Really? Whatever happened to the English language?

[anonymous-user]

Seen in a shop window this morning:

"Shop to let, require within"

Repeated on two separate posters, so not just an example of early morning brain fade.

[sunbeam alpine]

Drive slower next time - it's an ad for a plumber - Shop Toilet required within.

OK - I know that's not perfect either.

[Brainpox]

It's amazing how many people give zero fks about things they write for display in public areas.

My colleagues think I'm an oddball for getting irritated when people who should know what they are doing spell things completely wrong.

It makes us all look like idiots imo.

[phazed]

A lot of it is down to education , the quality and quantity.

Having employed hundreds in the building trade I have seen very good, acceptable and downright appalling use of English, (from the indigenous).

I also have four nephews who all had good private education and their English sparkles.

There are so many reasons why it’s bad, you can’t blame just one thing.

[anonymous-user]

phazed said:

A lot of it is down to education , the quality and quantity.

Having employed hundreds in the building trade I have seen very good, acceptable and downright appalling use of English, (from the indigenous).

I also have four nephews who all had good private education and their English sparkles.

There are so many reasons why it’s bad, you can’t blame just one thing.

In this case, being in Essex, I think we can probably blame all those celebrity programmes giving people the idea they are destined for great things, and an education will just slow them down..

Personally, it made the backs of my eyes hurt

[Jimmy Recard]

There are people who just don't care about it. I saw a shop this morning advertising Meile kitchen appliances in the window. Some people somehow wouldn't even notice that there was a mistake

That one isn't an example of bad English, but it's an example of lazy attitudes to spelling accuracy

[yellowjack]

Jimmy Recard said:

There are people who just don't care about it. I saw a shop this morning advertising Meile kitchen appliances in the window...

Maybe they are counterfeit appliances?

[GetCarter]

I'm always amazed by politicians not knowing how to pronounce nuclear, and police; burglary.

[Shakermaker]

GetCarter said:

I'm always amazed by politicians not knowing how to pronounce nuclear, and police; burglary.

Nuc-u-lar. It's pronounced nuc-u-lar

[GetCarter]

In case any politicians or police are reading. This is how you do it:

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definit...

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definit...

[sgtBerbatov]

Ah semantics. It's the difference between knowing your st, and knowing you're st.

But are we being too hard on certain crayon munchers when we insist on using there, they're and their, which sound the same but mean different things?

[phazed]

You and I know the difference, shouldn’t they.

It is their first language.

[Ayahuasca]

GetCarter said:

I'm always amazed by politicians not knowing how to pronounce nuclear, and police; burglary.

Which politicians cannot spell police?

[GetCarter]

Ayahuasca said:

GetCarter said:

I'm always amazed by politicians not knowing how to pronounce nuclear, and police; burglary.

Which politicians cannot spell police?

Did you not notice the comma?

[Ayahuasca]

GetCarter said:

Ayahuasca said:

GetCarter said:

I'm always amazed by politicians not knowing how to pronounce nuclear, and police; burglary.

Which politicians cannot spell police?

Did you not notice the comma?

Yes, (comma) I did. So, (comma) which politicians cannot spell police?

[GetCarter]

Ayahuasca said:

GetCarter said:

Ayahuasca said:

GetCarter said:

I'm always amazed by politicians not knowing how to pronounce nuclear, and police; burglary.

Which politicians cannot spell police?

Did you not notice the comma?

Yes, (comma) I did. So, (comma) which politicians cannot spell police?

Well (comma) the semicolon should inform!

FFS

[Ahbefive]

Ayahuasca said:

GetCarter said:

I'm always amazed by politicians not knowing how to pronounce nuclear, and police; burglary.

Which politicians cannot spell police?

Did you not notice the semicolon?

[Dromedary66]

As a high ranking Grammar Nazi I am on GetCarter's side on this. He has displayed perfect use of a coordinating conjunction with a semicolon.

[Ari]

Except no one mentioned spelling in that post!

[Ari]

phazed said:

You and I know the difference, shouldn’t they.

It is their first language.

Nah grandad, it's just the language evolving innit.