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Posted by: blackdog Nov 12 2012, 10:03 AM

A thread to let of a little steam about bad English in the NWN or NewburyToday.

Here is the first - a headline on NewburyToday today:

Walrus, horseshoe, handlebars? Gentleman opt for the musketeer moustache for Movember

Gentlemen opt, a gentleman opts. Hopefully just a typo ...

Posted by: James_Trinder Nov 12 2012, 12:42 PM

Another obvious typo is "It's playtime for village younsters".

Posted by: Cognosco Nov 12 2012, 05:47 PM

Perhaps it is time to revisit the Teeline training manual?

Posted by: Penelope Nov 13 2012, 07:52 PM

And another,

"WEST Berkshire Council is to discuss its plans to tackle homelessness after it emerged that the number of people sleeping rough in the district had risen by more than 1,0000 per cent over the past three years"

Posted by: Nothing Much Nov 13 2012, 08:54 PM

I read in the Telegraph this morning that men were avoiding vasectomies.
Even my poor mathematical skills couldn't work that one out. 1,0000 % increase.
Are all of them under a giant duvet being rough?

Apologies of course to all doorstep sleepers and I knew a few.
Joss Ackland used to walk round the West End after work.Looking for his son. .
ce.

Posted by: Exhausted Nov 13 2012, 10:41 PM

Statistics, d.amn statistics. Not sure who said that but for the figure to be a little meaningful, read "an increase from 5 to 61 persons". Not good I guess but don't panic Mr Mainwering it isn't 50% of West Berks residents looking for a home.

Not sure why the checker stars out ****. d a m n. Not really a naughty word is it.

Posted by: x2lls Nov 14 2012, 01:17 AM

Seems a bit kettle and pot, considering the majority on here, me included, don't always get it right.

Posted by: massifheed Nov 14 2012, 10:38 AM

Yes but, as I've mentioned before, we are not being paid to produce articles for publication.

Posted by: On the edge Nov 14 2012, 01:13 PM

Thanks Mr Perfect!

Posted by: massifheed Nov 14 2012, 02:29 PM

Nice.

Posted by: Blake Nov 15 2012, 04:28 PM

I recently saw an article where Peugeot was spelled at Peugot and Kremer Signs spelled as Kemer signs. Later in the article it was Kremer Signs...

NWN: You need to hire a PROOFREADER!

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Nov 15 2012, 04:59 PM

So do you, Jonathan, by the look of things. Shouldn't yours read 'spelled as Peugot..'?

Posted by: JeffG Nov 15 2012, 07:22 PM

Ha ha McKean's law strikes again!

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Nov 15 2012, 07:47 PM

'And your proof of this is???'

Posted by: NWNREADER Nov 15 2012, 09:14 PM

A journo I know complains often and loudly that hi-tech production has done away with proof-readers. I for one know only too well how hard it is to check ones own work for errors......

Posted by: Andy Capp Nov 15 2012, 10:16 PM

You would probably be more focused if it were your job and reputation at stake.

Posted by: NWNREADER Nov 15 2012, 11:19 PM

You know it isn't?

Posted by: On the edge Nov 15 2012, 11:55 PM

Rather like Captain Smith was on the Titanic....

Posted by: Dodgys smarter brother. Nov 16 2012, 09:47 AM

Sometimes it's more than just a typo...

“My girlfriend said I turned blue but I just couldn’t get it up"


http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2012/man-appeals-for-woman-who-saved-his-life-in-thatcham-to-step-forward

Posted by: Biker1 Nov 16 2012, 09:58 AM

And ... “I thought I was going to chock to death, I was petrified – I thought, this is it.”

Nasty thing chocking to death!

Posted by: x2lls Nov 16 2012, 10:07 AM

So what happened to using a spellchecker?

Posted by: dannyboy Nov 16 2012, 10:08 AM

I think the quote is using Lancashire vernacular.

Posted by: Biker1 Nov 16 2012, 10:10 AM

Wouldn't work would it as "chock" is a legitimate word.

Posted by: CBW137Y Nov 16 2012, 11:57 AM

The victim was also “struggling to breath”.

Posted by: JeffG Nov 16 2012, 12:18 PM

I have just worked it out! They must be using the same spell checker as the editor on this forum, which (like the rest of this software) is American. Not only does it ban inconsequential words, like d a m n, but it underlines in red words like "tyre" and "colour". ("Tire" and "color" are just fine.)

Posted by: Berkshirelad Nov 16 2012, 05:31 PM

Same article:

"sandwichs"

Posted by: Berkshirelad Nov 16 2012, 05:31 PM

Same article:

"sandwichs"

Posted by: Biker1 Nov 16 2012, 07:24 PM

The "chock" has been corrected anyway.

Posted by: dannyboy Nov 16 2012, 07:36 PM

That many mistakes will be a hard act to follow.

Posted by: blackdog Nov 16 2012, 10:26 PM

This forum doesn't have a spell checker - presumably your browser does.

Posted by: JeffG Nov 17 2012, 09:20 AM

Hmm. Maybe it's Chrome for Android then. Although Chrome help explains how to set up spell check language, that doesn't appear on the Android version. Will have to see what Windows does.

Posted by: GMR Nov 17 2012, 11:27 AM

I think people are being a bit unfair here. With society trying to dumb down and appealing to the lowest denominator we must give credit to those papers (and official forums that represent those papers) for trying to reflect that dumbness in society.

Posted by: Exhausted Nov 17 2012, 05:25 PM

I don't get too stressed about the NWN cockups. It's a local rag for local people, many of whom speed read it anyway, look to see who was born, died and in between had a birthday or got married.

Talking about getting married, who noticed the photograph of the chappie in a grey suit and trilby with his lovely new wife in her splendid wedding dress. Nice, but why is he wearing trainers.? (been watching the gin advert perhaps)

Posted by: Biker1 Nov 18 2012, 09:00 AM

More than once my family have put announcements in the NWN only for one or more of the names to be spelled wrongly even though plainly quoted in the submission.

Posted by: Exhausted Nov 18 2012, 01:18 PM

Ah now that is something I would want sorted. You have paid for that insertion (as the actress said to the bishop) and are entitled to get redress for their error(s).

Posted by: On the edge Nov 18 2012, 03:17 PM

...which of course any good actress would have done as well.

Posted by: Biker1 Nov 18 2012, 05:06 PM

To be fair they did but I would rather it be correct in the first place than a refund or second, corrected, insertion.
It's not that difficult to read what's plainly written in front of you.
Is it?

Posted by: Cognosco Nov 18 2012, 05:59 PM

Dyslexic Staff member?

Posted by: Strafin Nov 21 2012, 07:34 PM

Reminds me of a joke,

A dyslexic man walks into a bra...

Posted by: CBW137Y Dec 5 2012, 12:09 PM

The one thing which annoys me whilst trying to read some of the online reports is the lack of understanding what a paragraph is!

It rather distracts from the lack of ability to spell somewhat.

One hope there is some training on offer to brush up there English skills.

Posted by: CBW137Y Dec 5 2012, 12:10 PM

Of course, I am now waiting for the person for whom the penny doesn't drop to reply

Posted by: Andy Capp Dec 5 2012, 01:30 PM

If the penny doesn't drop, then they might not be likely to reply!

Posted by: JeffG Dec 5 2012, 03:08 PM

Ah, you mean the four errors in your post were deliberate? Nearly caught me there!

Posted by: CBW137Y Dec 5 2012, 04:32 PM

In all seriousness though, I really don't understand the need for single line spacing. Have the reporters never heard of paragraphs?

Posted by: x2lls Dec 5 2012, 08:39 PM

The whole site is a mess. Why no dates on 'related posts'? Who is interested in stuff three years old for example.

Another simple mistake now.

'AN eighty-four man was left with life threatening injuries after being hit by a car in Cold Ash on Friday.
'

Posted by: Andy Capp Dec 5 2012, 08:45 PM

While I think a date is a good idea, I do sometimes like to (re)familiarise myself with old stories.

Posted by: Nothing Much Dec 7 2012, 08:36 PM

'AN eighty-four man was left with life threatening injuries after being hit by a car in Cold Ash on Friday

A bit like the two drunks reporting on the Snooker match. "I remember the good ole days, working as a cub reporter
on the NLN, How many pubs there were in the town. I learnt a lot about the ones with back doors......for a snifter after 4pm.
Spelling? Nobody bothered to check, they were all out to lunch anyway or at the races".

