Invitations
Increasingly, during news programmes, we are invited to ‘have a listen to’ an item or a speaker. Is it a friendly, informal way of introducing a snippet of news, or are we being patronised, or even infantilised?
It’s not discourteous to say, ‘Listen to the next item.’
Sometimes we are asked to ‘have a read of’ an article. It’s not a slice of cake to be held in the hand. I don’t ‘have a read’ of a book – I just read it.
We have always ‘had a look at’ things, though perhaps we should say, ‘Look at this,’ but asking someone to ‘have a taste of’ a dish would be more easily expressed as, ‘try this,’ or ‘taste this.’
Must we mangle the language so badly that it bears no relation to what we actually mean? Do we have to wrap every sentence in extraneous vocabulary to make them more acceptable? It’s not good to be peremptory, but it makes little sense to add unnecessary words. They don’t clarify matters.
After I had written this moaning, whingeing piece, I read an article by Giles Coren in The Times. He writes so well.
One new usage I don't like is "give it a draw" rather than just saying draw it. Give it a seems to precede a lot of tutorial speech. Ew!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard that, but it would put my back up immediately!
DeleteSome of these mangled statements are funny.
ReplyDeleteThey are unintentionally amusing.
DeleteWe do seem to have a propensity for mangling our language, don't we? And English certainly (perhaps unfortunately) lends itself to such mangling.
ReplyDeleteSomehow we think that adding a few more syllables will make what we say more interesting!
DeleteIt is mildly annoying to be asked to "have a...whatever" but I rarely pay enough attention to hear these things being said. I'm usually washing up the dinner dishes with only one ear on the TV news.
ReplyDeleteThat's probably the best way to approach the news these days.
DeleteI don't mind a friendly, informal way of introducing a news item or the next programme. As long as it has nothing to do with advertising a commerical product or programme.
ReplyDeleteI don't object to informality, just misuse.
DeleteCheering from, as they say, the cheap seats. I do get annoyed with these cute, folksie ways of getting attention. I used to get annoyed at my two year old, same reaction.
ReplyDelete'Baby talk' is another subject altogether . . ..ugh!
DeleteI'm too scared to type anything.
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh!
DeleteI haven't noticed that mutilation of language, and I hope I never hear it.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Maybe it's peculiar to the UK.
DeleteAs lexicographer Susie Dent says - our language is always changing and evolving and people have complained about it forever.
ReplyDeleteMy pet hate is 'gonna' no one says 'going to ' anymore. Gonna is so well used that's it's in the dictionary as an 'informal contraction' of Going to.
'Gonna' is even spelt 'Gunna.' I hate seeing 'lotsa' for 'lots of.'
DeleteOops... I had better not comment for fear of incriminating myself 😏
ReplyDeleteSnort!
Delete'Off of' the cat knocked the plate off of the shelf. 'Nuff sed.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteOur language evolves all through time, but at risk of sounding like my mother, these days kids are lazy with their words.
ReplyDeleteYour mother was right!
DeleteMostly, I don't think too much about things like that, but I absolutely agree in that it makes little sense to add unnecessary words if all that is needed at that particular moment is some clarifying information.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wonder if presenters are paid by the word!
DeleteI can’t recall hearing “Have a listen” or similar phrases to any great extent. Perhaps I just don’t notice. Extra words are added all the time, it seems to me. How does “the same thing” differ from “the exact same thing?”
ReplyDeleteAdding extra words for emphasis doesn't' work.
DeleteAfter reading this I'm feeling very aware of my own transgressions.
ReplyDelete. . . but you're not a public presenter . . . 😀
DeleteThe worst one is 'like' or 'it's like' before the sentence. No!! It's not Like, or It's like, just say the sentence you want to say, you don't have to put extra words into it which don't make the slightest bit of sense!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's a verbal tic.
DeleteIf I may slide sideways just a little, your title reminds me that i have a problem with ‘invite’ instead of ‘invitation’.
ReplyDeleteThat is very annoying, I agree.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I also am tired of people using incorrect grammar, including my husband.
ReplyDeleteBite your tongue, Lynn. 🤣😂
DeleteI kind of like the phrase "have a look at this" over just "Look at this" which sounds like a command.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It does sound like a command. (Once a teacher, always a teacher!!)
DeleteAwesome blogpost, innit? There's a lot of sloppiness around in oral communication but I suspect that that has always been the case.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that is so. Children have at least two languages - one for adults and 'polite' company, and a more relaxed patois with their friends.
DeleteIt’s slightly different but I can’t stand it when news presenters pronounce hour - ‘ Ow( as in ouch) er, treating it as a two syllable word with a gap in the middle 😖
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
I agree, and aitch as haitch is a pet peeve, too.
DeleteOh my! Giles was a much needed giggle today. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed him.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many words and phrases that get messed up over time.
ReplyDeleteThere certainly are!
DeleteWell after reading your post and comments ... I've not come to any conclusion!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a good week.
All the best Jan
C'est la vie!
DeletePeople sure do love to add extra words these days for no good reason. It is much better to just say what you mean without all that fluff. I think we would all be better off if folks just kept things plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteEmpty vessels make the most sound!
DeleteAs Paul McCartney wrote “in this ever changing world in which we live in”
ReplyDeleteThat sentence always annoys me - too many 'ins.'
ReplyDeletehaving never been out of the USA, I will never have to worry about saying the three words in the shops in France. ha ha... I have not noticed this in our news, but our news is so bad I tend to block it out while Bob watches hours and hours of it.... will see if I have missed it or its not there
ReplyDeleteDon't go looking for it - it will drive you mad!
DeleteHi Janice - we have so much repetition, repeatedly and repeatedly ... boring! Let alone the poor language skills, which are for evermore multiplying ... the future is grim. I'm cheerful today!! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteIt's good to have a moan! 😂🤣
DeleteAwww...you Brits are so very polite. We Americans are much more abrupt with the "English" language so we don't often heart those extraneous pleasantries. (Most often, it can be said, we are much too abrupt.) In my "other life," I taught legal writing at the university law school...so my job was to make students understand the need for, and develop the art of, clear and concise writing. However, I appreciate there is a great differenc between "legal/business" writing and "creative" writing. But, don't even get me started on the grammar thing to which many of the comments devolved. Grammar nazism is more than hobby for me. ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy husband expounds on business law. Writing and tendering a proposal was a fraught business. He doesn't do that now, but the scars are deep!
DeletePS...off to read Mr. Coren. (Perhaps I should have that done first?)
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoyed his article.
Delete