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Is anyone else disappointed by declining standards in spoken English in Britain?
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There is a difference between a conversation between friends and something less informal such as a news report, or a job interview. My concern is the overuse of some words, such as 'big' and 'like' in particular, and inflation of words, so that 'excellent' is used where something would have been described as 'good' ten years ago.
yh
i iz alsoo disapoynted wiv da standered of riten inglish two
i iz alsoo disapoynted wiv da standered of riten inglish two
(edited 10 years ago)
I'm northern so I doubt we'd get along at all..
In answer to the question of whether I am disappointed or not: no. The level of spoken English in Britain doesn't really concern me all that much. I can't imagine why how everybody else speaks would disappoint anybody, to be honest. You are acting like a parent to the nation.
Plus, I think you've scoped in on all of those people who don't speak English very well and ignored everybody else that does. How many news presenters are there? Take the reciprocal of that number, multiply it by one-hundred and you have a nice percentage for the number of apparently 'ill-fit' news presenters out there (of which you have brought to attention, anyway). Doesn't seem like a disappointing figure to me.
In answer to the question of whether I am disappointed or not: no. The level of spoken English in Britain doesn't really concern me all that much. I can't imagine why how everybody else speaks would disappoint anybody, to be honest. You are acting like a parent to the nation.
Plus, I think you've scoped in on all of those people who don't speak English very well and ignored everybody else that does. How many news presenters are there? Take the reciprocal of that number, multiply it by one-hundred and you have a nice percentage for the number of apparently 'ill-fit' news presenters out there (of which you have brought to attention, anyway). Doesn't seem like a disappointing figure to me.
I clicked on this post ready to rant at you, but you make a convincing point. I can't stand the idea of the BBC being so scared of seeming conservative and old-fashioned that they go to completely the other extreme.
Original post by Foo.mp3
Perhaps you'd like to see children presenting the news too?
I'll take a lecture on pretentiousness when you:
A) Grasp the gravity of the situation re: broken Britain
B) Don't conflate passion and necessary elucidation with pretentiousness
C) Are anything approaching a peer of mine
..thanks sweetie
You'll go far
Quelle surprise!
I'll take a lecture on pretentiousness when you:
A) Grasp the gravity of the situation re: broken Britain
B) Don't conflate passion and necessary elucidation with pretentiousness
C) Are anything approaching a peer of mine
..thanks sweetie
You'll go far
Quelle surprise!
Thank you for replying to my post like such a condescending ****; I wonder what I did to earn the honour. You posted this thread on the internet asking for opinions and you got them, sweetie. No need to be such a tool about it.
I fail to see how this is representative of 'broken Britain'. She hardly came on saying "Yo, bruv let's see wagwarn", she was speaking fine English and sounded to me like an intelligent woman; hardly a poster child for broken Britain because her accent deviates slightly from what you deem to be 'proper'.
I also fail to see what the hell my race has to do with this and why you felt the need to include those rolling eyes. I have a standard Birmingham accent, the same as most of my peers be they white, black, asian or a mixture of the above. I'm sure most of them would share my sentiments as well. So there's no need for your "quelle surprise!" just because I stated I'm mixed-race you absolute piece of ****.
I wish you could understand how angry your last comment has just made me.Even our local news in the north where I live is read by people with RP accents, let alone the national news. Not that I have ever wanted to be a newsreader, but if I did I wouldn't exactly be inspired - I could be the most intelligent person on the planet and I wouldn't be allowed to read the news just because I say words in a minimally different way. And yet the One Show for example has been presented by a brummie, a welsh lady, a geordie, a manc, etc., and nobody had a meltdown. What's so special about the news? It's bizarre.
There is no such a thing as declining standard of spoken English. Back in the Shakespearean days the language spoken was completely different and every year, there are new words introduced to the dictionary, including new rules. Also, I think that in 30-40 years time, our language will consist of slang and words like you will change into "u", possibly? For "4" and other text slang crap.
Original post by Leon Trotsky
Or is it just the way black people speak that annoys you?
Not only back people but Indians too. I think a lot of peo0ple hate being put through to Indian call centres as they cannot be understood.
Original post by Foo.mp3
You don't read the news yo 
It ain't my fault that my vocabulary skills are ill.
Original post by Foo.mp3
In general, or in that screen capture in particular? 
In general, I can't get through a broadcast without wanting to punch her!
Nope, I used to be ..but then I stopped being an arrogant little tool.
Original post by Leon Trotsky
Did you seriously send that to the BBC? 
How would you like reporters on the BBC to speak? Are regional accents alright with you? Or is it just the way black people speak that annoys you?
How would you like reporters on the BBC to speak? Are regional accents alright with you? Or is it just the way black people speak that annoys you?This.
It's a bit weird when one walks down a street and almost everyone seems to be speaking Polish, it's an issue when immigration policy refuses to tackle the lack of English fluency amongst the incomers, but language itself evolves and has been said, what's next? Assaulting regional accents?
English itself is always evolving just as it always has (from it's earlier Germanic roots) so there is no issue there.
Original post by Foo.mp3
Compelling contribution. Thank ye
nooo problim
Original post by moutonfou
Even our local news in the north where I live is read by people with RP accents, let alone the national news. Not that I have ever wanted to be a newsreader, but if I did I wouldn't exactly be inspired - I could be the most intelligent person on the planet and I wouldn't be allowed to read the news just because I say words in a minimally different way. And yet the One Show for example has been presented by a brummie, a welsh lady, a geordie, a manc, etc., and nobody had a meltdown. What's so special about the news? It's bizarre.
You want news to be delivered clearly and with a good speed, because of its importance. News is formal, and 'one show' is informal.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Foo.mp3
Compelling contribution. Thank ye
Where do you live, OP?
Original post by The Lyceum
Dear OP,
Phonological differences occur, deal with. Secondly I'd be much more worried over syntax if I were you.
" Is anyone else disappointed by declining standards in spoken English in Britain?"
Really ought to be declining standard (note singular) of spoken English etc. (note genitive construction).
Your usage of the plural and a locative construction is the kind of colloquialism you apparently detest, no?
You're not a linguist, you're not the arbiter of the English tongue.
Shocking.
Phonological differences occur, deal with. Secondly I'd be much more worried over syntax if I were you.
" Is anyone else disappointed by declining standards in spoken English in Britain?"
Really ought to be declining standard (note singular) of spoken English etc. (note genitive construction).
Your usage of the plural and a locative construction is the kind of colloquialism you apparently detest, no?
You're not a linguist, you're not the arbiter of the English tongue.
Shocking.
A very sardonic response indeed!
Original post by najinaji
Personally, I could listen to this man all day:
Personally, I could listen to this man all day:
That guy looks so much like Michael Palin comically presenting the "straight man" in a Python sketch.
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