Election Year or Fear!

[Andy_Faber]

Yes. Suggesting a correlation between a whole host of right wing voters and the total lack of understanding of their own language from Could OFs to their/there/they're and your/you're, the use of are when they mean our and a growing number posting "A think so" rather than "I .....". There will be well educated people among them, Farridge for one, but the plethora of ill written rants on social media does beg the question I asked...

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

[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.

[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]

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"...