Speaking English
By nannacroc
@nannacroc (4049)
January 25, 2007 1:31pm CST
Am I the only person who gets annoyed with TV presenters saying things like, 'most prettiest' and most ugliest' ?
To me it's really annoying especially if they are presenting childrens programmes.
I was taught that it went; pretty, prettier, prettiest and ugly, uglier, ugliest. Have the rules changed and no-one told me or is it just that these presenters don't know English.
5 people like this
7 responses
@nannacroc (4049)
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25 Jan 07
Thanks Gabs, I was beginning to think it was me who was wrong. I'm glad there's someone out there who will let me know if things change.
4 people like this
@nannacroc (4049)
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25 Jan 07
I agree with you,English is such a rich beautiful language when used properly. Many people are just too lazy.
4 people like this
@dorypanda (1601)
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26 Jan 07
It does annoy me too, and I get annoyed with English presenters using Americanisms, it's even worse when the newsreaders do the same. It annoys me though because sometimes I can't remember what the right way to say something is and if I've seen or heard on the telly someone say most prettiest, I might get confused and say it too, which makes me seem dafter than I actually am. (And, I'm quite daft in the first place!)
@nannacroc (4049)
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26 Jan 07
Newsreaders really should speak properly, maybe the BBC ought to go back to the time when they taught their newsreaders how things should be said. I like the regional accents but not Americanisms or bad grammar.
2 people like this
@pumpkinjam (8528)
• United Kingdom
26 Jan 07
You're not the only one. I think people should be made to take a course in basic English grammar before being allowed to present tv programmes, especially children's tv. I am trying to teach my children to speak properly and it doesn't help when people they hear, not just on tv, but teachers and other adults too, don't even know simple grammar.
4 people like this
@nannacroc (4049)
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26 Jan 07
I'm not brilliant at grammar myself but I do know the basics and would like these people to get things right if they are having an influence on children.
2 people like this
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
25 Jan 07
If you live in the US, then you ought to know by now that in the US there is English, there is Americanglish, there is Spaglish and so forth! Usually, such presentations simply tell me about the presenters background!
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
25 Jan 07
We are on about here in England Netsbridge we mean the English Presenters that have had good Education
We know that in America there are different ones I have many American Friends so I am aware of that and I actually love the different types of English that America has
4 people like this
@nannacroc (4049)
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25 Jan 07
Thanks Gabs. I was only vaguely aware of the variety of what the Americans call English. I prefer English as spoken in England with all the different dialects.
5 people like this
@arseniajoaquin (1732)
• Philippines
30 Jan 07
Perhaps the presenters just forgot because it's very difficult to be speaking in front of cameras knowing that there are so many televiewers. They get nervous also especially if they are just new but the management should not assign people who are not well-versed with what they are saying.
@loves_u_all (273)
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25 Jan 07
Ofcourse, it is the case of these presenters not knowing English well! Otherwise they would never make a mistake like that. But those sort of mistakes often come when expressions need to be really expressed that way. And I do feel that English grammar should be a little more flexible rather than defining those things strictly like that. Also, me too is not good in English grammar either...LOL
@nannacroc (4049)
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25 Jan 07
I think English is flexible enough and these people are presenting childrens programmes so they should at least try to get it right.
5 people like this
@nannacroc (4049)
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26 Jan 07
I knew I'd have an ally in you Stevew. I love the English language and feel that schools and television are allowing it to lose it's beauty and not encouraging playing with the words.
3 people like this
