Sometimes you gotta hate English!

Ireland
October 15, 2018 10:53am CST
Look at this headline on the website of the Guardian, a prominent British newspaper. The thing with English is that many words can do different jobs in a sentence without changing their form, and to make sense of what you read, you have to rely on context. Much of this context comes from the little 'unimportant' words that newspaper headlines typically omit. Five of the words here (fears, push, export, orders, and close) could be either nouns (things) or verbs (action words). What do you think this means, and how would you rephrase it?
7 people like this
8 responses
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Oct 18
This is the reason why translating devices get things wrong. They don't understand what is meant if a word has different meanings or different functions in a sentence.
4 people like this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
15 Oct 18
Maybe it should say... Fear of exporting at a year end low Not sure I even understand it.
2 people like this
• Ireland
16 Oct 18
I'm not certain, but I think there is a mistake in the word order. If we rearrange the first four words slightly we get: "Fears of no deal push export orders close to year low", which is shorthand for: "The fears of a "no-deal" Brexit are pushing export orders almost to the lowest this year". Maybe
@allen0187 (58447)
• Philippines
16 Oct 18
British and American English are so different. I wouldn't even try to interpret this.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58447)
• Philippines
16 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo I see. Thanks for the clarification.
1 person likes this
• Ireland
16 Oct 18
I don't think it has anything to do with the differences between American and Standard English. I think there is a mistake in the word order. If we rearrange the first four words slightly we get: "Fears of no deal push export orders close to year low", which is shorthand for: "The fears of a "no-deal" Brexit are pushing export orders almost to the lowest this year".
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
15 Oct 18
Either the "of" is superfluous, or the words "No deal' need to be moved after the "of": Fears of 'No Deal' push Export orders close to year low". Here is how it appeared in later editions, I suspect...
1 person likes this
• Ireland
16 Oct 18
Okay! You've just confirmed my thoughts. We just need swap to the first two words for the second two: "Fears of no deal push export orders close to year low", which is shorthand for: "The fears of a "no-deal" Brexit are pushing export orders almost to the lowest this year".
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
16 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo Pushing something to a complete low means "Fears of a no-deal Brexit further depress potential export orders.".
• Ireland
16 Oct 18
@pgntwo Okay but it says export orders are being pushed "close to year low". In other words, they were actually lower at some point during the year. But yes, as far as the thrust of your words are concerned.
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@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Oct 18
I have no idea what it means. The 'push' is throwing me.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo That sounds better.
1 person likes this
• Ireland
16 Oct 18
Here's my take. I think there is a mistake in the word order. If we rearrange the first four words slightly we get: "Fears of no deal push export orders close to year low", which is shorthand for: "The fears of a "no-deal" Brexit are pushing export orders almost to the lowest this year".
1 person likes this
• Ireland
17 Oct 18
@JudyEv Just a little, but enough to actually make some sort of sense
1 person likes this
• Philippines
17 Oct 18
Learning english is hard. especially a correct grammar ..
1 person likes this
• Philippines
17 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo true true.
1 person likes this
• Ireland
18 Oct 18
@Nickzter1331 That sounds like the voice of experience! How long have you been learning this tongue, Nick?
1 person likes this
• Ireland
17 Oct 18
Indeed, I know. English grammar is quite painful
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17714)
• South Africa
16 Oct 18
and English is just getting worse by the day " No deal - the fears of pushing, as export orders close to the years all time low."???
1 person likes this
• Ireland
16 Oct 18
Pretty close I reckon, but maybe the fears are pushing orders close to a low for the year? It is getting worse isn't it? It's not just me thinking that then
1 person likes this
@syeow1 (5137)
• India
16 Oct 18
Oh it matters.
1 person likes this
• Ireland
16 Oct 18
Yes it matters.
1 person likes this