Seeing as there was a hiatus.Just a bit of fun.No harm intended.
ce

Posted by: James_Trinder Dec 13 2012, 01:09 PM

A POLICE pursuit through a quite West Berkshire village last night (Weds) ended with four men being placed in police custody.

Quite what is the question. Quite noisy could be an answer.

Posted by: Penelope Dec 13 2012, 01:35 PM

Could have been worse, could have " custardy" that would have meant they had met a sticky end.

Posted by: motormad Dec 13 2012, 02:12 PM

Haha

Posted by: Baffers100 Dec 13 2012, 04:32 PM

I made the mistake of sending a shirty mail to the "Chief reporter" flagging up his rubbish English in an article. He responded the same day, flagging up the one error in my email. (Admitedly, given the nature of the email I should have double-checked!).

That said, I found it rather frustrating that he found the time to send a terse email, but did not actually change the published article. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are forgiveable, but this site totally lacks any attention to detail. I doubt half of the articles on here are proof-read. It makes me wonder why these people bother being in this profession if they can only be arsed to to do half a job?

Posted by: Exhausted Dec 13 2012, 05:04 PM

Can't really see the importance. Did you understand the text was it ambiguous because of the grammatical error. Probably not so what's the big deal.

Admitedly.....Admittedly

We have too many people whinging about the odd mistake but some of the posts on here beggar belief sometimes. But, usually they make sense (Except dear old "Nothing Much") so why stress about it, especially feeling the need to send an email. Sad really.

Posted by: Baffers100 Dec 13 2012, 05:24 PM

I knew I would get called up on something (but won't comment too much about the capital E you used at the start of the parenthesis!)

I hear your point, but I don't make a living out of my writing- and I doubt the vast majority on here do. If I did, I would not feel quite so relaxed making the errors in published, paid for work, as I do on a local 'news' forum. If you witness a 'professional' driver driving dangerously, do you turn a blind eye? Maybe some do, but I don't. I really don't see why poor quality work should be tolerated. There are plenty of other people who would take their jobs and use the spell-check function.

The importance, was that the article was rather close to home as it was about a young teenager who lost his life in a glider accident. It is because of the picture that I clicked on the article. I understood it perfectly, but found the lack of proof-reading not only lazy, but also disrespectful. They even spelt the name of his school wrong.

Posted by: On the edge Dec 13 2012, 05:50 PM

Actually, NWN doesn't either; its main income comes from selling advertising.

Posted by: Nothing Much Dec 13 2012, 06:12 PM

Well I do try to make scent in my posits. Sometimes I fall short. An I get bell telephone calls from odler bro
Arsking what I am on about. I went to the wrong school. Actually I have just had the anal calander, with a note from the present headmaster.... We note from our records that you hav not donated yeti. Dim Sum chance.

If you can make sense of that Exhausted,then I am a journalist. I have been quiet for a while.
ce

Posted by: Andy Capp Dec 13 2012, 06:58 PM

I agree; in the wrong place it can look disrespectful. As an example, I'm reminded of Gordon Brown's letter to a bereaved parent.

Posted by: On the edge Dec 13 2012, 07:28 PM

On the Brown affair, I must admit to wondering who had the worst manners.

Of course, the reporters are professionals. I wonder just how many of us never make silly mistakes in our own work and are happy about customers pointing them out?

Posted by: Spider Dec 13 2012, 08:00 PM

This is not just the NWN but endemic throughout the newspaper industry. Standards have decline over the last 30 years. In fact the whole Newspaper industry has declined.

Posted by: Andy Capp Dec 13 2012, 09:29 PM

I don't think it is a matter of manners. more courtesy - at least get the name right. The point is, it looks rushed, and therefore careless.

Posted by: On the edge Dec 13 2012, 09:40 PM

And should never have been made public; that's where manners come in.

Posted by: On the edge Dec 13 2012, 09:42 PM

Arguably then the whole country! Rather surprised that anyone is even noticing given this drop in standards.

Posted by: James_Trinder Jan 2 2013, 12:30 PM

Another mistake today:

Thatcham estate agent scoops award for international expansion

THATCHAM based travel agent Archana Nathwani is celebrating after her company received a prestigious business accolade for its international success and achievements.

Posted by: motormad Jan 2 2013, 12:47 PM

....

Posted by: Biker1 Jan 12 2013, 08:57 AM

Apparently the the new electric trains we are to get are going to break more quickly!!
This is a worrying trend and can we call it progress?
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/9bn-promised-for-more-seats-quicker-journeys-and-train-reliability

Posted by: Andy Capp Jan 21 2013, 06:49 PM

Would any one be able to translate this: "Money used to purchase gift vouchers with credit and debit cards can be claimed back from the card company provided at least part of more than £100 was spent."?

Posted by: Cognosco Jan 22 2013, 09:10 PM

I reckon whoever typed this has been attending and reporting on too many of our local council meetings. He has typed the same as they speak - incomprehensible!

Posted by: Blake Jan 23 2013, 02:22 PM

Oh and I spotted in an item on potholes Colthrop Lane spelled as "Coalthrop Lane".

I would have thought the editor had had some feedback from readers on all the mistakes.

The Newbury Weekly News is now a serial mistake maker and not just with typos.

Posted by: CBW137Y Feb 20 2013, 03:20 PM

Pahahahahahahahahahaha, quality writing from newburytoday.co.uk

Newbury Taxi driver, David Taylor, said a CABCO taxi hit, he said ‘A monster pothole’ (pictured), at 6.30pm on Februry 10, in London Road, outside the Aldi store under construction and scheduled to open in March.

Posted by: BMR Feb 21 2013, 10:20 PM

I think they write it and publish it without bothering to read it to see if it makes sense. The article "Police crack down on rural crime in North Hampshire" was another case in point.

Quote: "Visits to 24 licensed premises – shops and pubs – in each town or village were also made."

There aren't 24 licensed premises in Tadley, or in Overton, or in Bramley. There probably are 24 in all the towns and villages in total, then in the next sentence:

Quote: "Two people were given street warnings for possession of cannabis – including one in Tadley and another in Overton."

No. If a number of people was given street warnings, "including one in Tadley and another in Overton", then how many others were there?

If an article is not worth taking a bit of care over, please just don't publish it.

Posted by: On the edge Feb 21 2013, 10:32 PM

Has anyone who has an issue with this every tried to contact the editor? As I'm not perfect in this area, it would be wrong of me to even drop a hint, nevertheless I'd be interested to see the response.

Posted by: Blake Feb 25 2013, 08:19 AM

I would have thought the editor reads this forum but I could be wrong.

More errors in this week's edition. The first page of the property section on the house in Cold Ash uses "form" when the writer meant from.

The Out and About section is also guilty. Someone cannot spell annual correctly.

I do wish this newspaper got its act together. Spellcheck is free.

Posted by: Biker1 Feb 25 2013, 09:33 AM

As is well known spellcheck is not the complete answer (as would be the case in the example above), especially if you are using software of American origin!
A knowledge of the English language and the intricacies of it's spelling is also needed but seems to be a dying skill.

Posted by: JeffG Feb 25 2013, 10:24 AM

Now there's irony for you!

Posted by: Blake Feb 25 2013, 12:16 PM

Well it is high time our education system revived it then.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Feb 25 2013, 01:32 PM

Posted by: Spider Feb 25 2013, 05:13 PM

The English language in the papers has declined over the years. Poor schooling, even amongst the educated classes, has gone downhill. What we need is a strong government or party that overlooks abuses and actually things about the bigger picture. There is not much we can do now until the next election. But once here we should actually think who exactly helps ordinary men and women? Better schooling is conducive with a good society. A good society can then look outwards.

Posted by: dannyboy Feb 25 2013, 05:30 PM

Poor schooling going downhill - isn't that a good thing?

Posted by: Spider Feb 25 2013, 05:33 PM

For whom?

Posted by: blackdog Feb 25 2013, 06:07 PM

Surely that should be 'For whom?'

Posted by: Spider Feb 25 2013, 06:17 PM

As it says. And before you say it I did changed it. But mistakes happen on forums, not because people don't know but it is rushed. A more professional body like the papers have editors that should check so by the time the reader sees it, it should be perfect.

I have often made mistakes rushing posts, but in a more professional level I double check.

Posted by: dannyboy Feb 25 2013, 06:33 PM

everyone.

Posted by: Biker1 Feb 26 2013, 09:20 AM

Exactly Spider.

Posted by: wabbit Feb 26 2013, 02:21 PM

NWN running news story just now 'Firefighters prevent Bucklebury thatch fire'...

