I'm loving it... whats all that about

[bobg]

Has anybody noticed this strange shift in the language lately. No more I love it, I hate it etc. I wonder ... or should I say I'm wondering why??

 

[Arch]

I noticed a while back the same sort of thing in people describing something that happened, like a car crash (esp in programmes like Traffic Cops). Instead of "he came round the bend and lost control and rolled over", it's "He's come round the bend etc... I wondered if it was a sort of trend among policemen, in the same way that they render any statement in that special court speak (I heard a statment I'd made read back by a coroner, and cringed at the stiltedness of it). But you hear non-police witnessess using it too.

Someone more knowledgeable about grammer might be able to tell us the difference between 'he came' and 'he's come' in that respect. It's a sort of presentising the past, if I may use such a dreadful made up word.

 

[Perfect Virgo]

I think it's an attempt by the users to separate themselves from convention and tradition. To old farts like me it grates but that's the way of the modern world. I imagine they give their children stylish surnames for first names and prefer "reality" TV over the Discovery Channel! Not that I am at all judgemental!

I noticed a while back the same sort of thing in people describing something that happened, like a car crash (esp in programmes like Traffic Cops). Instead of "he came round the bend and lost control and rolled over", it's "He's come round the bend etc... I wondered if it was a sort of trend among policemen, in the same way that they render any statement in that special court speak (I heard a statment I'd made read back by a coroner, and cringed at the stiltedness of it). But you hear non-police witnessess using it too.

Someone more knowledgeable about grammer might be able to tell us the difference between 'he came' and 'he's come' in that respect. It's a sort of presentising the past, if I may use such a dreadful made up word.

I agree Arch. "Police speak" is highly stilted - eg: he was proceeding etc. etc... northerly direction etc. etc. I am guessing it has to do with accuracy but it seems as if for some reason they want to sound more polished, as if it adds weight to their evidence. As to the use of phrases like "he's come round the bend," it's just an expansion of the past tense which maybe they believe adds some immediacy to their report, implying that it's the recent past. Heck, everyone's a commentator nowadays!

 

[gbb]

'ooh i'm made up' is one of my pet hates. I must try not to be so judgemental :?:
Nothing new mind..i was explaining something to my son some years ago (he was about 13 at the time), and he replied..'that's well bad good that is'

And then there's regional words...i was working in Cyprus last winter, a bunch of Liverpudlians were at the (slightly below par) hotel and a cat had got in a sh@t on the carpet. They went mental :?: 'thats' zarking minty that is' :?:!

What the hell is 'minty'

 

[Arch]

I wonder how much of it is people not being confident at formal speech and language use - like the way people use over formal and stilted language in letters to officialdom. Some of us are just more comfortable writing in all sorts of language - I can turn out chatty posts, academic writing, and a formal letter, but many people get a sort of mental block about writing and think they have to sound 'posh'. I wonder if it was different when people wrote more letters to each other - but then the police-statement-speak has always been stilted like that, hasn't it?

Interesting point about immediacy. I'm trying to think, with my limited French grammer, if they have the same thing, and what the difference is. I think they do, but I can't remember the detailed difference on meaning...

 

[Wigsie]

Has anybody noticed this strange shift in the language lately. No more I love it, I hate it etc. I wonder ... or should I say I'm wondering why??

Blame Justin Timberlake and McDonalds!

 

[karen.488walker]

I loooove Thursdays.

 

[Mac66]

My gripe is with trendy presenters who use the phrase "give it up for..." as a way of indicating that the audience should politely greet the guest/singer etc with applause.

The only thing I usually "give up", upon hearing this phrase, is the will to live.

Why can't they speak proper like wot i does? Innit.

 

[Mac66]

Oh. And another thing.

The apparent lack of the use of "ly" at the end of adverbs. For example, "he did that quick", rather than "he did that quickly"

 

[bicyclebelle]

I hate 'Can I get?' as in 'Can I get a cup of coffee?'. What happened to 'Can I have?' ???

It's those bloomin Australian soaps and don't get me started on rising intonation in statements - teenagers these days appear to asking a never ending stream of questions of each other

 

[Perfect Virgo]

I hate 'Can I get?' as in 'Can I get a cup of coffee?'. What happened to 'Can I have?' ???

It's those bloomin Australian soaps and don't get me started on rising intonation in statements - teenagers these days appear to asking a never ending stream of questions of each other

Yes I believe the Aussie soaps started it. However it now seems entrenched in Canada too (and I thought I might have escaped it). It's not just the kids either, I hear many adults here asking questions when they are really making statements. Sounds like they have no confidence in what they say and are seeking reassurance.

 

[Arch]

Yes I believe the Aussie soaps started it. However it now seems entrenched in Canada too (and I thought I might have escaped it). It's not just the kids either, I hear many adults here asking questions when they are really making statements. Sounds like they have no confidence in what they say and are seeking reassurance.

More or less that yes. It started among teenage girls in Australia (and then made it's way into soaps), and linguists think (or they did when I did my OU degree), that it's a way of seeking reassurance and not coming across as too dogmatic - you make a statement, but leave it open to be discussed without it seeming to be a straight "that's wrong' reply. It's a way of appearing to be slightly deferential to other people in your 'gang' all the time.

I think many of us do similar things in posts - using IMO for example or tailing off with ...

 

[Fnaar]

Instead of "he came round the bend and lost control and rolled over", it's "He's come round the bend etc... I wondered if it was a sort of trend among policemen, in the same way that they render any statement in that special court speak (I heard a statment I'd made read back by a coroner, and cringed at the stiltedness of it). But you hear non-police witnessess using it too.

Someone more knowledgeable about grammer might be able to tell us the difference between 'he came' and 'he's come' in that respect. It's a sort of presentising the past, if I may use such a dreadful made up word.

Technically speaking, people who do this are using the Present Perfect tense (= have/has +past participle) where one might expect the Simple Past tense. The Present Perfect CAN be used to describe completed events (e.g. I've eaten my lunch) but there is usually some obvious connection with the present context (e.g. ... so I'm not hungry). The Past Simple is more often the choice where events are completes, in the past, historical (e.g. He came round the bend...). Hope that helps. I know this stuff
Also much used in after-football-match interviews with footballers/managers etc

 

[Norm]

I think many of us do similar things in posts - using IMO for example or tailing off with ...

I use both of those but, I hope, not to seek reassurance!

I use IMO because so many seem to confuse facts and opinions. I write a lot of opinions and I think there are very few facts in the world, I like to remind people of this opinion of mine.

I often use ellipsis as a kind of "make your own punchline" offering.

Technically speaking, people who do this are using the Present Perfect tense...

Douglas Adams discredited that, on the basis that it isn't.

 

[Fnaar]

But surely he is come round the bend is just a welcome return to the traditional form (verbs of motion use to be to form the past perfect) - the king is come etc.

Verily thou hast a point...