Banned Words

tgotb

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

+1 I'd just like to buy a sandwich; I don't want to be shouted at because I can't reel off EXACTLY what bread, butter/marge, main filling, secondary filling, salad, etc. I want without hesitation, deviation or repetition.

It's a two-way street. Many years ago I had a staple order of turkey and bacon with cranberry and mayo, no butter, on malted bread. The sandwich makers' success rate was about 1 in 7. The nadir was discovering, on returning to my desk, that I had a white bread mayo and jam sandwich...

Whereas, if you went to Pret and picked what you wanted off the shelf, you'd know what you were getting. You could also pay for it and get out almost immediately, because the manufacturing process hasn't been integrated into the purchasing process.

cyclingprop

msmancunia wrote:

The "can I get.." got on my nerves so much I decided to have a one-woman protest and say "please may I have.?". It's not until you start doing it that you realise that shop assistants/baristas/counter staff/waiters etc are just a lot nicer when you do.

+1. Please may I have, and similar polite requests work wonders.

rjsterry

TGOTB wrote:

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

+1 I'd just like to buy a sandwich; I don't want to be shouted at because I can't reel off EXACTLY what bread, butter/marge, main filling, secondary filling, salad, etc. I want without hesitation, deviation or repetition.

It's a two-way street. Many years ago I had a staple order of turkey and bacon with cranberry and mayo, no butter, on malted bread. The sandwich makers' success rate was about 1 in 7. The nadir was discovering, on returning to my desk, that I had a white bread mayo and jam sandwich...

Whereas, if you went to Pret and picked what you wanted off the shelf, you'd know what you were getting. You could also pay for it and get out almost immediately, because the manufacturing process hasn't been integrated into the purchasing process.

Off the shelf sandwiches are never big enough for me, and are generally overpriced. I much prefer buying bread and fillings and making my own each day.

warreng

I was at the Leith Hill tower a couple of weeks ago sitting by the hatch taking a breather and a couple of lads ordered a coffee by asking "I'm after a coffee" which I'm presuming is the newer version of "Can I get.."

If that was you, you need looking at.

warreng

My wife teaches French and German in Sutton which is great fun given that the starting point is that she doesn't understand a word they are saying in English to begin with

She shrugged her shoulder at this and said it's just a well-meaning attempt at a failing school to try and get the pupils to understand that they may need to moderate their language if they want to appeal to the wider public when looking for work. They simply do not know and don't get feedback at home that the majority of the public think they sound thick and hence limiting their options when looking for work

veronese68

I would love to hear somebody reply to "Can I get..." with "No, I have to do it for you."

mr_ribble

WarrenG wrote:

I was at the Leith Hill tower a couple of weeks ago sitting by the hatch taking a breather and a couple of lads ordered a coffee by asking "I'm after a coffee" which I'm presuming is the newer version of "Can I get.."

If that was you, you need looking at.

Maybe the person in front of him in the queue was called Albert Coffee, and he was simply proclaiming his hierarchical order.

That is, "I am after A. Coffee."

warreng

When the idiot said "I'm after a coffee" my riding partner said "You've come to the right place then, you daft git" I had a little chuckle. He can do these things as he's 6' 8"

rjsterry

WarrenG wrote:

My wife teaches French and German in Sutton which is great fun given that the starting point is that she doesn't understand a word they are saying in English to begin with

She shrugged her shoulder at this and said it's just a well-meaning attempt at a failing school to try and get the pupils to understand that they may need to moderate their language if they want to appeal to the wider public when looking for work. They simply do not know and don't get feedback at home that the majority of the public think they sound thick and hence limiting their options when looking for work

Former failing school, it's a Harris Academy now! Unless you are suggesting that Harris Academies aren't quite the educational utopia that they purport to be .

I think the basic premise is very worthwhile; I just think that a ban is the wrong way to go about it, and likely to be doomed from the start.

BTW, I can't say I've noticed that Sutton's, err, dialect is particularly incomprehensible, but then maybe for you posh lot over in Epsom...

warreng

rjsterry wrote:

WarrenG wrote:

My wife teaches French and German in Sutton which is great fun given that the starting point is that she doesn't understand a word they are saying in English to begin with

She shrugged her shoulder at this and said it's just a well-meaning attempt at a failing school to try and get the pupils to understand that they may need to moderate their language if they want to appeal to the wider public when looking for work. They simply do not know and don't get feedback at home that the majority of the public think they sound thick and hence limiting their options when looking for work

Former failing school, it's a Harris Academy now! Unless you are suggesting that Harris Academies aren't quite the educational utopia that they purport to be .

I think the basic premise is very worthwhile; I just think that a ban is the wrong way to go about it, and likely to be doomed from the start.

BTW, I can't say I've noticed that Sutton's, err, dialect is particularly incomprehensible, but then maybe for you posh lot over in Epsom...

I'm sure it's fine!! I bet the Head is ruing the day the idea was born though

andyb78

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

Gallywomack wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

But British English, especially in London is so Americanised these days.... I cringe when I'm on a coffee place and I hear people say "Yeah, can I get a....".... Can I GET! It's just grates on me for some reason...

Mrs EKE is generally very well spoken but she says "Can I get...". I pull her up on it every time.

It's all so pervasive though. I haven't succumbed to 'can I ged' yet, but ordering a sandwich - I can't even think how to specify the kind of bread I want without saying 'on white' or 'on granary' or whatever. If I do try and avoid the Americanism, I end up coming out with some awkward phrasing like 'salt beef please...made with rye bread...'. OK, on paper that looks fine, but try uttering those words in the high-pressure environment of a City sandwich shop and you sound like a total rube...er dufus...er plonker.

