogg and Johnson and many politicians of all persuasions and on the shoulders of "personalities" who also mispronounce words. I can't really blame those who copy it.

One pet hate of mine is the drawn out pronunciation of the letter A where a footballer parses the ball to a teammate and folk arsk questions. When people learn blind typing in the English language, one of the first phrases they repeat on the keyboard is "the cat sat on the mat". That is not pronounced "the cart sart on the mart"...

[Geoff Parkstone]

Having two American granddaughters I have become used to their ‘linguistic eccentricities’. They’re from a different country and a different culture so who am I/are we to criticise?
Having a mastery of one’s own language is an undeniably useful tool however I can’t help thinking that too much is made of it sometimes. Surely what someone says is more important than how it is said. At least two of the brightest people I know aren’t tremendous masters of the English language, whereas Rees-Mogg and Johnson have, via upbringing, Eton and Oxford, developed literacy skills that might put all of us to shame. Doesn’t stop them spouting divisive and disingenuous, albeit grammatically correct, bollux.

P.S. Can’t help but agree with GP about the ‘reaching out’ thing. Only came across it for the first time earlier this year and I think it sounds genuinely pitiful, but I am informed by my younger relatives that it is totally acceptable.

I'm also informed by younger relatives that vaping is cool. Doesn't mean to say I have to do it. Each to their own 😄

[Ramshank72]

Agree totally about butchery of both the English language and style of pronunciation (the latter seemingly linked to our diversity / sub cultures)

Americanisms I personally don't like but the English language has constantly evolved by absorbing elements of other languages, so maybe we will just have to accept it for what it is.

However one thing I will never do is "reach out" to anyone. I once responded to an email using this phrase by saying I was reaching back - the sender wanted to know what I meant!

May I "lean in"?

[swaledale]

I'm also informed by younger relatives that vaping is cool. Doesn't mean to say I have to do it. Each to their own ��

Except rA didn't say he was told it was cool, but acceptable! But of course one can choose to speak as one wishes! My mangling of the language tends to be due my fat fingers not hitting the keys in the right order and not being able to type as fast as I can think!! Plus I do lower myself so that some of those who are less literate on here don't feel intimidated.

[Andy_Faber]

Often there is little difference between the (far) right and "football lads", IMO. Yes, there are also centrists and left leaners (Swale for one) who butcher our language but not, in my experience, in the numbers of those from the right.

Americanisms. With you there. "From the get go" and "bla, bla, bla... if you will" and many more are annoying to say the least.

Ones that have crept into English are things like "A thought you might like..." "A don't agree" instead of I and as I said earlier "Are house, are country". Language pedant? Guilty as charged, m'lud.

On your editing lark, I'll PM you with a slightly personal question, the answer to which may, or may not, help and editor friend of mine over here. If you find it too intrusive then, "sorry, I don't wish to answer" would be an acceptable reply.

Happy to answer (later when I can do it justice) but I won’t be much help

[ramAnag]

I'm also informed by younger relatives that vaping is cool. Doesn't mean to say I have to do it. Each to their own 😄

Not entirely comparable in so much as one is behavioural and the other is a figure of speech. By ‘younger relatives’ I was referring to children and their spouses who, in the business world, find ‘reaching out’ quite a commonplace expression whereas I thought it sounded like begging.

Fortunately I have no (much) younger relatives who think vaping is remotely cool, but I suppose that seeing as my eldest grandchild is only 14 this is something that may still have to be faced. At the same age I think I was probably smoking 5-10 fags a day so it seems the grandkids have more sense.

[SithHappens]

I'm also informed by younger relatives that vaping is cool. Doesn't mean to say I have to do it. Each to their own 😄

I'm sure when they grow up they will look back and think, nah it was about as cool using dog **** as hair gel, and just as attractive

[Geoff Parkstone]

..... fat fingers not hitting the keys in the right order and not being able to type as fast as I can think!!

I didn't realize you were that slow at typing 😄