Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[jean]

You wanted nicely embroidered - you said nothing about austerity!

[Serial_Apologist]

It's nice but I'm not seeing any element of austerity.

It's a cover-up. Honestly!

[Lat-Literal]

You wanted nicely embroidered - you said nothing about austerity!

Perhaps I should have described the process. Crowborough army base, 1977, Jean. Woken up every morning by two dustbin lids being banged. Every blanket and sheet with a thick black vertical line down the middle to be made perfectly straight otherwise all the linen was sent flying with a lot of effing and blinding until it was done again and again. That's the concept. Rather nicer embroidered phrases on the covers as a counterpoint. I'm just glad I missed national service although it was the next best thing. Apparently the experience at 14 enabled us to be officially prioritized more than most for useful service had, for example, the Falklands gone totally out of control. It was so good to have no say in such matters.

I suppose I mustn't grumble. I've never felt more physically atrocious than I have done in the past three days and I've got deathwatch at the dentists again tomorrow but the blood tests came through today. Not only as clear as a whistle - or is it a bell? - but even the "knocking on the door of diabetes" figure in April has plummeted to "total safety" so gawd only knows. Still, I have made up my mind that I am going to buy myself a few muppets and even a teddy bear or two for Christmas. There comes a time in one's life when that is wanted.

Incidentally, and it is completely irrelevant, I bought a poppy for the first time in seven years. My strike had been based upon the terms of my redundancy and how my late uncles Charlie, George and Fred would have been on my side and said not for the first time "bugger the system". But I was taken by a TV documentary on the police night desk in Wiltshire which is having to handle more calls on PTSD from military people and their families than almost anything else. While there isn't now conscription, it was probably reasonable to have expected that in signing up there wouldn't have been involvement in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and Libya. I bought the poppy for Wiltshire, where 25% of our army is now based.

[Serial_Apologist]

"Don't be such a killjoy. This news is just what we need: something to cheer us all up in these sad times".



Ziggy of Manchester's opening riposte on the phone-in to the slebrity panel's fawning concurrence with the above sentiments this morning, was like a breath of fresh air.

[Lat-Literal]

Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge:

The increasing number of offensive words, probably 21st Century American, that I don't even know and yet am expected to know because of the asterisks inserted by the press.

eg. "EuroMillions loudmouth Jane Park, 21, brands Rita Ora a w***e in vile Twitter attack".

Is it "whale"?

There have been many other examples.

Nope, haven't a clue on any of them.

[Stanfordian]

Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge:

The increasing number of offensive words, probably 21st Century American, that I don't even know and yet am expected to know because of the asterisks inserted by the press.

eg. "EuroMillions loudmouth Jane Park, 21, brands Rita Ora a w***e in vile Twitter attack".

Is it "whale"?

There have been many other examples.

Nope, haven't a clue on any of them.

Maybe she had missed an 'r' off the end?

The answer is probably another name for prostitute, also a w***ehouse.

You must-have led a sheltered life!

[Lat-Literal]

Maybe she had missed an 'r' off the end?

The answer is probably another name for prostitute, also a w***ehouse.

You must-have led a sheltered life!

Oh I see..........I realised after I posted it. But I think, then, it represents a new trend - one in which if, say, Joe said to Fred on Twitter he was a "madman" the newspapers would report it as "m****n" on the grounds that it might offend whereas traditionally it is only vulgarities or (more recently) discriminatory words which have had asterisks. That was what threw me.

[Lat-Literal]

I am not convinced that it is the most elegant use of the word "Sir" to have it placed before the words "Barry", "Nick" and "Ringo".

Still, this is the year of strange juxtapositions. "Godfather of Grime" Wiley "MBE" is a joke inside the pulling of a Christmas Cracker.

[Lat-Literal]

Sophomoric.

(Young)

......as there is no such thing as being foolishly wise. The Prime Minister has revealed her Achilles heel. It is in the appointment not of mere sexists but the unusually flesh crawling. Where does she find them? At the University of Trump? Anyhow, Middle England will not be all impressed by the way it plays into the hands of opponents with vulgar over-ambition. Expect now hours of debate on a level several fathoms down from that of Joe Soap and his female equivalent while everyone involved forgets they are servants of the general public.

Shit-or-bust.

Quote :

"On Labour’s ambitious promises to invest heavily in education and elsewhere.........Angela Rayner, Shadow Education Secretary, described the party’s economic plans as “shit-or-bust”.

If she used that phrase on my turf, I'd tell her to leave the premises. I'm sick of the foul-mouthed in power - male and female. Their vocabulary tells me all I need to know about them.

I would like journalists routinely to call these people out - "You claim to stand for higher standards and against abuse - why is your language so consistently in the Dickensian gutter?" It's an affront to working class roots - British but it would apply elsewhere - when the first step of upward social mobility was/is a few good clothes and refined speech - before money.

[teamsaint]

I agree Lat. I find the swearing culture, particularly in the media in the way you suggest, rather depressing. And in any case ,repeated use lessens the effect.

[Lat-Literal]

I agree Lat. I find the swearing culture, particularly in the media in the way you suggest, rather depressing. And in any case ,repeated use lessens the effect.

Yes indeed.

Dulling.

"The Thick of It" was partially responsible for the decline.

[jean]

In the Times this morning:

Sellers slash prices after family home market stalls

Didn't set my teeth on edge exactly, but I did have a moment's imagininfg a whole new development in retail sales.

[Serial_Apologist]

In the Times this morning:

Sellers slash prices after family home market stalls

Didn't set my teeth on edge exactly, but I did have a moment's imagininfg a whole new development in retail sales.

That's the sort of quote that's likely to get mention on The News Quiz.

[Lat-Literal]

Serious cleavage.

As in "that strange man with the unhappy expression and a serious cleavage in his brain appears to have departed".

[vinteuil]

.

... and where on earth, lats, did you come across such a strornery utterance?


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