Don't They Teach English In School Anymore?

[void]

The general level of the King's English these days is appalling be it a letter, email or text message. There appears to be little knowledge of how to lay out a letter, grammar or spelling. Some recent hospital ones have been badly written and made harder to understand by inventing abbreviations. A classic with my foot problems is " Podiatry F/Up" seeing how before this weeks' check, clean up and redressing the previous two had been done incorrectly!

This week I have been in an email exchange with one of the utilities. It started when I received an email from them that I felt was quite disrespectful - the more so as when I went with them two years ago they asked about vulnerabilities deciding I had two "being over retirement age" and "severe mobility issues". I wrote an email complaining about about it. When I got a reply it started "Thank you for reaching out" and finished "Have a bright day" (it was around COB and dark outside). The main part was poorly written! I again emailed back and asked for a second time that they used "Dear Mr. X" and not "Hi Michael" Again it finished "Have a bright day" when it was raining!

We really need to get back to basics as the younger generation usually cannot do mental arithmetic, have little knowledge of written English and appalling general knowledge!

Thank you for reading!

Very likely that (in email) the writer works from a template either a verbal one (eg: use *these* greetings and signoffs, on pain of failing a KPI) or one written in software they cannot or are forbidden to modify.

 

[Speedbird]

New poster (and months-long lurker) here - and apologies for jumping into this thread without making a prior introduction.

When I was diagnosed last year I followed the received wisdom and bought a BG monitor; a TEE2+. Reading through the instructions, I was slightly confused by the paragraph entitled Alternate Site Testing. Was I meant to routinely switch between pricking my fingers, palms, and forearms? It did quickly dawn on me this is an example of alternative and alternate being used interchangeably (which drives me nuts). This is common practice in the US, apparently, but it's one of their many exports that needs to sink mid-Atlantic - all in IMO, of course.

 

[JJay]

New poster (and months-long lurker) here - and apologies for jumping into this thread without making a prior introduction.

When I was diagnosed last year I followed the received wisdom and bought a BG monitor; a TEE2+. Reading through the instructions, I was slightly confused by the paragraph entitled Alternate Site Testing. Was I meant to routinely switch between pricking my fingers, palms, and forearms? It did quickly dawn on me this is an example of alternative and alternate being used interchangeably (which drives me nuts). This is common practice in the US, apparently, but it's one of their many exports that needs to sink mid-Atlantic - all in IMO, of course.

Yes! I can just about cope with American spelling, but it really bugs me when they change the meaning of words. Favourite example: “we will be landing momentarily”. Visions of aircraft bouncing on the runway and soaring off into the blue again!

 

[Speedbird]

Yes! I can just about cope with American spelling, but it really bugs me when they change the meaning of words. Favourite example: “we will be landing momentarily”. Visions of aircraft bouncing on the runway and soaring off into the blue again!

Yes, I've had to smile during some of the conversations I've had with various US ATCs over the years.

 

[MikeyBikey]

Yes, I've had to smile during some of the conversations I've had with various US ATCs over the years.

Hello and welcome to the forum. Americanisms are a constant annoyance these days and you will see quite a few moans about them in the Wordle thread I started (new members always welcome). The worse one was Emcee which s an abbreviation and not a word. If they measure your BeGee are they checking your blood glucose or singing ability?!

 

[Chris Hobson]

There was a motorcycle called the Yamaha RD350LC that became known as the Elsie.

Back in the 1980s my sister in law fancied one but decided to buy a much more sensible four stroke suzuki instead. We recently went to a classic motorbike show and there were lots of really nice Elsies there. SIL took lots of photographs of them while pining with regret.

 

[MikeyBikey]

There was a motorcycle called the Yamaha RD350LC that became known as the Elsie.

Back in the 1980s my sister in law fancied one but decided to buy a much more sensible four stroke suzuki instead. We recently went to a classic motorbike show and there were lots of really nice Elsies there. SIL took lots of photographs of them while pining with regret.

I looked at one in the early-eighties but found the powerband too narrow as one minute you were accelerating gently and the next doing an unintentional wheelie! The 350 two-stroke I always wanted was the Bridgestone 350 GTR! 🙂 Me, I settled on a Triumph Daytona 500!

 

[Gwynn]

I wonder if Americans hate the crazy English? 🙂

 

[trophywench]

20+ years ago went to Florida on holiday. Somewhere we went, lunchtime came, we both needed a drink so went to the bar by the swimming pool. I fancied a tomato juice and asked if they had any Worcester sauce. Blank look. Lea & Perrins? I tried. Yes said she and handed me the bottle then asked me what I had called it, I replied, Worcester sauce, just didn't voice the 'shire' bit at the end of the word. She thought I was nuts, since you don't pronounce it like I do, apparently you have to say it War-cess (like in cesspit) - ter- shy-er. No you don't luv - you don't live there - we do - so it's us that pronounce it properly, not you!

