Why can't we talk English

Granddaughter  to me , can you borrow me a pound please . NO ! I will lend you a pound. It took me 30 minutes to get through to her .
I then gave her the pound . A small lesson learnt I hope innit

She was asking you to request a pound from a friend obviously!

Charliefarlie wrote:

steamdrivenandy wrote:I've known several people who just can't pronounce 'specific' and end up saying 'pacific' instead.

Crinimal that is ............

Hinnit ............

what drives me mad is the fashionable but superfluous "executive speak" used by Politicians, Managers etc saying "going forward" every other sentence as in:

"The future of the xxxxxxx is now in safe hands, going forward" .......

Or "following a year long review xxxxxxxxx have embarked on a new strategy, going forward.........

and " having taken note of past failings what xxxxxx plan to do now going forward...........


so far as I understand the future, strategy, and plans don't go backwards! AAAAAGHHHHH!!!!!!!

And I cannot stand "back in the day" what is that supposed to mean unless you use it during the night when i still don't think it is right.

It's nice to know I'm at home when it comes to language grumps....

and another thing..... 

Last week a young man called us on our home phone, uninvited, from an online estate agent called Tepilo (because I'd used their online home valuation service) and started the conversation by saying "how're you doing today, mate?". When I pointed out that I am not his mate he said he was only trying to be personable. I mean, do these companies not bother to give their staff any training?

I would have replied 'not too bad Buddy - how are you?'


Frank

The short answer is no, they don't. Complain to the buxom Ms Beeny, Tepilo is her baby.

Complain about what? being spoken to in a friendly manner? Don't tell me you expect to be called 'sir' - unless you been knighted of course

Frank

No, but that form of address is presumptive and slovenly. A more appropriate form of address would yield a more respectful response.

Oh ! I'm liking it. More, please.

( One that had us puzzled for a while last week was a young lady who rang to check the details of something we'd ordered,  Her reason for ringing she explained was that she wanted to " make sure we're all reading from the same page ".  )

You can't call anyone mate if they'm from South of Coventry cuz theyme all posh bay um.

Norgil  Esq.

I can't stand being addresses as 'hun' , presumably shortened from 'honey'. It seems to be the 'in' way to address people on Facebook. I only look at a couple of for sale groups and I noticed that anyone asking a question about an item is answered with 'hun'.

NORGIL wrote:You can't call anyone mate if they'm from South of Coventry cuz theyme all posh bay um.

Norgil  Esq.

Not like us Auto-Sleeper owners then?

Frank

It annoys me when perfect strangers call me "My friend", usually because they are trying to be patronising and superior in some way.

Since I haven't got any friends it annoys me even more!

Aaah poor gromit, no friends. I'll be your friend, just get my address from Admin and send a cheque.

Gromit wrote:It annoys me when perfect strangers call me "My friend", usually because they are trying to be patronising and superior in some way.

Since I haven't got any friends it annoys me even more!

I used to work with an Indian guy who called everyone 'my friend' but he meant it though - lovely bloke.

Frank

And politicians that start a sentence with 'Now what I say'!!! Aaaaaaaaaaargh. I know they are saying it cos their lips are moving. What's that saying? 'How do you tell when a politician is lying? Their lips move' 

I hate people, who i don't know and lot younger than myself, using my christian name. It puts my back up immediately.

Sue68 wrote:I hate people, who i don't know and lot younger than myself, using my christian name. It puts my back up immediately.

Don't let it get to you Mrs (or Ms) 68.

Mrs Gromit dislikes being called Ms.
It usually results in me getting a kicking, because when people call her Ms I can't resist taking the Ps.

Gromit wrote:


Don't let it get to you Mrs (or Ms) 68.

Mrs Gromit dislikes being called Ms.
It usually results in me getting a kicking, because when people call her Ms I can't resist taking the Ps.

She should be so lucky ! Our local authority is proposing to address all women as "Mx" so as not to offend anyone who has got thus far without knowing whether they are Mr, Mrs ,Miss or Ms.

When I was mem sec. some lady members objected to being called Mrs, some objected to Miss.
I took to addressing all our lady members as Ms so as not to cause any offence and the habit stuck. If I am addressing an envelope to someone of the female gender, they get Ms.

BTW. I prefer to be addressed by my first name.

Frank

One of my pet hates is "two nine nine" etc. when quoting prices in adverts.

I like colloquialisms (thank goodness for predictive text!) but it's the Americanisms that annoy me - and I know I'm as guilty as anyone for using them but at least I know the English versions.

My husband is from Lancaster and has a strong accent, I'm from London and, of course, have none. I don't understand half he says, which is probably a good thing really

I hate the MS term, that is one I take umbrage with,  language is  varied all around the country, would be boring if we were all the same, live and let live, it is how people are to each other that counts in my book.

Saying that there are just two accents I really do not like, for one cannot understand a word they say. wouldn`t name them on here though, wouldn`t want to upset anyone.

The accent I love is the Irish.

Ah but even the Irish have several different accents.

As said, accents are not a problem, they bring diversity. Like others I don't like slovenly speech and Americanisation of our language.