Changing Language

[Coppit]

Language will always evolve no matter what individuals prefer. I was employed in insurance all my life from 1951 and the everyday 'schedule' was pronounced starting as 'sh', but over the years the American 'sk' has become ubiquitous.
I'm not particularly interested in sport but was not keen on the import of 'quick, quickest' in place of 'fastest' in motor sport. The former is now deeply embedded but yesterday I heard Rob Bonnet, BBC radio sports commentator speak of a 'quick bowler'.

Way do others think about that?

[Coppit]

I was 5 when WWII broke out and when on a BBC news bulletin the words '... to harass the enemy' were spoken, I thought they referred to the name Harris So the current emphasis on the second syllable is yet another import and has been here for a long time.

[fiction-factory]

You may be interested in reading Oliver Kamm's Pedant column in the Times each Saturday, although it may wind you up a bit, Coppit. He seems to find all these sort of things perfectly acceptable on the bases that a lot of people say it so it must be okay or he can find an instance of the word being used by someone such as Jane Austen.

[Zacs-Master]

I've noticed recently that broadcasters / presenters say 'the Denmark player' or 'the France player' instead of Danish or French. It's only mildly irritating but I wondered whether the change is rooted in some PC rubbish.

[fiction-factory]

> cactusdriver "Why can't people get their heads round 'similar to' and 'different from'?
And the one that really irritates - 'less people.' I know; I should get out "

Oliver Kamm dealt with that one and seemed happy with different from/to/than- and pointed out that Charlotte Bronte used 'different than' so it must be okay. He also dismissed the distiction between less and fewer when he appeared on More or Less recently.

[fiction-factory]

Maybe, Zacs, it's because although a person plays for a particular country it doesn't mean they are that nationality- so someone may play for France but not be French

[cactusdriver]

>ff

Fair comment - just put me down as a pedant!

[Zacs-Master]

FF. good reasoning but I'm sure I've heard it applied in international matches and to individual sports people such as F1 drivers and tennis players.

[Canary42]

//// or he can find an instance of the word being used by someone such as Jane Austen.////

An interesting example - in her early manscripts she always spelt friend as freind.

[Canary42]

*manuscripts

[KatherineClaire]

Language will always changing, that's true. It makes language more interesting.

[jomifl]

Daisy, no PPI claims for you then? me hate that one too.