Yeah. If you're feeling the pressure as a customer, imagine what the staff must be feeling!

The "can I get...?" thing. Do people object to (a) "can"; (b) "get"; (c) "can" and "get"?

(c) both - shouldn't it be "may I have?"

team47b

andyb78 wrote:

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

Gallywomack wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

But British English, especially in London is so Americanised these days.... I cringe when I'm on a coffee place and I hear people say "Yeah, can I get a....".... Can I GET! It's just grates on me for some reason...

Mrs EKE is generally very well spoken but she says "Can I get...". I pull her up on it every time.

It's all so pervasive though. I haven't succumbed to 'can I ged' yet, but ordering a sandwich - I can't even think how to specify the kind of bread I want without saying 'on white' or 'on granary' or whatever. If I do try and avoid the Americanism, I end up coming out with some awkward phrasing like 'salt beef please...made with rye bread...'. OK, on paper that looks fine, but try uttering those words in the high-pressure environment of a City sandwich shop and you sound like a total rube...er dufus...er plonker.

Yeah. If you're feeling the pressure as a customer, imagine what the staff must be feeling!

The "can I get...?" thing. Do people object to (a) "can"; (b) "get"; (c) "can" and "get"?

(c) both - shouldn't it be "may I have?"

As english is an evolving language and you as a native speaker represent a minority of around 15%...

Wouldn't "shouldn't" be 'couldn't'?

(I actually agree with you but just wanted to use that last sentence)

Agent57

I don't know where I've picked up this particular habit from, but I've started starting sentences with "so" or "OK, so..." I hate what I've become.

CiB

Agent57 wrote:

I don't know where I've picked up this particular habit from, but I've started starting sentences with "so" or "OK, so..." I hate what I've become.

Nerve gas for you then young fellah me-lad. Sorry, but it's the only option.

The coffee shop request is easily dealt with without dropping into an overly prim "please may I have..." with the simple response to "yes sir..." by stating clearly & simply "I'd like a white coffee please" followed soon after with "thanks for that" (or "thank you miss" depending on context, or quality of serving girl).

Re OP the best option would be to wheel in Miles Jupp to introduce a semblance of respectability to these oiks' language skills. That or just line them up against the wall for repeated offences against the mother tongue. Sometimes it's the best way.

rick_chasey

Anyone, ANYONE, who uses 'going forward'.

What's wrong with 'in [the] future' or 'from hereon in' or even 'from now on' ????

graham.

Rick Chasey wrote:

Anyone, ANYONE, who uses 'going forward'.

What's wrong with 'in [the] future' or 'from hereon in' or even 'from now on' ????

I had the pleasure of seeing a financial planer on Monday. She used that hideous phrase several times, so in the interest of research, I started counting...Twelve times she said it*, and never once could I see what context it bore, or what relation it had to what she was saying.
It came across as some sort of nervous tic...mild Tourette's even.



* Bear in mind, this was after I started counting!

Widgey

The term 'banter' and people saying 'how much' when they really mean to say how many. for example the other day at work a colleague asked how much people are attending.. grr..

mtb-idle

'For sure' gets me too. I can understand a non-native English speaker using it as it was originally used by Cancellara and the like but everyone uses it now and it's really annoying.

Oh and I loved this bit from WILTY (@ 19.20)when David Mitchell claimed he was forced to abandon the purchase of an armchair mid-purchase when the sales assistant used the terms 'well jel' and 'amazeballs'

rick_chasey

MTB-Idle wrote:

'For sure' gets me too. I can understand a non-native English speaker using it as it was originally used by Cancellara and the like but everyone uses it now and it's really annoying.

Oh and I loved this bit from WILTY (@ 19.20)when David Mitchell claimed he was forced to abandon the purchase of an armchair mid-purchase when the sales assistant used the terms 'well jel' and 'amazeballs'

I say for sure a lot.

rick_chasey

On the subject of grammar...

daviesee

Rick Chasey wrote:

MTB-Idle wrote:

'For sure' gets me too. I can understand a non-native English speaker using it as it was originally used by Cancellara and the like but everyone uses it now and it's really annoying.

Oh and I loved this bit from WILTY (@ 19.20)when David Mitchell claimed he was forced to abandon the purchase of an armchair mid-purchase when the sales assistant used the terms 'well jel' and 'amazeballs'

I say for sure a lot.

Going forward, I would suggest that you stop that.

ChuckWoking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vf8N6GpdM

mtb-idle

Rick Chasey wrote:

MTB-Idle wrote:

'For sure' gets me too. I can understand a non-native English speaker using it as it was originally used by Cancellara and the like but everyone uses it now and it's really annoying.

Oh and I loved this bit from WILTY (@ 19.20)when David Mitchell claimed he was forced to abandon the purchase of an armchair mid-purchase when the sales assistant used the terms 'well jel' and 'amazeballs'

I say for sure a lot.

exactly :evil:

mudcow007

sweet baby jesus, you should hear all the crap that kids say around these ends of the woods


"err i was at me birds like last night lad an tha 5-0 turned up kid...had to do a dusty didnt i"

kids should come with subtitles

BelgianBeerGeek

More language facism going on:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bi ... m-24941692

Why can't schools focus more on teaching stuff and less on what the kids sound like?

greg66_tri_v2.0

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

More language facism going on:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bi ... m-24941692

Why can't schools focus more on teaching stuff and less on what the kids sound like?

I'd like to see a zero tolerance attitude to the use of the phrase "zero tolerance".

daviesee

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

More language facism going on:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bi ... m-24941692

Why can't schools focus more on teaching stuff and less on what the kids sound like?

All very good until said pupils travel and find out that no one can understand them.
The school is basically trying to ensure that they are bilingual, in English.