Sir Rhodes Boyson

Good to see from The Guardian's weak front page headline yesterday, that digital media is now seen as so simple we'll shortly be teaching it to primary school kids.

Clearly the headline was bullshit, and hid the real story. Nevertheless, let's take the headline at face value. Memories of the late Sir Rhodes Boyson come flooding back - a man from the Victorian era who held an education post in the last Conservative government.

Rhodes and my opinion towards education tend to overlap. We both think it's important to spell things properly, add up and use correct punctuation. However I'm not sure twatting kids with a cane helps them get any better.

Going digital should not mean lazy communication skills. It remains a source of quiet satisfaction that in the early months of my relationship with what became the future Mrs 4 Fuks Saké, she praised me for immaculate spelling in text messages, no matter how drunk I was.

The concern is a general erosion of the English language. Worse - God forbid - an increasing informality in the way we talk to each other. If you're reading this, there's a fair chance you go to business meetings, drink coffee and pitch ideas at people. As a result, I list a collection of words that in retrospect, if ever uttered, deserve a caning.

1. "Guys."

See earlier post.

2. "Grab"

As in, 'shall we grab a latte?' or 'shall we grab a bite to eat?' Either eat or don't. Usually spoken by people who suggest' sharing a starter.'

3. "Let me talk to the guys back at the ranch."

I don't know what I'm doing

4. 'My'

As in 'My account exec,' 'My creative guy,' (or my inferiority complex).

5. To be honest.

(Why? Weren't you being before?)

They'll be more.

Finally to confirm, cunt is a sociably acceptably word.

Comments

[Laurence Cook]

Pssst, pssst, last word..