Was a fib cos we lived in Kidderminster not Worcester .....

They just won't be told cos they're that thick, end of.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

I frequently joke with my kid and ask if he’s had crabs instead of carbs. We got the last clinic summary letter through and in it carbohydrates were referred to as crabs

 

[Chris Hobson]

Not quite on topic, but here is a gem from the NotAlwaysRight website.



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This Canada Conversation Is Going South​

Geography, Jerk, Music Store, Politics, Stupid, USA | Right | January 31, 2024
In the golden age of CDs, I get a call from a customer asking when she can order a new album from a famous Canadian singer.
Me: “Yes, ma’am, I can order that for you on Friday, when it comes out.”
Caller: “But the poster said it comes out on Wednesday!”
Me: “Yes, that’s the Canadian release date. They get it a few days ahead of us.”
Caller: “But America should get it first! Not Europe with all those socialists!”
Me: “Canada isn’t in Europe.”
Caller: “I heard Canada is socialist, so it’s in Europe!”
Me: “Canada is in North America, ma’am.”
Caller: “Canada is not in America! I know you don’t need brains to work in a store, but Jesus Christ, the public schooling system has failed you, boy!”

 

[mhtyler]

This is set in your web browser, though the setting is in different places depending on which browser you're using.

In desktop Chrome the setting is at '3 dots icon' (top-right) -> Settings -> Languages
Click 'Add Languages' -> add English (United Kingdom) then..
Click the '3 dots' icon beside English (UK) and click 'Move Up' until it's at the top of the list
Tick the 'Display ... in this language' box
Scroll down a bit to the Spell Check window and turn on checking for English (UK), and off for English (US)

They could certainly make it easier to use proper English spelling couldn't they 😉

After doing all that will I be tired or tyred? ;-)

 

[trophywench]

Just say knackered then instead?

 

[Robbie bobidy]

The general level of the King's English these days is appalling be it a letter, email or text message. There appears to be little knowledge of how to lay out a letter, grammar or spelling. Some recent hospital ones have been badly written and made harder to understand by inventing abbreviations. A classic with my foot problems is " Podiatry F/Up" seeing how before this weeks' check, clean up and redressing the previous two had been done incorrectly!

This week I have been in an email exchange with one of the utilities. It started when I received an email from them that I felt was quite disrespectful - the more so as when I went with them two years ago they asked about vulnerabilities deciding I had two "being over retirement age" and "severe mobility issues". I wrote an email complaining about about it. When I got a reply it started "Thank you for reaching out" and finished "Have a bright day" (it was around COB and dark outside). The main part was poorly written! I again emailed back and asked for a second time that they used "Dear Mr. X" and not "Hi Michael" Again it finished "Have a bright day" when it was raining!

We really need to get back to basics as the younger generation usually cannot do mental arithmetic, have little knowledge of written English and appalling general knowledge!

Thank you for reading!

I'm just going to apologise now! Dyslexic, I'm going to drive you up the wall I apologise in advance

 

[Drummer]

One of these days I am going to be in a bad mood and it will take just one use of decimated when they mean destroyed and I am going to get really cross about it.

 

[mhtyler]

Yes! I can just about cope with American spelling, but it really bugs me when they change the meaning of words. Favourite example: “we will be landing momentarily”. Visions of aircraft bouncing on the runway and soaring off into the blue again!

Actually in flying that's called a, "touch and go".

 

[mhtyler]

One of these days I am going to be in a bad mood and it will take just one use of decimated when they mean destroyed and I am going to get really cross about it.

Is it okay if I say, "okay"?

 

[PattiEvans]

Yes, I've had to smile during some of the conversations I've had with various US ATCs over the years.

@Speedbird your nickname already had my antennae twitching as it's the Boac/BA call sign, so I am guessing that you either work, or have worked for them. A Nigel even. I worked on the other side of the flight deck door for a fair few years.

 

[PattiEvans]

Some years ago I worked for a charity that received grants to assist unemployed people back into work. One of the "targets" was to get people to pass a literacy exam. They were falling short of the end of year targets so they asked the staff if they would take the exam. I volunteered and did several practice papers before the day of the actual exam. The English test resembled no English grammar I had ever been taught, nor picked up in the more than 70 years I have been an avid reader. I passed, but only with 97%. I was somewhat miffed and I was not the only one as I had passed English Grammar "O level GCE" (predecessor of GCSE) with A+ age 15 and was confident I could do better!

 

[mhtyler]

@Speedbird your nickname already had my antennae twitching as it's the Boac/BA call sign, so I am guessing that you either work, or have worked for them. A Nigel even. I worked on the other side of the flight deck door for a fair few years.

Nope, neither. Its just an initial for my first name, Mark, and my last name, Tyler.