Er...Bucklebury Alley is not in Bucklebury (as any Google map would show) - it's in Cold Ash.

We know the current media obsession with all things Middleton/Bucklebury, but NWN please get it right!

Well done firefighters all the same

Posted by: wabbit Feb 26 2013, 05:08 PM

Well done NWN! (now amended) - at least someone is reading this forum...

Posted by: Blake Mar 25 2013, 12:11 PM

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/countdown-to-decision-over-control-tower

Claims the control tower was built "in the 1050s". So does that mean the Vikings and Saxons had planes?

And also, the NWN has quietly bumped up its price yet again to 75p. In the space of just five years, it has gone from 40p top 75p. Rip off Britain strikes again.

I would not mind so much if they used the windfall from the high price to employ a proof reader.

Posted by: Andy Capp Mar 25 2013, 12:23 PM

Rip off Briton only exists if the charge is unavoidable. You don't need to buy the paper. Do you think that NWN are profiteering? Or do you think they are raising prices to meet costs?

Posted by: Blake Mar 25 2013, 12:43 PM

Well, 40p to 75p in five years.. do the maths. The price has almost doubled in that time. I find it hard to believe this is justifiable, particularly when you now get double page ads, lots more ads and less journalistic news now.

The irony is that this was a far better newspaper when it cost much less!

Posted by: Andy Capp Mar 25 2013, 02:07 PM

Do you think they are profiteering? Perhaps in that time their revenues have gone through the floor and costs have soared.

Posted by: Blake Mar 25 2013, 02:55 PM

The businesses that flourish are those that keep costs under control and keep customers happy.

Posted by: Andy Capp Mar 25 2013, 03:40 PM

Perhaps raising the price is keeping the P&L under control. Costs of raw materials and energy is not under their control. Many now openly 'admit' to just using the Internet to read the local news, so what are NWN to do?

Posted by: GMR Mar 25 2013, 04:54 PM

If you use an inflation calculator; the price in 2008 was 40p then it should have gone up by 3p to 43p.

Posted by: dannyboy Mar 25 2013, 05:24 PM

Didn't know there was an inflation calculator for newsprint & ink.

Posted by: GMR Mar 25 2013, 05:30 PM

An inflation calculator does everything.

Posted by: dannyboy Mar 25 2013, 05:32 PM

Two lumps then please.

Posted by: GMR Mar 25 2013, 05:35 PM

Are you saying then that you've got no testicles and need some? I suppose that sounds about right

Posted by: Andy Capp Mar 25 2013, 05:36 PM

Inflation is only one aspect; there's possibly a drop in advertising revenue too, not to mention 'freeloaders' who only use the Internet for their local news and have stopped buying the paper.

Posted by: GMR Mar 25 2013, 05:38 PM

That is true, but from 40 to 75p in five years; that is pushing it a bit. I get magazines and papers and they don't even rise that much in that short of time.

Posted by: dannyboy Mar 25 2013, 05:40 PM

See what I mean.

Posted by: GMR Mar 25 2013, 05:46 PM

Exactly... and do you see what I mean? It is about priority and your sock draw seems to come second, so thank you for keeping me amused

Posted by: motormad Mar 25 2013, 07:03 PM

Either you buy it or you don't.
It's 75p. Not a big deal. Do you buy it? If you don't like the price don't buy it. If you don't buy it, why are you complaining?

I get NWN but it's delivered for free. Or I just look on the website.

Really there are more important issues to talk about like the ban on triangle shaped objects in schools.

Posted by: On the edge Mar 25 2013, 07:42 PM

Well, even BBC reporting standards are falling. This evening in reports about the weather, we were told twice that summer starts on Sunday! Summer TIME yes, season no. Can we really expect reporters on a small provincial weekly to be better?

Posted by: GMR Mar 25 2013, 07:48 PM

Agreed


I wasn't complaining but replied to somebody else. And I didn't say I didn't like the price. And yes I do buy it.



Excellent.




I agree, so why are you talking about them?

Posted by: motormad Mar 25 2013, 08:16 PM

I was suggesting the triangle ban was more important than this.

Posted by: GMR Mar 25 2013, 08:25 PM

What is important is down to the individual, however, it is probably a good debate. Start another thread and we'll debate it. I agree it is probably better than a lot of other subjects.

Posted by: wabbit Apr 2 2013, 07:34 AM

Spellchecker not working at the NWN this weekend then?...how weird is that!

'Headley villager’s wierd and wonderful collection goes under the hammer'

Posted by: Exhausted Apr 2 2013, 05:10 PM

It seems to be a problem with the Lib Dems as well. Quote from their recent leaflet.....

This election will be the most important by-election in Newbury for a long time - because the outcome of this election will decide weather Newbury has a Lib Dem run Town Council or weather the Tories gain control, whose attitude towards fairness involve punishing Council tax rises and raising taxes on Newbury's poorest residents.

http://westberkslibdems.org.uk/en/article/2013/675252/calling-all-liberal-democrats-newbury-needs-you

Posted by: Cognosco Apr 2 2013, 05:32 PM

Someone is actually bothering to read what the LibLiars print????

Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 2 2013, 06:36 PM

Don't rain on their parade.

Grammar's poor too:

"attitude" is singular and takes the third-person singular "involves", not "involve".

The final "whose attitude towards fairness" clause is a run-on, and the antecedent of the pronoun "whose" isn't "the Tories" as intended but the subject of the main clause, "the election".

Attacking the fairness of the Tories is a new idea and needs a new paragraph.

Muddled grammar invariably reflects muddled thinking.

Posted by: Blake Apr 4 2013, 01:11 PM

Maybe it was written by Charles Kennedy after one of his notorious drinking sessions...

Posted by: Nothing Much Apr 4 2013, 05:19 PM

You don't need a whether man to know which way the wind blows.

Well I typed that as fast as a pair of fingers allowed. I made 2 mistakes that were nicely pointed out in red.
It shows speed (or size) do matter.

Anyway weather/whether is bit IV formish.

I did have a chuckle later about the other forum. Someone mentioned the interesting photographs and the histories.
Blackdog put a lot of work into the 1960s. Towards the last bits the only typo appeared.
Thatchcham residents were appealing for a Predestrian Crossing. I read it as
a Predstination Crossing. It might work on the A4 but not a chance in Lisbon.
ce

Posted by: blackdog Apr 4 2013, 05:25 PM

My trouble is that I can almost touch type - but only almost! For some reason I almost always type 'to the' as 'the the' when I'm in a hurry. Anyway I should point out that these were my typos - not the NWN's (the 1960s stuff all came from their New Year issue in 1970).

Posted by: blackdog Apr 29 2013, 01:18 AM

Headline on the website today "Vaccinate children in Newbury area against measles advice".

So vaccination is against official advice?

Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 29 2013, 06:29 PM

"Don't have a cow man".

Posted by: motormad Apr 29 2013, 06:45 PM

All this vaccination rubbish... why we now have MRSA!

Posted by: Andy Capp Apr 29 2013, 07:00 PM

Vaccines and antibiotics are different things. Vaccines stimulate the body to become immune and therefore prevent disease, antibiotics are for treating diseases.

Posted by: Blake Apr 29 2013, 07:19 PM

Headline has changed but now the word against has been spelled erroneously!

I despair;

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/parents-urged-to-get-their-children-vaccinated-agasinst-measles

Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 29 2013, 07:22 PM

But if motormad's misapprehension is common then it's a real problem, because vaccination has been an incredibly effective tool in fighting disease and anything that discourages vaccination has to be bad for health.

Posted by: blackdog Apr 29 2013, 10:24 PM

Lol.

At least they read our drivel.

Posted by: NWNREADER Apr 30 2013, 10:43 AM

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/parents-urged-to-get-their-children-vaccinated-against-measles
Scary.....

Posted by: dannyboy Apr 30 2013, 11:33 AM

nothing wrong with dumbing down, especially if those you are seeking to communicate with wouldn't even realise there were any grammatical errors in the first place.

You seem to want only BBC English of the 1940s.....

Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 30 2013, 12:44 PM

I don't have any problem with "dumbing-down" as you call it, to explain the broad principles of complicated technical ideas without the rigour of incomprehensible detail.

But that's not what's happening here. Political ideas are inherently simple - foreigners bad, money good, me right, you wrong - that kind of thing. The lib dems weren't attempting to articulate some arcane economic theorem to the great unwashed, they were just slagging off the tories, so they weren't "dumbing-down", they were just speaking incoherently. If a politician is too dumb even to express themselves how can I have any confidence in what they have to say.

