DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?

‘TRUMP doesn’t do embarrassed’. Most of us know that this more or less means ‘Trump never becomes embarrassed’. But it is one example of the grotesque mutilation of the English language over recent decades. Languages should evolve naturally.

In the 50s and 60s, like everybody else I knew, I enjoyed reading books. I loved the English language as it was written by the likes of Hardy, Hemingway, Orwell ­ and Agatha Christie. And as it was written in the more mature press and spoken by most radio and television presenters.

Care was taken over spelling and pronunciation; likewise, vocabulary, punctuation and grammar. Attention was paid to parts of speech, tenses, moods, cases, active and passive voice etc. We learned declension and conjugation.

We had to know when to use ‘due to’ and when to use ‘owing to’. Likewise the subtle distinctions between ‘agree’ and ‘concur’; ‘forgive’ and ‘exonerate’. Nowadays, nouns are used as verbs as in ‘He trousered 10 grand’, and adjectives as adverbs, as in ‘She hits the ball so aggressive’ (Eurosport).

Today, the language is becoming more and more misused. And not only by the less literate. I reach this conclusion by listening to people on television, including presenters, reporters, newscasters, politicians and business lead­ ers. I notice reports and articles in the press, including readers’ letters and advertisements.

During a recent tennis commentary, the normally competent Tim Henman said “He had to make him play another shot.” What he obviously meant was “He should have made him play another shot.” But just this month I have noted some more obvious examples.

She was like “How do you know?” “The preparation is what we prepared for.” (Emma Hayes,

Chelsea Manager). “Could have been done a lot quicker.” “It comprises of three stages” (Wikipedia) “Luton look more stronger.” (BBC). “He must be prepped by now.” (Sky News). “He insulted my wife and I.” “They should of known”. “It’s so yesterday!” “I was laying on the beach”. “It was such a phenomena”. “We went to Tesco’s”. “Each of them have a motive”. “I had to repeat it again”. And there are many more. For any of these misdemeanours at school I would have got at least a hundred lashes.

So what? If we can communicate and understand each other, does it matter? Well, as with many things in life, it’s a question of taste ­ a question of choice. An Aston Martin will get you from Nerja to Malaga, but so will a 30year old Ford Escort. A fine seafood platter may be accompanied by a Puligny­Montrachet ­ or a Lambrusco. Does our language not deserve a little care in its usage ­ at no extra cost?

One of the delights of the language is the introduction of humour in new words and phrases, such as ‘Trump is pants’ (useless) or ‘Johnson is toast’ (finished). This is very different from the careless examples above.

OceanGate LETTERS

I think that this was a disaster waiting to happen, all in the pursuit of financial profit.

I was born in Southampton and, as such, I feel that I have a personal link with Titanic. You can’t avoid it there, the museum, the monument, the history, etc.

I get the fascination, but $250,000 to visit what is tantamount to a stranger’s grave is verging on morbidity. If OceanGate OFFERED me $250,000 to go down in the submersible, my answer would be ‘Absolutely not!’, and I am not a wealthy person.

Over 1,500 people died on an ‘unsinkable’ ship. Was there not a lesson to be learned there somewhere?

Justification on the basis of scientific research is a nonsense, it’s all about financial gain.

There were aIso expert concerns, which appear to have been ignored, in 2018.

The dangerous circumstances, and common sense, would indicate that there would be little chance of an effective Plan B, should there be a serious malfunction.

I hope that OceanGate are funding the millions of dollars that the rescue attempt is costing, and that they face some sort of legal challenge.

I also hope that the passengers’ prayers are answered, but there were millionaires on Titanic as well, which was also regarded as ‘rock solid’, to quote OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush’s own words.

Regards

Les Coleman Mojacar

PS. Sorry if it sounds a bit like a Leapy Lee rant

Thank you

Hi Glenn

A big thank you for your support.

The Euro Weekly looks great and is a fabulous read!

Kind regards,

Lorraine Henshaw (President, European Union of Women Marina Alta)

Scotland stats

Hiya,

I always enjoy reading your column as one of the first things to do when we arrive back in Calahonda and pick up a paper.

Interesting stats on Scotland that I didn’t know but of course, I assumed they’d be living like royalty while the kids are leaving school half educated, but Queen Nicola is happy because violent rapists now have the choice to be gaoled in a women’s prison, and that is so much more important than the four x the usual rate of post natal deaths and twice the usual rate of spontaneous abortions.

Well Salmond was bad, Sturgeon was worse, but wait for Humza Crooked Yousaf!

He’ll be the Scots equivalent of Sheffield’s Magid Magid, 100 per cent Crook, mayor of Sheffield, (which he did more damage to than the Luftwaffe) and more recent Member of The European Parliament. ♂

Keep well.

Queen Nicola has to get out the uniform and go back to her old job.

Best Wishes, Jamie

JKJ Swanson

Rowdy travel

Loved your article on Ryanair’s ban on taking alcohol on board, having just had a similar experience on a BA flight. Yes, why the hell were they allowed on board in the first place, one could hardly stand, AND the group being served more on board?

We can rant on trying to find reasons, probably the cost of unloading all the baggage whilst on the runway ­ always financial, however I do take issue with the last sentence ‘not everyone likes to fly with drunken lads’. Well my experience was not even with lasses, five 40­year old women, absolutely embarrassing. I used my ‘How was your flight?’ email and got a reasonable response from BA. Thank you Euro Weekly News for highlighting this ever increasing problem.

Carol

Poor people

I have just spent a week in the UK to attend the christening of my grandson.

I have never experienced anything so bad in my life, there were scores of people, British people, begging. Why do our own citizens have to beg, sleep rough, have very little or no sanitation available whilst we give accommodation, money, mobile phones to thousands of immigrants.

What I witnessed has made me feel for these poor people. I have to say a succession of governments have given the United Kingdom away.

If the country was in this state in 1944 I doubt you would have had thousands of British soldiers running into a wall of German bullets, these soldiers gave their lives for Great Britain, they would not do it today because there is nothing left to save. Where I live you need an income or you simply get sent home, no handouts, they look after their own first. I am not racist in the slightest, but I think the government has no idea what the average British people think. A disgusted expat living abroad.

Terence, 69, been here for 10 years