When I first moved to Britain 13 years ago it took some time to acclimate to the language. Here I was 37 years old and thinking that I had be speaking English all my life only to find out I had been speaking American. There are, of course, a myriad of differences which I shan't be exploring here. There has been more than one
book on the topic with which I cannot even attempt to compete. Living in south London there was the local vernacular to get used to as well.
I do remember having a particular difficulty with the pact that it was common practice to drop the definite article in conjunction with the word hospital. I.E. "he's in hospital". Over time I adjusted and now find it odd when I hear a yank do the opposite. (Note: I was living in the south of England. It was a few years before I got up north where the definite articles seems to be extinct. However, since I had so much difficulty understanding anything this peculiarity didn't stand out.)
Now there seems to be an acceleration in the elimination of the word. Over the past year or so NewLabocrats have been dropping the definite article and have invented a new phrase "fit for purpose" that is used when discussing how fucked up a bit of the bureaucracy is; usually a bit they wish to get rid or "reform".
I was reading an article in the Guardian this morning about the arrest of British online gaming executives in the US and the refusal of the governor of New York to enforce a Louisiana extradition request. In it they are discussing the next steps in the case and say that the executive's attorney will attempt to get the indictment "lifted at source".
Is this the death knell of the "THE"? Should I launch a campaign? The domain name www.savethethe.co.uk is available for only £15. Should I buy it? Wait. www.savethethe.eu is only £10 quid.
What should I do?
book on the topic with which I cannot even attempt to compete. Living in south London there was the local vernacular to get used to as well.I do remember having a particular difficulty with the pact that it was common practice to drop the definite article in conjunction with the word hospital. I.E. "he's in hospital". Over time I adjusted and now find it odd when I hear a yank do the opposite. (Note: I was living in the south of England. It was a few years before I got up north where the definite articles seems to be extinct. However, since I had so much difficulty understanding anything this peculiarity didn't stand out.)
Now there seems to be an acceleration in the elimination of the word. Over the past year or so NewLabocrats have been dropping the definite article and have invented a new phrase "fit for purpose" that is used when discussing how fucked up a bit of the bureaucracy is; usually a bit they wish to get rid or "reform".
I was reading an article in the Guardian this morning about the arrest of British online gaming executives in the US and the refusal of the governor of New York to enforce a Louisiana extradition request. In it they are discussing the next steps in the case and say that the executive's attorney will attempt to get the indictment "lifted at source".
Is this the death knell of the "THE"? Should I launch a campaign? The domain name www.savethethe.co.uk is available for only £15. Should I buy it? Wait. www.savethethe.eu is only £10 quid.
What should I do?
No comments:
Post a Comment