English grammar is more complicated than it needs to be and other languages manage without inflection, number, case, tense, mood and so on, inferring much from the context and not needing the rest. I'm pretty progressive and don't have any great problem with the gradual evolution of language, but if you can't shape the ideas in your head into well-formed coherent language then, all things being equal, those ideas are gibberish too.

Posted by: dannyboy Apr 30 2013, 12:47 PM

No, they were just using everyday english.

as you say - foreigners bad, money good, me right, you wrong.

nice & simple.

Posted by: motormad Apr 30 2013, 02:10 PM

I'm just saying we shouldn't immediately run to the doctors anytime anyone gets sick. I've come down with an illness once in the last two years which was Norovirus. I also work on my car and then eat a sandwich with oily hands, etc etc, a bit of dirt and muck is good for you.
I know people who STERILE their plates, knifes and forks before they use them, even if they are washed already and in the drawer.

Posted by: JeffG Apr 30 2013, 02:39 PM

How do they do that? Do they have an autoclave?

Sounds a bit like OCD to me.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 30 2013, 05:08 PM

Just to put it in perspective:

Hundreds of thousands of people used to get polio, and it crippled thousands of them. There is no cure, and if you get the disease you have something like a 1 in 100 chance of being paralysed for life - and depending on the severity of that paralysis, that can be a very short life.

Rubella is a relatively benign infectious disease of childhood (I can remember having it) so you might wonder about the benefit of vaccinating against it, but catch it in early pregnancy and it can damage the unborn child and cause birth defects.

The soil bacteria Clostridium tetani is common enough in your garden, but if you're unlucky enough to get soil in a wound, like when you cut your hand gardening, the bacterium can cause tetanus, and if it does it's 50:50 whether you survive. Vaccination prevents it.

Smallpox has killed millions of people, it's very infectious and if you get it you're more likely than not to die, and if you don't die you'll be scarred for life - ever wonder why Elizabeth I wore so much make-up? Vaccination not only gives you immunity, it actually allowed the complete eradication of the disease world-wide.

Around 10% of the UK population catch flu each year. It's not always a serious illness, and sometimes you'd hardly know you were infected, but it can be very unpleasant, and it kills thousands each year. The Spanish flu pandemic that followed the first world war actually killed more fit young men then died in the fighting! The variant bird-flu isn't contagious, which is good because it's virtually always fatal, but the flu virus is a clever bugger that mutates all the time, and it's a fair bet that one day bird-flu will become contagious, and if we don't have a vaccine for that it's goodnight Vienna.

Vaccination is a remarkable discovery and creates virtually complete immunity to otherwise incurable debilitating and life-threatening diseases. What's not to love?

Posted by: user23 Apr 30 2013, 06:49 PM

You're right, it's actually harder to make one's message accessible to the largest amount of people and still retain its meaning than use a bunch of long words to try to and impress people.

Posted by: Andy Capp Apr 30 2013, 06:53 PM

But those that do have a good grasp of English get a confused message; moreover, would recognise poor literacy skills.


There goes another one of your 'strawman' fallacies.

Posted by: Andy Capp Apr 30 2013, 07:07 PM

For the purpose of being fair, I'd say that is also a logical fallacy. Not being able to employ good grammar, doesn't necessarily mean your ideas are gibberish. Although I would admit, if someone's grammar was not at least at my level, which I regard as average, then I would find it off-putting.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Apr 30 2013, 09:31 PM

You're right of course. There's no logical fallacy, I understand that a badly presented idea doesn't necessarily mean the idea is bad, but I'm still going to be strongly influenced by the presentation. Likewise I'm likely to warm to a well-presented idea, but that doesn't necessarily make the idea sound.

However, in politics the argument often doesn't appeal to reason but is an appeal to emotion - selling a self-image or belief rather than a logical proposition founded on solid axioms. As a for-instance I like Nigel Farage, and I'm as likely to vote UKIP on the strength of that alone as I am to vote for a party that might better represent my political beliefs but is supported by slimy know-nothing spineless weasels.

Posted by: Roost May 6 2013, 12:06 PM

And the latest from NWN...

"Pirates, paramedics and even a group of astraonauts, as well as plenty of other Crafty Crafters, are making their way along the Kennet and Avon canal in celebration of the Newbury Round Table’s 60th..."

And later...

"Less than 90 minutes since the first crafters set sale and teams are already breezing across the finish line at Victoria Park to applaudes from the public."

Oh. My. God.

Posted by: Squelchy May 6 2013, 05:02 PM

And the downside to that would be.....?

Posted by: Exhausted May 6 2013, 05:52 PM

Everybody spoke very posh in those days, even the bystanders when interviewed.

Posted by: On the edge May 6 2013, 06:01 PM

We all knew our place back then and did what we were told because our peers knew best.

Posted by: Squelchy May 6 2013, 06:52 PM

Of course, to them it wasn't 'posh' to them it was just normal. It only sounds 'posh' because of lazy modern day pronounciation.

Language has to grow and develop but it doesn't automatically mean standards of speech and diction have to drop.

Posted by: blackdog May 8 2013, 12:34 AM

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/fire-at-the-downgate

The fire was out by 4.33pm but firefighters remained on the scene using thermal imaging characters to check for hot spots.

Thermal imaging characters?? The mind boggles.

Posted by: blackdog May 19 2013, 12:18 AM

This week's howler - not spelling or grammar this time but arithmetic.

Reporting the result of the Victoria Ward election they give the results for the Apoliticals as 158 and 136 votes then those for Labour 148 and 130 - and say this put Labour in 7th and 8th position...

Posted by: Blake May 30 2013, 08:10 AM

Another episode in the NWN hall of shame.

The item today on the dogs trust has one paragraph alone with at least three spelling errors;

"Some of her favourite and most remembered dogs are ones that took extra effort to get them into the centre and rehomed including dogs which were abandoned near Newbury College, at Chieveley services and a Lucrher who was run over by a lorry at Membry Services and broke its leg only for the staff to later discover she was pregant with 11 puppies."

Posted by: Claude May 30 2013, 09:41 AM

If anyone at NWN can provide some input into how these stories get published without being spell-checked, it would be very interesting to hear.

No doubt there are extremely tight deadlines, and pressure I can't imagine, but I would love to hear more detail around the process from submission to publication, and am also happy to offer my support where possible to keep our fantastic local paper a quality production.

Claude le Pedant

Posted by: dannyboy May 30 2013, 10:02 AM

if you ask me I have a sneaky feeling that thses errors are deliberatily insterted to give people with time on their hands something to do.

Posted by: Andy Capp May 30 2013, 11:50 AM

Posted by: Blake May 30 2013, 01:07 PM

I doubt it.

It looks more like editorial ineptitude to me.

Posted by: GhostMemory May 30 2013, 01:13 PM

Most people I've worked with don't bother attempting to spell correctly when writing emails - they just run it through the spellchecker at the end once they've hunted and pecked their way as fast as they can through the message they're attempting to convey.

I often wonder if this approach is becoming more prevalent in places where spellcheck is not immediately available (e.g. rich text editors with no / disabled spellchecking).

Posted by: JeffG May 30 2013, 02:23 PM

In publishing, I think there can be more pitfalls with automatic hyphenation engines, e.g. mans-laughter and therapist.

Posted by: RedDevil Jun 13 2013, 03:56 PM

A lack of proof-reading strikes again...

Eastbury fete 'the best ever'
Once gain the sun shone making it one of the best-ever Eastury fetes.

~Today's Newbury Weekly News, page 21.

Posted by: x2lls Jun 13 2013, 08:57 PM

The website is an absolute mess.
Paragraphs that end simply by the number of characters, links for 'related' articles, with no date associated. The same article mentioned three times on the same page. It takes an age to load a page, due to all the crap scripts that run.

Flashing ads, it goes on.

Utter utter rubbish.

Posted by: On the edge Jun 14 2013, 08:12 PM

This spelling business is beginning to cause problems. Someone Thatcham is on the streets with an axe. If they could spell longer words we might have found he just had a big chopper....

Posted by: JeffG Jun 20 2013, 12:50 PM

From the report on the fatal stabbing today:

Posted by: massifheed Jul 30 2013, 11:26 AM

An article about a road closure at Bishops Green, but they've used a picture of the road closure at Station road (which is now open again). Why not just use a generic picture of a 'Road Closed' sign?

