More Beebglish

Caption under a man speaking on BBC News 24 this morning: Restauranteur.

Restauranteur? The correct term is either Restaurateur or Restaurant Owner, not a mixture of both.

A restaurant is a place which serves food to 'restore' you (i.e., revitalise you), from Old French reastaurer, from the Latin restaurare . The restaurant owner is a restaurateur, the person who restores you.

Does this matter? Yes, it does when it is being pumped out to the whole world by the BBC - viewers assume that the BBC is a model of good English.

Beebglish

Headline on the BBC website today:

Thirteen people have been charged with taking part in a childcare fraud alleged to have earned them £569,568.

Why have they been charged if they have earned the money?

earn.
1. to gain or be paid (money or other payment) in return for work or service.
2. (tr.) to acquire, merit, or deserve through behaviour or action.

Yet another example of the increasing misuse of English at the BBC. What they mean is that the childcare fraud is alleged to have netted them £569,568. We are talking about illicit gains here, not earned rewards.

The BBC's frightening misuse of English

Take a look at this headline: Man who 'frightened' pilot jailed.

I was somewhat startled to see this in the BBC's own link to the article, for it simply gave the headline. Why, I asked myself, is someone who is easily frightened by a passenger allowed to pilot a plane? How do passengers gain access to the pilot? Doesn't the crew intervene? And did the second pilot take over from the frightened pilot?

It turns out that the pilot wasn't frightened at all, he simply feared that a passenger was putting his own life and that of other passengers at risk of injury.

Yet another frightful example of the steady decline of BBC English. Frightening, isn't it?

Replication

It would appear - to me at least - that the word "duplicate" has been replaced by the more modern - up to date - upperwardly mobile word - "replicate" - which essentialy means the same - so what'e the point - people trying to sound a bit more educated perhaps ???

Spotted in today's Times

"Burglar suspect dies after confronting house holder"
A burglar who suffered head injuries when he fell from a fourth floor window after disturbing a householder has died.
The owner of the property has been arrested.

How daft can you be?

Take a look at this. When you've read it click on  "refuse to believe"  either here or in the article.

The more absurd a notion is, the more readily we humans seem disposed to believe it.

Test Post

This is a test post. I would like you all to comment to see if your photo or any photos appeare.

Spokespersons

Have you noticed that of recent times - spokesmen have disappeared - and at most events to-day - spokeswomen have taken over - why is this - BS can be shovelled with more perfume - I wonder ?