LL-L: "Language planning" LOWLANDS-L, 13.OCT.2000 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 13.OCT.2000 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Thomas [t.mcrae at uq.net.au]
Subject: LL-L: "Language planning" LOWLANDS-L, 12.OCT.2000 (04) [E]

> From: Lowlands-L <sassisch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: LL-L: "Language planning" LOWLANDS-L, 12.OCT.2000 (04) [E]
>
> From: john feather [johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk]
> Subject: Language planning
John Feather wrote...
> Re: Welsh-language signs, etc.
> and buys "two
> bottles of single-malt Glenfiddich ('£4 Off When Two Are Purchased')". A
> non-UK reader might assume from this use of the passive that the shop is an
> old-fashioned establishment. In fact it's one of a fairly brash chain. What
> I'd expect to see is "Buy 2 get £4 off".
Good to see that snooty signs are still extant in UK John, I've had many's a
laught at them in my time. Best ever was in an English market town where, of
course, fish and chips shops would be looked on askance by the local would be
gentry and Young Conservatives. They did have one but the sign said 'Marion,
Fish Frier of Distinction.'

Regards
Tom
Tom Mc Rae
Brisbane Australia
"Oh wid some power the Giftie gie us
Tae see oorselves as ithers see us"
Robert Burns--

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From: Nigel Smith [lists at intexta.com]
Subject: LL-L: "Language planning" LOWLANDS-L, 12.OCT.2000 (02) [E]

John Feather wrote:

> I am perplexed. In what circumstances does "Serve fuel" occur?

It _is_ rather odd. I think it was at Safeway's petrol station. The
instructions for using the petrol pump read something like
1. Remove nozzle from holster
2. Press yellow button
3. Serve fuel
4. Replace nozzle in holster
5. Pay at kiosk

JF> The sense "portal" is a corruption of the meaning, but "gate"
> meaning a path
> or road is simply a Northern word from ON "gata" (Danish "gade") given a
> spelling pronunciation. "Gate" is found in this sense in the
> names of streets
> in York and other Yorkshire towns.

And, something which has always surprised me, in Milton Keynes, a "new town"
in Buckinghamshire, lots of the streets, many of which have surely been
built since 1945, have names in "Gate". Anyone know why?

JF>In the latest [Inspector Morse] novel the detective goes to an
>Oxford wine merchant's and buys "two
>bottles of single-malt Glenfiddich
>('£4 Off When Two Are Purchased')". [...]
>What I'd expect to see is "Buy 2 get £4 off".

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

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From: Roger Thijs [roger.thijs at euro-support.be]
Subject: LL-L: "Language planning" LOWLANDS-L, 12.OCT.2000 (04) [E]

> From: john feather [johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk]
> Subject: Language planning
> I don't know whether the British TV series "Inspector Morse" has gained
any
> notoriety outside the UK: it is a well-made show

In Belgium, we have the impression there is a murder, involving Oxford
university staff people, every week.Oxford University is clearly an
extremely dangerous place.

Brrrr.
Regards,
Roger

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