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/a339-turn-off-to-bishops-green-closed-for-roadworks

Posted by: JeffG Jul 30 2013, 01:10 PM

Why does it matter where a photograph of a Road Closed sign taking up 90% of the frame was taken?

Actually, I can't say I have studied the manhole cover layout closely enough to tell where this one was taken.

Posted by: Baffers100 Jul 30 2013, 01:19 PM

I remember now why I decided to take a break from the NWN...

"AN HORRIFIC tale"

Good thing this chap isn't the Chief Reporter, because that would be really embarrasing for him. Oh wait, darn he is! (From the "Alien tale unfolds in Hungerford" story).

Posted by: Baffers100 Jul 30 2013, 01:22 PM

Do we even need a picture? If they're going to have a picture of some other unrelated closed road, then maybe just don't include a picture at all. I don't need a visual to grasp this concept!

Posted by: Nothing Much Jul 30 2013, 01:54 PM

The wrong road, and the Road Closed sign have battled for alien supremacy all morning.
ce. The truth is out there.

Posted by: massifheed Jul 30 2013, 03:04 PM

They've changed it. When I posted the link they'd used a shot of Station road looking up toward the A339 where the road closure was in place.

Posted by: JeffG Jul 30 2013, 04:14 PM

In which case, you are excused, sir.

Posted by: spartacus Jul 30 2013, 06:05 PM

Yep I saw that photo too. You're not losing your marbles..

Posted by: Biker1 Jul 30 2013, 08:20 PM

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/rail-bridge-strike-causes-chaos
(Unless you count mid-sixties as new?)

Posted by: JeffG Jul 30 2013, 09:29 PM

Anything after this guy is new...

Posted by: Blake Aug 3 2013, 06:37 AM

And this article make no sense at all; if crime is up as the headline says, why does the article say it is down? Equally true of what it says on footfall?

Do NWN journalists know the difference between up and down or do they think they are two words than can mean the same thing??

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/crime-up-footfall-down-show-district-figures

Posted by: Exhausted Aug 3 2013, 12:18 PM

Best one and there are more than one this week was in the article about the plan for lakeside holiday chalets.

It appears that there are certain species including bats and crested newts in the area who have [protested].

Oh,another one while I'm at it, Sainsbury's have applied for a [licencse] to sell alcohol from the Wash Common local store

Posted by: Nothing Much Aug 3 2013, 12:29 PM

Sainsbury's have applied for a [licencse] to sell alcohol from the Wash Common local store

That is just [sic].
ce

Posted by: JeffG Aug 3 2013, 02:43 PM

Only if Gloria Mundi is passing through... (remember her?)

Posted by: Nothing Much Aug 3 2013, 04:45 PM

Oh Yes, and there was always Gloria Tuesdi as well. I did look it up in the Guardian's notes and queries page.
Quite amusing versions. The square brackets are a publishing thing.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Aug 3 2013, 06:42 PM

Is she that girl that drives the unreliable ford panel van?

Posted by: JeffG Aug 3 2013, 06:54 PM

Yes. Sadly just ceased production in the UK. Usually seen with her chum Neil Desperandum.

Posted by: Exhausted Aug 3 2013, 08:36 PM

They have been taken over by the press and usually puts words in the speaker's mouth so to speak. I used them to indicate the way it was printed but perhaps I should have used "inverted commas" or {squiggly brackets} which I have never found a use for apart from seeing them used by a mathematician.
According to Wiki, square brackets are mainly used to insert explanatory material or to mark where a passage was omitted from an original material by someone other than the original author, or to mark modifications in quotations.
I thought I might claim the explanatory material bit. Who knows.

Posted by: JeffG Aug 4 2013, 09:01 AM

Actually, to put on my pedants hat, "square brackets" is a tautology. [These] are just brackets. (These) are parentheses. {These} are braces, but they won't hold your trousers up.

Posted by: blackdog Aug 4 2013, 09:04 AM

Sorry - that should be "pedant's".

Posted by: Nothing Much Aug 4 2013, 10:56 AM

{squiggly brackets} which I have never found a use for apart from seeing them used by a mathematician Quite.

Yes Qwertyuiop is my limit. I did look up French accent key strokes in honour of Claude. But I have forgotten them.
And US spelling wants me to honor.

New son-in-law is an actuary and sailed through Pure Maths at Uni and he knows what an upside down A means.
In fact he can understand the things on a film where the genius expounds a theory on a blackboard ...et voila.
In fact there is probably an equation that defines how quickly eyes start to glaze over when a dimwit is faced with that sort of thing.

A bit like motormad explaining what a steering wheel is for to a baboon.
ce.

Posted by: JeffG Aug 4 2013, 11:07 AM

Aaargh! McKean's law (or her equivalent) strikes.

Re: curly brackets - as well as maths, you'll need them if you ever program in C++ or Java.

Posted by: Nothing Much Aug 4 2013, 11:14 AM

"The upside-down A symbol is the universal quantifier from predicate logic". See what I mean.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Aug 4 2013, 11:15 AM

or if you need a full-beard emoticon :{)}

Posted by: Nothing Much Aug 4 2013, 11:21 AM

or if you need a full-beard emoticon :{)}
Is that for Navel Gazing or even Naval!.

Posted by: Nothing Much Aug 4 2013, 11:25 AM

Right that is enuff edication for today.
Muphry's law says I have to visit the farmers wife and her market to glaze at some squiggly cucumbers.
ce

Posted by: Biker1 Aug 17 2013, 12:02 PM

New one today - or is the appearance of Meatloaf in doubt? " LEGENDARY rock singer Meat Loaf if performing at The Racecourse Newbury tonight,"
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/flower-show-allotment-open-day-and-meat-loaf-all-on-todays-agenda

Posted by: JeffG Sep 11 2013, 08:23 AM

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/man-arrested-following-chieveley-bus-stop-crash

No excuse for bad grammar in a newspaper.

Posted by: Strafin Sep 11 2013, 09:13 AM

What's wrong with that?

Posted by: Biker1 Sep 11 2013, 09:32 AM

You don't know?
Seems the English language is dying on it's feet.
I blame parents and schools.
Still it seems to most that it doesn't really matter. .................................................................like!

Posted by: Squelchy Sep 11 2013, 11:13 AM

Too many 'in's.

That's before we get onto sat / sitting / were etc....

Posted by: JeffG Sep 11 2013, 11:23 AM

To narrow it down, in case you overlooked it the first time.

(TBH, I hadn't noticed the 'in's )

Posted by: x2lls Sep 11 2013, 01:43 PM

It seems!

Posted by: Biker1 Sep 11 2013, 09:09 PM

OK Nice one!
However, as many point out, this is a forum where one may type quickly as it rolls off the mind.
Were it a job application, or a newspaper, or a formal letter more care would be taken, in my case anyway.
Shall I write it out correctly 100 times??

Posted by: Strafin Sep 11 2013, 09:27 PM

The English has been changing day by day for hundreds of years. It's just changing at a slowly different rate now, and in a way you don't like. Even in the fifties, sixties and seventies there were many changes, you're just at an age now where you're comfortable with it as it is. I'm only a few years behind you

Posted by: DJE Sep 12 2013, 03:21 AM

Back in the 80's, a NWN editorial included the phrase "attention to detal".

Typos in the NWN are nothing new.

Posted by: blackdog Sep 12 2013, 09:41 AM

It seems to me that teenagers have always developed a constantly changing slang of their own, but, in the past, this went out of date as quickly as it arrived. Today this teenspeak is adopted by adults desperately attempting to be young or to commune with their kids and hence it lasts a lot longer (long after the teens have dropped it). As a result it creeps into general use, changing the language more quickly than ever. On the other hand dialectical differences are fading and accents merging (you rarely hear a Berkshire accent from anyone under 50).

Posted by: Claude Sep 12 2013, 03:49 PM

You mean '80s.

Posted by: DJE Sep 12 2013, 05:30 PM

Oh, **** off!

Posted by: dannyboy Sep 12 2013, 05:31 PM

Starter for 10, four letters....does it start with F?

Posted by: DJE Sep 12 2013, 05:51 PM

I typed in four asterisks, as it appears on your screen.

Any letter substitution you choose to apply is subject entirely to your own assumptions, and possibly, filthy mind.

Posted by: JeffG Sep 12 2013, 08:54 PM

Claude, you need to be very careful if you're going to edit a quote. You removed the very typo DJE was posting about. (Why edit it anyway?)

Posted by: Claude Sep 12 2013, 09:58 PM

Ha ha, super-spell-check strikes again. Apologies to DJE, for the edit and the pedantry.

