LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.04.15 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 15.APR.2002 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
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From: "Ian James Parsley (Laptop)" <parsleyij at ukonline.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.04.14 (02) [E]

John,

The classic example of American usage with a 'British accent' is Elaine
out of Frazier, of course - 'it must have gotten lost in the elevator'
being a classic, but 'someplace' creeps in there quite often as well!

Certain really obvious Americanisms are creeping in which I find
particularly interesting. Few Brits could tell you anything about
baseball, yet they might quite happily talk about 'touching base' or a
'ballpark figure'.

Regards,

Ian J. Parsley

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From: "Ian James Parsley (Laptop)" <parsleyij at ukonline.co.uk>
Subject: 'Plain English'

Folk,

Maybe I'm getting a little off-subject here, but in my day-job (as a PR
consultant) I cannot help noticing the sheer nonsense that people pass
off
as English, particularly in government documents - in the UK one might
call
this 'Civil-Servantese', first noted by the late Sir Nigel Hawthorne who
played Sir Humphrey Appleby in the 80s BBC comedy series 'Yes Minister'.
In
my non-day-job (as a translator), this causes immense difficulty.

So for example, a department might, 'with due regard' to various
schedules
and acts, 'take steps' or 'bring forward measures' to 'deliver quality
services to the customer', without ever defining any of these things.
Why
is
it always '*due* regard'? What are these 'steps'. If you 'bring forward'
a
measure, does that mean you implement it or just introduce it? Why do
you
'deliver' services? Do public departments have 'customers'? Have I gone
quite mad? What's that strange noise?!

I have had to translate such documents into Scots, a nightmarish task!
What is the difference between 'over-arching', 'cross-cutting' and
'joined-up' approaches to achieving 'aims', 'goals', 'objectives' or
'targets'? Is it relevant which one of 'aim', 'goal', 'objective' or
'target' is used?

It is really quite remarkable how the phrase 'We haven't considered this
yet' can be 'translated' to make 50 words in Civil-Servantese! Is this
something that is easier in English, or is the whole world at it?

Regards,
Ian J. Parsley.

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