ABSOLUTELY!

[Dusty]

Thanks, Bob. I'll get my coat.

I also confess to possessing a well-thumbed thesaurus and dictionary; one of each at home and in the office. For some reason, colleagues seemed bemused by this. However, I'm using the interweb thingy more for that nowadays.

[bobtail]

Oh no don't leave please I'll be all on my own then and the Grand Master will be throwing split infinitives and all sorts at me.

Bob

[Phmode]

I always thought Thesauri were a very small lizard from the crustacean period!

Mine is very wrinkled!

Brian (so, like, absolutely no takers for the competition then? )

[TomL]

Personally I don't think that it matters so long as we understand what is being said. I think that it is a shame if someone doesn't post because they are not too sure on their spelling or grammar or where they should put their apostrophes.

[bobtail]

Personally I don't think that it matters so long as we understand what is being said. I think that it is a shame if someone doesn't post because they are not too sure on their spelling or grammar or where they should put their apostrophes.

Tom, I've no problem with that.

 It's the general misuse in the media and wider afield with the 'latching' onto certain words/phrases that really gets to me which are then used completely out of context and tend to go  on and on.....

Bob

[Dusty]

You are, of course, quite correct, Tom and I'd hate anyone to be put off posting in the forum. However, in the business and broadcasting worlds, I do think it's important that we can demonstrate the correct use of English, especially as most Britons are so poor at foreign languages. I am constantly humbled by other nationalities' ability to speak English and embarrassed when they do it better than we do!

[Phmode]

Absolutely. I don't think there was any criticism of the way we interact in here.

The rant was all about those who SHOULD know better, using incorrect words and phrases in places where it should and does matter; that's the bit that drives me insane. If they can't get it right, where the hell do your kids and grandkids go to get it right? I don't care, I don't have any of either, at least not for tax purposes 

Brian (who doesn't mind as long as nobody complains about those of us who 'try' to write as though it were a letter to our bank manager; remember those?)

PS And picking up on Dusty's point, if I could speak as many languages, let alone write in them, as for example, Costas, then I would be a happy bunny. With my appalling command of other languages however, I can get thrown out of a bar in most countries of the world 

[TomL]

With the grammar that many of us learnt at school most of us would not know an infinitive let alone a split one.

It takes trying to learn another language, even at evening class level, when you realise how little we are taught about English grammar. I hadn't even heard of stuff such as past participles and pluperfect tenses until I tried to learn a bit of German. Don't test me though because I've forgotten most of it.

[Phmode]

I must have gone to an exceptional secondary modern (remember them) although I'm not sure the young me thought that. Whilst I wouldn't say we had it beaten into us, gross displeasure was shown toward those who disrespected HMTQ's English. All right, we had it beaten into us!

It is strange how I have forgotten most of the technical aspects of the language but I can remember the thrashings to this day. I also have a dread of the English mistress coming back to haunt me if I ever tresspass.

I never used to notice the slippage of the spoken and written word until about 30 years ago, sort of the beginnings of the home computer age, when keyboards began to replace fountain pens (remember those) and spooling mishtooks became common-place.

The abuse of the language on facebook and twitter fills me with hatred, particularly when so many of the world's children are fighting to learn our language and to speak and write it proper like.

I was watching a programme on t.v. last night in which Swedish families were speaking English, almost flawlessly in terms of accent and absolutely beautifully in terms of the choice and use of words. Compared to the British families in the programme, there was a marked and embarrassing difference.

Brian (what mussed apologies to his inglich teech, like)

[bobtail]

Wholeheartedly agree with all the sentiments expressed so far.

Brian, I have some friends in Finland (little town called Jyvaskyla couple of hundred miles north from Helsinki) it all began with a school exchange and I , too, was amazed at the near perfect English that they all spoke. It is of course their second language and all schoolchildren are brought up on English not only as a spoken language but a written one as well. I haven't bothered trying to learn Finnish they reckon it is one of the most difficult languages to get your tongue around....but they all speak English!

On another note (mini rant). I had to attend a Flintshire County Council meeting the other week and I was appalled at the numerous spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, typos., etc. etc. This was a full blown council meeting with various head honchos in attendance and you would have thought that someone would have proof read the various papers that were presented wouldn't you but obviously not(even with the many spellchecks available these days). The error that leapt out of the page for me was on the agenda sheet........wait for it.........told you to wait didn't I.......Well Come
to the meeting! I mean come on people!

Bob

[TomL]

It got through the spell check which means it is fine.

You get a true insight into who you're dealing with because most of them now don't have secretaries. You get it straight from their own fair fingers.

[chriscanning]

This thread has made smile I spent 2 hours in an NHS drop in centre on Monday night because my GP couldn't see me till friday the most common word was innit not used as fun but an every day word most of the grown ups got their eight year old kids to fill the form in and the topic of conversation next to me was how they knew someone who was going to work in China but why would you want to do that because they only pay for the first two children plenty money in the UK

And you lot are on about grammar rather a quaint idea you guys at the back of the room need to keep up with what is going on in this country it's going down the pan at a hundred miles an hour 'You know what I mean Innit.

[Phmode]

One reason why I love the less modernised parts of France. You walk into a cake shop and almost everyone greets you; staff and customers.

The niceties of good manners still hold. Groups of kids meet up outside a bar and they shake hands and peck the girls on the cheek. They somehow seem to be able to enjoy themselves without making a spectacle of themselves and terrifying the whole town.

Young children manage to sit at a table and eat real food with a knife and fork, unless they making a racket in which case you know they are English.

Italy last year was exactly the same. Just like England used to be in my youth!

Brian (who tries to speak French when strolling round the supermarket so nobody thinks he is English)

[chriscanning]

My wife's cousin has lived in Helsinki for last 15 years just like the UK when I was kid.

[JackSnipe]

We can be too hung up on correct written grammar but as long as the communication is fully understand all is well by me. But the lamentable lack of a decent education for far too many of my fellow countryman concerns me. After all as a couple both my wife and I  (No children) have paid handsomely in Taxes to see too many gormless slobs (Of all classes and races) turning out of our Schools system. They appear to have little ambition apart from the odd tattoo and smart phone and then copulation takes place and the same old sorry cycle starts all over again. Whilst we have got protected Fauntleroy's  like Cammer's in charge nothing will change as he is too far away from this scourge. He has never seen it let alone rubbed shoulders with them.  Me I have no answer but if Cammer's gets in on a minority Government it will not last long and I look forward to a more centered Labour party arising finally able to tackle the wasteland of dross on the margins of our society and the corrupt a lot further up the food change. This will take leadership and drive and it is not too apparent where at this stage that will come from.

JS
(Lives in Hope)