Posted by: betsy Sep 13 2013, 02:15 PM

Nice one to-day.

Smoke bellowing from a car?

Am assuming it was billowing.

Posted by: Biker1 Sep 14 2013, 08:45 AM

It could, possibly, although highly unlikely, have been noisy smoke!!
Perhaps bellowing from under the bonnet to be set free??

Posted by: Blake Sep 19 2013, 03:44 PM

I noticed more muppetry by the Newbury Weekly News on this in this week's edition: The EXACT same story on Kennet Radio was run on page 5 ...and then again on page 8: It may be good news but once is enough! Do I get a refund?

Posted by: JeffG Sep 19 2013, 04:07 PM

The same post in three different threads! Is this some sort of a record? (And nothing to do with language, either.)

Posted by: x2lls Oct 5 2013, 10:45 PM

Shortlist of three for control tower bidders

Council spokesman Keith Ulyatt said that he could not reveal the identities of the shortlift because the information was commercially confidential,


Mr Ulyatt said: “The process needs to take place in private so that those bidding and those making the decisions are not comprised in any way.”

Posted by: Exhausted Oct 6 2013, 10:28 AM

Having a quick look at the results and fixtures tables on page 53.
Rugby Results South West One East.
Taste of England..... 7 Olde Red Lion.....3
I thought they had a darts team, no idea they played rugby.

Interesting that in the darts Thatcham friendly Summer League table,
Top of the table
Taste of England(A) P16 W1 L3 Pts 120
Something not quite right there.

Also, headline....
Thatcham strike again in a real cliffhanger
Good article and provides a good resume of the match, players listed etc.
Shame about the pictures that go with the article, they are both of the Hungerford v Bicester 31-15 home win. (Ok there is a title under the picture which is correct but I would have thought that the paper might have made a bit more of an important local win and not confused it for the casual reader)

Posted by: x2lls Oct 9 2013, 02:15 PM

NEWBURY firefighters were called to a collision involving a car and motorcycle on the A4 at Midgham this morning (Wed) evening.

Posted by: On the edge Oct 9 2013, 04:36 PM

Oh well x2lls, you now have your answer! I guess you are of a certain age. Latest statistics show that UK's academic attainment levels have fallen significantly. Our national average is only kept up because the older segment of the population are better educated.

Posted by: Biker1 Oct 11 2013, 08:12 AM

Is it that education standards are falling, or is it the new attitude that folks don't really care about correct grammar and spelling?
Several have posted on this forum saying it is not important and doesn't really matter as long as the message gets across.
Perhaps they are right?
Maybe it is technology, such as text, internet and spellcheck, that is responsible for this?

Posted by: On the edge Oct 11 2013, 08:31 AM

I'd imagine its a bit of both. Differences about standards of English and correctness of spellings have been constant for many years. George Bernard Shaw, Mark Twain etc. etc have all weighed in at times. The problem appears to be that today our students don't even know who they are or what they did.

I have to say, I'm no fan of the rote learning many of the older generation so favour. Many people confuse the regurgitation of previously learned rules as a sign of intelligence; it isn't. Alan Turing and Albert Einstein were pretty hopeless at school.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Oct 11 2013, 01:29 PM

I've seen it before, but the story about Einstein being poor at school is not true. He was actually quite exceptionally able as a child, most especially in maths and physics. He didn't enjoy the rigid method of teaching in his school and taught himself a lot, but he was still getting good marks in exams and coming top of his class. True, he failed the university entrance exam, but he was actually taking it two years early, and it was his French language that particularly let him down as Swiss technical universities expected a broad range of study, but his maths and physics were so strong that even though he wasn't a student he was allowed to attend lectures in those subjects, and of course he was handy on the violin too. His language development was a little slow, and he didn't speak well until he was three, and though it's true that he was no polyglot, he was perfectly proficient in German and still did acceptably well in French and Greek in school and learnt passable English later in life, so the idea that he had some kind of learning disability is just fanciful.

Posted by: On the edge Oct 11 2013, 01:36 PM

But he didn't fall into the standard measures. Doubtless if he was around today he'd have been labelled with some syndrome and be regarded as disruptive. The telling comment is 'he didn't enjoy the rigid method of teaching at his school' - that's exactly what our Grammar school apologists would have us return to.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 11 2013, 02:16 PM

Why does expressing regret at the apparent lowering of standards of English in public life mean we all wish a return to the days of 'fagging' and the cane?

Posted by: JeffG Oct 11 2013, 02:33 PM

OTE: What's a "Grammar school apologist"? AC: are you confusing Grammar schools with public schools? I'm sure neither uses the cane these days, in any case.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 11 2013, 03:03 PM

Used 'fagging' and the cane as a substitute for grammar schools. OTE seems to think that because people complain about the general standard of English, that the same people would like to see a return to the old fashion method of teaching.

Posted by: On the edge Oct 11 2013, 04:05 PM

Must admit, it's an elderly hobby horse of mine. To explain, I've noticed that whenever there are complaints about falling standards, often illustrated with examples of bad grammar or poor arithmetic, there is a parallel call for the return of Grammar schools, the exemplars of rote learning. That is Grammar schools in the meaning of the Butler Act.

In my view, these places taught but didn't educate. So often, the rules they hammered home were wrong. You can start sentences with prepositions just as much as you can end them with a preposition. Similarly what's wrong with split infinitives or double negatives?

Both the teaching of language and a flawed educational system are linked in my mind. what many see as intelligence is actually the mere regurgitation of rules which has been stifling innovation and development in UK since late 1940s.

Rant over, a personal view I know, but a strong one. And no, this isn't a good example of written English!

Posted by: Simon Kirby Oct 11 2013, 04:57 PM

Isn't the rule actually about starting a sentence with a conjunction? I think it's fine if it's used for effect such as "And another thing...", but mostly it's probably wrong as the point of conjunctions is that they join clauses.

I don't think there actually is a problem ending a sentence with a preposition - was that ever really taught?

Split infinitives is mostly pretentious - it's entirely down to Latin not forming an infinitive with a particle, and so the logic follows that the particle shouldn't be split from the verb. I try not to split infinitives.

I don't have a problem with double negatives. It's an idiomatic form of emphasis, and the idea that grammar follows some mathematical rule of symantic negation is wrong, it doesn't, grammatical rules are grammatical rules and don't have to explain themselves to anyone, so I ain't not doing it.

I learnt what spelling and grammar I know from studying poetry, years after leaving school. I've basically got a technical brain and didn't think poetry had much to offer me, but I was surprised how the discipline of understanding language and expression actually helped me order my technical thoughts.

Posted by: JeffG Oct 11 2013, 09:15 PM

Didn't do me any harm. I think I had a pretty broad education, in fact. Well, we didn't have media studies in those days, but apart from that...

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 11 2013, 10:45 PM

I'd like to have a really good command of English. I find if someone speaks and writes well, then they are much easier to read and understand. I see being understood, whether grammatically correct or not, is the most important thing; the rest is probably just snobbery.

Posted by: On the edge Oct 12 2013, 07:20 AM

I wouldn't disagree with that at all. Nonetheless, as a public we are fickle. Enoch Powell had a superb command of English, and indeed several other languages. Then we have dear old John Prescott. Success takes many forms.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Oct 12 2013, 09:09 AM

Enoch Powell was a remarkably intelligent man, wickedly misunderstood, as much by his own party as anyone else. proof that brilliance is no guarantee of success - politicians would do well to think twice before quoting from Virgil's Aeneid.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 12 2013, 09:51 AM

I heard the Tony Benn would translate his speeches to Latin to make sure it made sense. How cleaver is that!

Posted by: Nothing Much Oct 12 2013, 11:41 AM

Cleavers. The much loved weed of schooldays. You can't smoke it but boiled it is ghastly.
As featured in Richard Maby's long ago book "Food for Free". Aside from annoying girls
it has many uses, unlike politicians. No disrespect to Tony Benn, who is, these days, less
sprightly than in his prime.
It even has a Latin name... but then so do most things
ce

Posted by: Simon Kirby Oct 12 2013, 12:04 PM

I've always thought Tony Benn to be a dangerous, malevolent, insidious intellectual. For all his erudition I always felt he was sneering and scheming - I think personality always comes through in what you say, and we judge on that as much as on what is said.

On the left of British Politics I think Wilson was an honourable, decent man. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwAhWeb3-RY. It was a tremendous time of change the late sixties/early seventies, and promised much, but we came out of it badly. Politics now is just so slimy and evasive, no honesty at all.

