Syntax burden
By way of a coincidental follow-up to a comment I made the other day, a BBC producer has triggered a discussion about why the Corporation always refers to "the so-called 'war on terror'" or "the American-led 'war on terror'".
It's something I actually hadn't picked up on, subconsciously processing such turns of phrase as entirely legitimate and understandable. But inevitably, by calling attention to the practice, the Beeb has invited a load of crackpots and nutters to turn up and exercise their usual demented warped logic and lunatic prejudices. At least it helps the rest of us to know who to steer clear of.
A particular favourite of mine is the one who breaks out into a fit of Daily Mail hysterics: "The so-called British Broadcasting Corporation. You have nothing to do with my Britain stop taking taxes off us and go out into the real world and get proper jobs you losers."
It's something I actually hadn't picked up on, subconsciously processing such turns of phrase as entirely legitimate and understandable. But inevitably, by calling attention to the practice, the Beeb has invited a load of crackpots and nutters to turn up and exercise their usual demented warped logic and lunatic prejudices. At least it helps the rest of us to know who to steer clear of.
A particular favourite of mine is the one who breaks out into a fit of Daily Mail hysterics: "The so-called British Broadcasting Corporation. You have nothing to do with my Britain stop taking taxes off us and go out into the real world and get proper jobs you losers."
posted by Alistair Myles at 9:10 pm
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