tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post5202454546123181748..comments2023-07-10T10:57:18.522+01:00Comments on The Magistrates' Blog: I've Done It AgainBystander http://www.blogger.com/profile/10211688955428527960noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-26435602566884419302014-06-02T22:21:59.218+01:002014-06-02T22:21:59.218+01:00A lengthy and hugely busy non-CPS court today prod...A lengthy and hugely busy non-CPS court today produced many examples of bureaucratic jargon, but I winced audibly when one of those applying for utility warrants said that it was his intention to "de-energise" the property that afternoon, provided no children or vulnerable adults were found on the premises. I never did find out whether there was any difference between de-energising and disconnecting a property from mains gas or electricity. Kate Caveatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-24081126656463023942014-05-31T11:09:20.522+01:002014-05-31T11:09:20.522+01:00You mean it should be little EU boy ?You mean it should be little EU boy ?Tony Frostnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-3492827984321126282014-05-28T14:36:02.180+01:002014-05-28T14:36:02.180+01:00I do wonder whether that is better or worse than c...I do wonder whether that is better or worse than casual racism.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-32152721661000239132014-05-21T11:41:15.752+01:002014-05-21T11:41:15.752+01:00Language is, as someone pointed out above, a serva...Language is, as someone pointed out above, a servant not a master, and changes with time; even your most formal judgement would be virtually unrecognisable to an Englishman of 500 years ago, and will be unrecognisable 500 years hence.<br /><br />Anyone trying to preserve the language in amber is Cnut standing on the shore, and many of the 'ancient' rules they try to defend were invented out of whole cloth in the 19th century.<br /><br />Overall James Nicoll had it best:<br /><br />"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and riffle their pockets for new vocabulary."Fitzroynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-63588702590757567462014-05-20T23:59:54.078+01:002014-05-20T23:59:54.078+01:00I don't have a problem with new words. Languag...I don't have a problem with new words. Language is a servant, not a master. The only rule is to not mistreat it - that is a deliberately split infinitive, since "not to do" is different from "to NOT do".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-89342417274493391382014-05-20T16:27:04.698+01:002014-05-20T16:27:04.698+01:00It may well be, but at least it follows the somewh...It may well be, but at least it follows the somewhat standard English pattern of noun and verb. (eg a robber robs, a driver drives, a hammer hams).<br /><br />Hopefully I didn't make any mistakes in this post or I'll have to come back and editorize it. (Edit is also a back-formation)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-15262772242752928412014-05-19T22:05:54.776+01:002014-05-19T22:05:54.776+01:00It is a typical Americanism: trying to sound obje...It is a typical Americanism: trying to sound objective and official, their lack of vocabulary quickly defeats them.Tony Frostnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-3892363064574154242014-05-19T13:01:13.844+01:002014-05-19T13:01:13.844+01:00What gets on my last nerve is American tv shows wh...What gets on my last nerve is American tv shows where they 'proceeded to proceed along the sidewalk' in order to 'burglurize' an appartment.Jim Carvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-10679967019697518132014-05-19T09:30:55.052+01:002014-05-19T09:30:55.052+01:00I am grateful to m'learned friend, but I shall...I am grateful to m'learned friend, but I shall keep an open mind.Bystander https://www.blogger.com/profile/10211688955428527960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-55946762655669466982014-05-19T08:23:54.084+01:002014-05-19T08:23:54.084+01:00Sadly you weren't. As with so many wonderful C...Sadly you weren't. As with so many wonderful Churchill quotations it is misattributed:<br /><br />(http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001715.html)Fitzroynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-73061950813072322342014-05-18T16:01:43.238+01:002014-05-18T16:01:43.238+01:00Reminds me of the Little Belgian Boy, whom noone r...Reminds me of the Little Belgian Boy, whom noone remembers, who did the same deed, but was standing on the other side of the dyke ;-)Ole Phat Stuhttp://www.savory.de/blog.htmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-75722816580477305182014-05-18T09:33:24.026+01:002014-05-18T09:33:24.026+01:00Anonymous John, Should that not be 'examine fo...Anonymous John, Should that not be 'examine forensically'?Newchodgenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-76206093022537015862014-05-18T01:39:50.824+01:002014-05-18T01:39:50.824+01:00You probably don't realise "burgle" ...You probably don't realise "burgle" is a back-formation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-83517827539904459492014-05-17T23:37:12.624+01:002014-05-17T23:37:12.624+01:00I fear that Bystander is the Little Dutch Boy, hav...I fear that Bystander is the Little Dutch Boy, having heard American news reporters use "forensicate" on the US evening news. You cannot plug the dyke against the deluge of Americanisms.Kimpatsuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06156184889287692016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-60173745308698705772014-05-17T16:57:03.707+01:002014-05-17T16:57:03.707+01:00I hope so too, but I fear for the language. I was ...I hope so too, but I fear for the language. I was in the pub this very lunchtime when some barbarian said "can I get a Coke?". Bah!Bystander https://www.blogger.com/profile/10211688955428527960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-42819606406528491192014-05-17T16:05:02.919+01:002014-05-17T16:05:02.919+01:00I hope it's a long time before the American te...I hope it's a long time before the American term "Burglarize" arrives here. Presumably a person who burglarizes a house is known as a burglarizer?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-19264124957453736592014-05-17T07:39:58.253+01:002014-05-17T07:39:58.253+01:00Forensicated : anagram of Forties Dance...Forensicated : anagram of Forties Dance...Ole Phat Stuhttp://www.savory.de/blog.htmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-10970859842089166822014-05-16T14:33:03.842+01:002014-05-16T14:33:03.842+01:00I believe that this should be put to a vote by L&#...I believe that this should be put to a vote by L'Académie Anglais (whose august members are known as "les incompréhensibles" due to their motto, "Eschew Obfuscation"). Why (you may well inquire) are they so titled in French? Because French is the only pure language extant. Just ask a native francophone.Old Geezernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-62332633876679137542014-05-16T12:43:25.253+01:002014-05-16T12:43:25.253+01:00I was, I believe, quoting Winston Churchill. I was, I believe, quoting Winston Churchill. Bystander https://www.blogger.com/profile/10211688955428527960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-90108194331906153522014-05-16T12:22:25.270+01:002014-05-16T12:22:25.270+01:00The word is under review with the Collins English ...The word is under review with the Collins English dictionary. English is a living language and there is a perceived need for a shorter term for "forensically examine"Anonymous Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-42082105230882046432014-05-16T12:05:14.843+01:002014-05-16T12:05:14.843+01:00"(...) atrocities up with which I will not p..."(...) atrocities up with which I will not put."<br /><br />Wow! If I may say so, Sir. <br />Do I take it "atrocities I will not put up with" would be an atrocity?Italian lawyernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-35143531743308711282014-05-16T10:24:26.538+01:002014-05-16T10:24:26.538+01:00I blame CSI...:-) I blame CSI...:-) SouthLondonJPnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-21796234624670511332014-05-16T08:30:36.156+01:002014-05-16T08:30:36.156+01:00Quite right too. Our friends across the pond are p...Quite right too. Our friends across the pond are particularly fond of this kind of linguistic abuse and, inevitably, it's happening here now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-26481533308446885112014-05-16T06:53:46.647+01:002014-05-16T06:53:46.647+01:00Using the American pronunciation of harassment and...Using the American pronunciation of harassment and harass is my personal bete noire.WelshMagnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727871367480602637.post-64313220324093504282014-05-15T22:44:01.082+01:002014-05-15T22:44:01.082+01:00Everyone knows it should be forensicked.Everyone knows it should be forensicked.Tony Frostnoreply@blogger.com