Why gobbledygook? Why do people speak or write it? In almost all cases that I can think of, it’s because (a) their main aim is not to communicate or (b) they don’t ask: how will I put this so my…
Category: Language
Our language lunacy as defined by Orwell
In my last post, I quoted some examples of linguistic lunacy – commingled containers, access controller, disposable mucus recovery unit, etc – and wondered what Orwell would think. In his Politics and the English Language essay, he offered “five specimens of the…
Language lunacy – what would Orwell think?
The English language today – or why George Orwell would need his mucus recovery unit if he had not experienced a suboptimal outcome George Orwell’s essay, ‘Politics and the English Language‘, begins: “Most people who bother with the matter at…
How official language masks human heartbreak
Irish immigration laws may be “robust”, but they are “progressive” – so all is fine and dandy. And if anyone ends up heartbroken, that’s ok, as long as they are not “excessively” heartbroken.
The Queen’s English as spoken by Ryanair’s O’Leary
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary is a remarkable character (love him, hate him or love/hate him). He’s remarkable both in what he’s achieved (love or hate his methods) and in the way he talks to the world. Here are some examples:…
Posted in Jargon, Language, Words Tagged with: Communication, English, Language, Plain language, Words
Hey, let’s get the Americans to speak the Queen’s English
Did you know that there’s an organisation called the Queen’s English Society? No? Nor did I, until today. On its website, it shouts out its key message – in capital letters (but gentlemen shouldn’t shout, so I won’t inflict them…
Spelling errors – ‘Nice suit, a pity about the stains’
Spelling errors? Big yawn. Who cares – as long as you get across the big message? I just came across a message sent to a LinkedIn group from someone anxious to publicise his new CD: “I’m proud to announce that…
Word use – how to make a good word meaningless
How do you render a word meaningless? One good way is to use it repeatedly in such a way that it ends up meaning nothing. That is the current fate of the word ‘significant’, which has been so over-used that…
World-class, state-of-the-art, best-practice bullshit
If Professor Michael O’Keeffe, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon in Temple Street Children’s Hospital, Dublin, is as good a doctor as he is a man, then he’s one of the best. On 9 July, he was interviewed by Pat Kenny on RTE…
Manglishing the language
Back in 2006, it was reported that Malaysia planned to fine people who mangled the national language on posters and signs. Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Rais Yatim warned that billboards and posters showing “mutated” forms of Malay would lead…