Posted by: On the edge Oct 12 2013, 01:02 PM

I'm sure, but for all his grammatical accuracy he didn't make sense to most of the electorate.

Posted by: Exhausted Oct 12 2013, 02:08 PM

Wasn't at all common knowledge until Startrek 'To boldly go'

I think that most of the time, the split infinitive makes a better sound.

Posted by: On the edge Oct 12 2013, 03:00 PM

I can still feel the pain; Mrs Jackson giving back the latest homework; tapping on your head with her gnarled knuckles; 'must not split infinitives, repeat'. Those were the days! She was said to be great teacher but just hated people. Not that the rest of the school did much to lift the spirits; detention for failing to wear a jacket on hot days etc. etc.

Posted by: Nothing Much Oct 12 2013, 03:49 PM

On the subject of Teachers.
My old prep skool artmasta lives opposite Newbury Station so this is a local random bit of info...I was crup @ art.
http://www.christopherhall-painter.com/

His website includes a gallery of local places, Donnington Castle, Inkpen, Coombe Gibbet, and other villages.
Not forgetting Station Road in the snow. I get a nice invite to an annual Exhibition in Bloomsbury.
Champagne on Tuesday 15th Oct. So I shall be a busy bee next week.

He also has a painting of a long disused building opposite Kings Cross Station The Oyster House.
Despite passing it a zillion times I never knew it was so named..

Out of interest here it is. Scaffolding surrounds the block at present. So a popular landmark will rise again.
http://www.urban75.org/london/oyster-bar-kings-cross.html

A further piece of useless information is that I live about a mile uphill behind the blue student accomodation block.
ce

Posted by: On the edge Oct 12 2013, 04:16 PM

That's made my evening! Stuck in a hot train wending my way back to Newbury. I have been passed that building many times, rather too quickly to take too much notice; a mistake clearly.

Posted by: DJE Oct 13 2013, 12:19 AM

Consider yourself to be in virtual detention.

Cut amd paste the corrected sentence 100 times.

Posted by: DJE Oct 13 2013, 12:22 AM

I would suggest that to be saying something intelligent, worthwhile, true, insightful and persuasive is the most important thing. Being understood is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

Posted by: On the edge Oct 13 2013, 06:43 AM

Thank you. That was no where near as painful as it should have been; standards have dropped!

Posted by: MontyPython Oct 13 2013, 01:07 PM

Oh dear, there are going to be a lot of virtual kids in virtual detention!

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 13 2013, 03:28 PM

I think you'll find that involves being understood!

It doesn't matter how important the information you are convening is, it is all lost if the recipient is not capable of understanding you or responding appropriately, so my point still stands I think (if we ignore your 'pedanticisum' ).

Posted by: Nothing Much Oct 13 2013, 03:43 PM

"peda....m" Shut up ce
Do something useful.

Posted by: JeffG Oct 13 2013, 06:11 PM

That's it! Everyone in detention.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Oct 13 2013, 06:37 PM

"Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something." -Plato.

Posted by: DJE Oct 14 2013, 01:11 AM

This guy?

Posted by: Simon Kirby Oct 14 2013, 08:44 AM

Oh yes. He was an accomplished academic before the war, an accomplished soldier during the war, and but for the petty jealousy of his less-able party colleagues would have been an accomplished post-war politician. As it was he ended his days in opprobrium. His views are painfully right-wing today, but he was a man of his time and I think you need to understand his legacy in context.

Posted by: spartacus Oct 19 2013, 11:32 AM

Back on topic and considering the NWN and the way it mangles the English language....

reveller noun "A person who is enjoying themselves in a lively and noisy way."

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/reveller-burned-policeman-with-cigarette
Can someone who grinds a lit fag into a copper's hand and then spits in their face a number of times really be considered a 'reveller'?

Posted by: ivan i Oct 19 2013, 12:04 PM

You may regret mentioning Christopher Hall's website on this thread - Coombe I think you'll find, is normally spelt Combe !!!

Posted by: Nothing Much Oct 19 2013, 12:30 PM

Guilty as charged ivan i.

I did spell it correctly myself but I had the web window open and changed my post.... wrongly.

Like the green cross code. Check, check, and........ check again.
Nice chap though.
ce

Posted by: Strafin Oct 19 2013, 12:49 PM

Yes of course

Posted by: Biker1 Oct 21 2013, 03:10 PM

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/drivers-facing-delays-on-the-m4-today-monday
EDIT - corrected now!

Posted by: JeffG Oct 22 2013, 10:16 AM

Must be handy having volunteer proof readers on here

Posted by: Biker1 Oct 22 2013, 10:49 AM

Come on Jeff, I know you love this thread really, just use up some spare time and join in!!

Posted by: JeffG Oct 22 2013, 11:44 AM

Yes I do! I was commenting on how useful it was to NWN - free proof reading!

Posted by: x2lls Oct 22 2013, 12:37 PM

It would be useful, if only it was before publishing!

Posted by: motormad Oct 28 2013, 11:58 AM

What's a Volkswagen Golf Index?

Posted by: Nothing Much Oct 28 2013, 12:31 PM

VW Golf - Index Fórum.

Was this helpful ? Add a comment on your experience.
Thanks google
ce.

Posted by: Nothing Much Oct 28 2013, 01:01 PM

PS. Don't bother looking up the forum. It's in a forin language I don't recognise.
Maybe Golfspekie. Or NWNish
ce

Posted by: On the edge Oct 28 2013, 05:23 PM

Its a standard Golf with a slightly different spec. which to keep in line with its exclusive nature, is not published. Aimed at a special segment of the market, it contains some added extras, but for anti theft security purposes, it looks and runs exactly the same as any other Golf. Costs a little extra......... If you want one, I could source it for you.

Posted by: gel Oct 28 2013, 08:34 PM

AND ANOTHER editorial XXXXup from current A34 closure story; spot the error!

THE A34 will be closed northbound from Junction 13 of the M4 (Chieveley) from 10am tonight (Mon) until 6am tomorrow (Tues).

Posted by: motormad Oct 28 2013, 10:00 PM

Would it be in the BACK of the magazine by any chance?

They did a Golf Individual.

I suppose it contains a Norweigan spa and a table tennis table as well as a place to have a bubble bath.

Posted by: JeffG Oct 28 2013, 10:45 PM

Look like Hungarian to me.

Edit: The URL sort of gives it away, too - forum.index.hu

Posted by: Nothing Much Oct 29 2013, 10:09 AM

Hungarian eh?
I guess sort of turn right after Germany.
ce-ich.

Posted by: Nothing Much Oct 29 2013, 01:13 PM

Another journo hack does it again.

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/12_20pm_update_humpback_whale_sighted_off_winterton_coast_heads_for_happisburgh_1_2940297

The comments following the story match some about sloppy writing and research in the NWN.
ce.

Posted by: On the edge Oct 29 2013, 03:22 PM

I thought Whales was further down the M4?

Posted by: Nothing Much Oct 29 2013, 03:39 PM

Whales?.

Sort of straight on after Bristol. You can tell a waiil bythe flippers. Big 'uns. they be aargh.
Enough of that.. In the true spirit of proof reading the story has been altered 3 times since this morning.
It really was totally senseless gibberish. Like most of my posts.
ce

Posted by: The Hatter Oct 29 2013, 05:40 PM

Something must be wrong, no mention of Parking Permits.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Nov 3 2013, 10:10 PM

From http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2013/brownies-get-a-helping-hand-from-red-watch-on-their-quest-for-first-aid-badge?doing_wp_cron=1383516019.4405100345611572265625:

"Brownie’s get a helping hand from Red Watch on their quest for first aid badge."

"The trip helped the girls’ at 1st Thorngrove Brownies on their way to receiving their first aid badges ..."

"The visit concluded with a close-up look at the fire engines and a chance to try on some of the firefighter’s gear ..."

I think that should be Brownies, badges, girls, and firefighters'.

Posted by: Nothing Much Nov 4 2013, 12:34 PM

Brownies,Badgers,Girls,Firefighters.

It sound's a's if NWN is organising its's Christmas S&M party.
ce.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Nov 4 2013, 08:39 PM

Posted by: Biker1 Dec 20 2013, 09:10 AM

Nice one on page 21 this week.
"GWR apologises for poor performance."

GWR??
God's Wonderful Railway unfortunately met it's demise at the end of 1947.
I wonder what the service to London from Bedwyn was like then?
Anyone got a copy of http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Railway-Tables-October-further/dp/0902888730?

