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cameron calls Calais refugees a "bunch of migrants"

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Original post by abruiseonthesky
:rolleyes: that is more of a definition and you've used it as a verb.


We English are dreadful, aren't we? We turn nouns into verbs and verbs into nouns at the drop of an adjective.

I bet a lot of hotel owners have celebrated upon being told a swarm of tourists was about to arrive. And bar owners are delighted to welcome a swarm of journalists through their doors.
Original post by Jammy Duel
They aren't a swarm. Time for my favourite activity: getting out a dictionary when people say somethign silly.

Swarm, verb,

move somewhere in large numbers.

Have the migrants moved? Yes. Are they in large numbers? Well, if not what is?


My problem with his use of the word swarm (noun) is the connotation of the word. What's the noun most commonly associated with? Insects; specifically locusts. Not really positive.
Original post by Good bloke
We English are dreadful, aren't we? We turn nouns into verbs and verbs into nouns at the drop of an adjective.

I bet a lot of hotel owners have celebrated upon being told a swarm of tourists was about to arrive. And bar owners are delighted to welcome a swarm of journalists through their doors.


Because whether it's a verb or a noun is totally unimportants here.

You do understand this little thing called 'context', right?
Original post by abruiseonthesky
My problem with his use of the word swarm (noun) is the connotation of the word. What's the noun most commonly associated with? Insects; specifically locusts. Not really positive.


You know you are well on your way to success in the argument when those who are against you spend all their time and energy criticising some part of the language you have used and concede on the substantive issue.

In this case the complainers are so concerned with the nuances of one word that they have conceded (and even highlighted, in fact) that the migrants' behaviour is, indeed, unacceptable and involves using their high numbers to attempt to climb security fences and force entry and be a nuisance to the country they seek entry to.
Original post by abruiseonthesky
Because whether it's a verb or a noun is totally unimportants here.

You do understand this little thing called 'context', right?


Yup, the swarm of migrants tends to swarm around cars and lorries, and to swarm up security fences and makes itself a perfect nuisance, not to say menace.

You really should try not to get your knickers in a bunch about the use of innocuous words like "bunch" and "swarm" because, if you do, you invest them with an importance they didn't actually have. You have highlighted the nature of the Calais migrants as pests, nuisances, to be got rid of.
Original post by abruiseonthesky
I'm not sure this is worth talking about when he's called them a 'swarm' before. He won't mind me calling him and his pals a swarm of Etonian spongers, will he.


He probably doesn't care, he's been called much worse haha! :wink:
In all fairness, I agree. When Corbyn went to visit them, they were taking 'selfies' with him on their iPhones. I genuinely don't think they're too hard done to. (I also believe they ARE migrants and not refugees, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)
Semantics, anyone with half a brain cell doesn't mither over these "problems".
Original post by Squirrel777
He is definitely right. If they were real refugees they would claim asylum in France. They are economic migrants. They are violent savages. We do not want rats like that on our streets


These two equivalent?

Rats, yeah. Totally.
Original post by abruiseonthesky
My problem with his use of the word swarm (noun) is the connotation of the word. What's the noun most commonly associated with? Insects; specifically locusts. Not really positive.


The scenes of the migrants attacking the lorries and authorities resembled locust attacks and was very swarm like. What do you say to that?
What's the problem? Are they not migrants?

Is there not a bunch of them?
Original post by TheOneMusketeer
These two equivalent?

Rats, yeah. Totally.


Oh come off it, there was no implication (regardless of whether you agree with the implication that those in Calais are violent) that they thought the two were equivalent and you know that perfectly well.
(edited 8 years ago)
SEMANTICS!! Semantics everywhere and not a drop of common sense to find.

Seriously who cares? Oh no he said 'swarm' he said 'bunch' how he refers to more than one person really bothers me, you shouldnt call soldiers 'troops' because thats also the name of a group of monkeys and you dont want to be racially insensitive, dont say its a 'school' in case children get offended because fish have rubbish memories and they're not thick!!!!

Utter nonsense, no wonder the world is so awful when this is what bothers people
Original post by abruiseonthesky
Because whether it's a verb or a noun is totally unimportants here.

You do understand this little thing called 'context', right?


You clearly don't understand context.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Large group is a better description. Bunch may have been used as a wind-up or to get publicity to deflect from something else.
Original post by AlwaysWatching
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/pmqs-david-cameron-calais-refugees-bunch-of-migrants-jeremy-corbyn-a6836566.html

Is he right?

I think he is. They aren't refugees if they are in France, never mind Europe. Could have been worded better, but essentially, they are a "bunch" of economic migrants.


Not sure why people struggle with simple terminology.

As you say, if you're a refugee that's already in a safe country and you're trying to get to another one you're effectively a migrant.
Reply 56
Avatar for Lacesso
Lacesso
9
Any excuse for phony outrage.
All refugees are migrants. Not all migrants are refugees.
Quite!
As a left-winger, I must say that this such a non-story. However, I don't doubt that Cameron and the rest of the Tories look at these human beings as nothing more than second-class citizens.

They are economic migrants, if they truly sought shelter, safety and refuge, they'd remain in France, Belgium or elsewhere - not the UK.

However, we need to as people of this country, define those who need help and those who are pushing their luck. There are genuine folks who need our assistance and we as humans need to offer it to the most needy and desperate.

End of thread. :u:

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