Pedants' Paradise

[jean]

He responded: “On the issue of sin, it is quite clearly not for me to judge. I very strongly feel I should not judge what other people do. If you look at the woman taking adultery? What does Christ say? Is not for me to pass judgement.”

I feel certain that the transcription does not accurately represent what Mr. Rees-Mogg said.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Makes it sound like snuff!

[french frank]

I feel certain that the transcription does not accurately represent what Mr. Rees-Mogg said.

O tempora, o mores. He might just as well have been discussing classical music for all some people would know about.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Perhaps the expression "taken in" snookered the transcriber - as in "He said I'd enjoy myself, but he was lying!"

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Here's something for us all to take in:

[Serial_Apologist]

Motion, or resolution?

On the news the other day, it was said that a resolution presented at the UN condemning N Korea had not been passed at the General Council. Surely what was presented at the UN was a motion, which would have become a resolution only if it had been passed by majority vote? That's what I was taught, at any rate.

[vinteuil]

.

... a motion, or possibly a draft resolution?

http://www.un.org/en/sc/about/rules/chapter6.shtml

.

http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/how-to-participate/model-un-preparation/resolutions

.

http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/how-to-participate/getting-started/model-un-glossary

.

(... are you nostalgic for your activist days? )

.


.

[Serial_Apologist]

..

(... are you nostalgic for your activist days? )

..

We would take it in turns in the chair. When it was mine, I would start by saying, "Comrades, I have my Joe Stalin hat on tonight, as is usual. Everyone can make one contribution to the items for discussion. Just one".

[Serial_Apologist]

A phenomena???

This was said, at least twice, by a school teacher, in front of a class of 15-year olds, on last night's episode of Educating Greater Manchester [sic] on Channel 4. And the French teacher was speaking French before another class in a broad Mancunian accent.

And we're told pass rates at GCSE are no lower than they've ever been. No wonder educational standards in this country are seen as falling.

Shameless???

[vinteuil]

.

... yes, I noted that.

But lordy lordy, those teachers are saints. Coping day after day with such recalcitrant and (to my limited vision) unloveable children with such dedication. Couldn't do it for the life of me. Even if I know that it's 'phenomenon'...


.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

And we're told pass rates at GCSE are no lower than they've ever been. No wonder educational standards in this country are seen as falling.

???

"[N]ow lower"?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

But lordy lordy, those teachers are saints. Coping day after day with such recalcitrant and (to my limited vision) unloveable children with such dedication. Couldn't do it for the life of me. Even if I know that it's 'phenomenon'...

I think most cope on the understanding that they don't have to share restaurants with the little ... misunderstood dears.

[Pulcinella]

I think most cope on the understanding that they don't have to share restaurants with the little ... misunderstood dears.

Yes, I'm sure that that will be a criteria.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes, I'm sure that that will be a criteria.

[french frank]

No wonder educational standards in this country are seen as falling.

This brings me to a thought that has intrigued me. When I was an 'A' level examiner, there was a philosophical view that average ability remained fairly stable, year on year. And what we were measuring was the relative ability of the candidates. Some years might be a little better, some a bit worse. What we didn't expect was for ability to rise year after year.

If teaching standards were to rise, year after year (as they might), that wouldn't be a reason for crediting the candidates for the improvement, any more than (in an ideal world) one should credit the candidates from expensive public schools who had excellent teachers, and penalise the unlucky ones struggling with a poorly resourced school.

Therefore, if the average results one year were significantly better or worse than the norm, they were adjusted - on the assumption that the exam was either easier or more difficult than usual: it is is impossible to set exam questions (especially essays, or language prose and translation) which are of exactly the same level of difficulty every year.

This is why I'm baffled by a situation in which results 'improve' year after year. The improvement is not merely a nonsense, but it's seen to be a nonsense when you have to "distinguish" between different categories of As and A*s which so many now achieve.