LL-L: "Language planning" LOWLANDS-L, 18.OCT.2000 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 18.OCT.2000 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Matthew McGrattan <matthew.mcgrattan at brasenose.oxford.ac.uk>
Subject: LL-L: "Language planning" LOWLANDS-L, 13.OCT.2000 (01) [E]

> While on this Oxford theme, I remember seeing a notice in Magdalen College
> in 1984, on the last Saturday of British Summer Time, that read "Members of
> college are advised to retard all timepieces by one hour this evening" (I may
> not have remembered the exact wording, but it definitely used the words
> "retard" and "timepieces". At the time I thought it was serious, but now I
> suspect the formulation may have been tongue-in-cheek.
>
> Nigel Smith
> lists at intexta.com

As someone who lives in Oxford and studies at the University I
suspect it was probably tongue in cheek - although you can never be
sure. Some people do talk like 19th century academics (or like the
"Victorian Dad" from Viz Magazine... :-))

However, the University still likes to use any number of quaint archaisms
when it can... being suspended or expelled from the University for any
kind of misconduct is referred to as "rustication", for example. There are
any number of other similar phrases, I just can't think of any at the
moment.

>From the Inspector Morse angle, can I second whoever said that the Morse
novels are appalingly written... The grammar is terrible throughout
because Dexter always seems to want to make his writing appear erudite -
when there is just no need for it - and
as a result he never uses "Morse walked quickly" when
"Morse found himself perambulating with some haste
and not inconsiderable vigour" would do
instead.

Cheers,

Matt

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