In Poor Taste

In poor taste;

1) 4x4/SUVs used to take people to/from the school gates/supermarket
2) Obtrusive Christmas decorations on the outside of houses
3) Innapropraite use of the words 'basically', 'literally', 'actually', 'obviously' and other verbal ticks

This last one can be funny, especially when football players are interviewed to camera

"Basically at the end of the day it's a game of two halves" - translation; no exact English translation but something like 'all football games have two 45 minute periods of play which are often quite different due to the ability of the team to decide to change tactics during the half time interval.'

Football players are unable to master the past tense

"Wew, av seen 'im off his line and av ad a go and it's gone in" - translation; 'I noticed the keeper was off his line and I took a speculative shot which fortunately resulted in a goal.'

There are too many examples to indulge in. Notable offenders are Ian Dowie, David Beckham and Frank Lampard (who was privately educated at Brentwood). The best example was Julio Geordio, a character from Harry Enfield played by Paul Whitehouse. Julio was a South American footballer playing for Newcastle who mixed his native tongue with accent perfect Geordie colloquialisms.

It isn't just football players. Watch anyone who isn't media trained being interviewed on camera such as local news eyewitnesses and police officers/firemen. Reality TV shows also kick up some good examples. It puts me in mind of 'Politics and the English Language', a George Orwell essay first published in April 1946;

"Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. If one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly..."

As much as this essay talks about written English in the 1940's the essence readily applies to spoken English today. I have to be careful here because I indulge in verbal ticks and you will notice this blog will be riddled with my lazy writing habits.