Posted by: motormad Dec 22 2013, 12:50 AM

Great Western Railway?

Well technically it's First Great Western but really..?

Posted by: Exhausted Dec 22 2013, 11:40 AM

Almost as bad as getting your Golf gti Mk's mixed up

Posted by: NWNREADER Dec 22 2013, 01:30 PM

I can let you have a copy for £15 (ono)

Posted by: Biker1 Dec 22 2013, 04:54 PM

No, it actually is First Great Western!
FGW as opposed to GWR - get it?
The GWR was a railway company, as I said, finished in 1947. FGW is a train company.
It doesn't own a railway (or much else for that matter!) it just operates trains etc.
When you fly do you go BOAC or British Airways?
If a newspaper reported something using BOAC would that be acceptable?

Posted by: Biker1 Dec 22 2013, 05:02 PM

I was rather hoping for nil expenditure!
I bet there were no more that 8 or so trains a day from Bedwyn to Reading with NONE to Paddington!

Posted by: On the edge Dec 22 2013, 06:19 PM

The Great Western Railway Company formally finished when it was wound up on 23 December 1949.

Posted by: JeffG Dec 22 2013, 07:53 PM

Depends if it's long haul or short haul. For European flights I would have used BEA.

Posted by: Biker1 Dec 23 2013, 10:21 AM

Now who's nit-picking!!
EDIT
I stand corrected.
But as has been said before on this thread, this is just a forum, the NWN is a newspaper!

Posted by: JeffG Dec 23 2013, 04:59 PM

Bearing in mind the thread title: "who's" to be totally pedantic. Whose nit-picking do you mean?

Bit like the its/it's conundrum

Posted by: Turin Machine Jan 25 2014, 12:22 PM

Page 9,

"Followed by doors and Windows and the installation of a sceptic tank"

5 across, a doubtful American perhaps?

Oh dear.

Posted by: CharlieF Feb 6 2014, 04:18 PM

Removed double post.

Posted by: CharlieF Feb 6 2014, 04:19 PM

Did the chairman of Purley Parish Council, Rick Jones, REALLY say that the village was on “tender hooks”? I wonder whether he really said "tenterhooks"? But he is from Purley... surely if he was from the town of Jack o'Newbury he would know that tenterhooks are the spikes on a 'tenter' that stretch cloth... like the word tent innit...!
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/residents-in-purley-on-tender-hooks-while-other-villages-already-flooded

Posted by: CharlieF Feb 6 2014, 04:23 PM

That was quick they corrected it!

Posted by: On the edge Feb 6 2014, 04:24 PM

Needed to be! Tender Hooks sound like something you'd buy from one of those interesting shops in Oxford Road, Reading!

Posted by: Biker1 Feb 6 2014, 09:43 PM

Which ones are those then OTE?
(I know there's a good bike spares shop down there!.)

Posted by: JeffG Feb 7 2014, 10:59 AM

I'm just waiting for the next "tow the line".

Posted by: CharlieF Feb 25 2014, 06:16 PM

May I veer off topic a little and make a plea against the use of pictures of gavels to represent their supposed use in court as inhttp://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/newbury-man-apologises-to-court-for-behaviour and http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/driver-banned-following-six-mile-car-chase and http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/woman-caught-shoplifting-was-trying-to-help-friend-court? We don't use them. Info from thehttp://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/introduction-to-justice-system/court-traditions#headingAnchor2:

Posted by: MontyPython Feb 25 2014, 08:46 PM

The NWN also has a tendency to use pictures of Handcuffs Do you use them Charlie?

Posted by: Baffers100 Mar 20 2014, 09:21 AM

"10k motorist fined for using Park Way Bridge"

Another great headline.

Posted by: Nothing Much Mar 20 2014, 09:40 PM

This made me chuckle. From the NEN not the NWN.

2 reader comments about the budgit

"Thursday, March 20, 2014
This is not a 10% reduction in duty , a 10% reduction would have seen duty drop to 18% from 20%. It is in fact a 50% reduction , moving from 20% to 10%. Basic arithmatic.

Quite true, and arithmatic is spelt arithmetic. Basic spelling."
ce

Posted by: Blake Jun 2 2014, 07:44 AM

Yet another cockup at the NWN along the lines of "The Liberal Democrats returned only one MEP to Westminster."

NO: MEPs sit in Strasbourg in France and Brussels in Belgium. They do NOT sit in Westminster!

Unbelievable how that got missed.

Posted by: Biker1 Jul 3 2014, 09:52 AM

There are two identical letters from two different people in this week's!!

Posted by: blackdog Jul 3 2014, 07:00 PM

And their caption for a picture of the Swan, Newtown (on the history page) moves Newtown to Wiltshire - though the text of an old item on the Swan correctly places it in Hampshire.

Posted by: Biker1 Jul 4 2014, 07:42 AM

Yes, I saw that too bit didn't want to be too critical in one post.

Posted by: massifheed Aug 29 2014, 01:20 PM

Sounds like one to listen out for!

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/great-british-bake-off-contestant-leaves-after-falling-in-newbury-restaurant

Posted by: Turin Machine Aug 29 2014, 01:35 PM

Sounds like a recipe for disaster!

Posted by: Exhausted Aug 29 2014, 09:40 PM

If music be the food of love, play on.

Bill S.

Posted by: Biker1 Aug 30 2014, 11:51 AM

Don't suppose this will interest many of you but number wrong http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/catch-historic-steam-engine-from-west-berkshire-in-september.
61009 was not an A4 but was a member of the B1 class of LNER / BR engines and was named "Hartebeeste".
The BR number of "Bittern" is 60019 although at present she carries her first LNER number which is 4464.
Sorry, I'll put the anorak away now!!

Posted by: Turin Machine Aug 30 2014, 04:26 PM

Don't get out much do you.

Posted by: MontyPython Aug 30 2014, 07:32 PM

It also says catch a steam train in West Berks but then says it is Diesel hauled to Westbury which was not in Berkshire last time I looked!

Posted by: Biker1 Aug 31 2014, 08:35 AM

Well!........... Quite surprised there being only one comment of that ilk. I was convinced my informative post would trigger many more!
What are your interests then TM?

Posted by: Nothing Much Aug 31 2014, 09:09 AM

Good to see attention to detail.
What colour is the anorak by the way
ce

Posted by: JeffG Aug 31 2014, 09:36 AM

Depends which region he supports.

Posted by: Nothing Much Aug 31 2014, 10:30 AM

http://www.stationcolours.info/.
I have found such websites extremely interesting. ce

Posted by: Simon Kirby Aug 31 2014, 11:07 AM

I had lunch at Alresford station on the Watercress Line yesterday, and I very much enjoyed watching the chuff-chuffs and their carriages and the station is really lovely too with cosy waiting rooms and a little vegetable garden. I can completely understand the fascination with all things railway.

Posted by: MontyPython Aug 31 2014, 11:57 AM

Did you go for a ride and see the Moo-cows in the fields too?

Posted by: Exhausted Aug 31 2014, 01:26 PM

I can't wait for the Santa special.

Posted by: Biker1 Aug 31 2014, 07:41 PM

Region? Region???

Posted by: NWNREADER Aug 31 2014, 10:28 PM

But he is right.....
http://www.cathedralsexpress.co.uk/Executables/GT436TourCalendar.exe?WebBookno=7181918&ActionCode=TC&Hotel=6228&SS=SDSVR01\SQLExpress&DB=SteamDreams&Division=A

Posted by: NWNREADER Aug 31 2014, 10:41 PM

However..... From the website

Date Duration Title Locomotive
Thu 16Oct14 Day trip Newbury & Reading to Cambridge & Ely Oliver Cromwell........ Brittania Class, but not Brittania

Posted by: NWNREADER Aug 31 2014, 10:41 PM

Duplicate

Posted by: NWNREADER Aug 31 2014, 10:41 PM

Triplicate

Posted by: NWNREADER Aug 31 2014, 10:41 PM

sorry

Posted by: NWNREADER Aug 31 2014, 10:42 PM

oops

Posted by: Biker1 Sep 1 2014, 07:28 AM

Yes, changed just recently after the report went out.
"Britannia" itself is out of action at present but the only other remaining Britannia Class "Oliver Cromwell" is standing in.

Anorak's blue by the way!

Posted by: JeffG Sep 1 2014, 07:58 AM

I thought you'd have been a Great Western brown and cream man, myself.