In nature!

What strange force is it that drives many weather forecasters to tell us that the rain will be heavy in nature?

Coast what?

On this morning's Radio 4 weather forecast, Nina Ridge several times told us that a certain type of weather would affect the "coastline". How does that differ from the coast, I wonder?

Sent east

Surely the commonly used word 'oriented' means sent to the east? My guess is that most people who use it really mean 'orientated' - a clear case of where an extra syllable is not verbal diarrhoea.

Head up

I often read articles informing me that someone "heads up" a company or organisation.

What's wrong with simply "heads"?

Is the "up" supposed to make them sound more elevated? If so that's daft, because by definition they are already the top person.

Following where?

I'm all too frequently being told, by weather forecasters and one racing commentator in particular, that some feature or horse is "following on behind". Where else?

Daft drumming

This is hardly a verbal diarrhoea rant, so my apologies.

However, I am increasingly bewildered by TV programme producers' apparent insistence on using background drumming. There are, nowadays, hardly any programmes devoid of this superfluous and maddening racket.

Often the din is loud enough to make it hard to hear what is being said! At other times it just seems that there is 'interference on sound' and that I am listening to two channels simultaneously.

I am unable to get any sensible replies to my complaints, the BBC's response being that what it chooses to call "background music" is something many viewers say they enjoy as it "enhances the viewing experience". This misses the point entirely, in my view. Monotonous and irritating computer-generated 'drumming' hardly qualifies as music!

The strange thing is that most radio programmes (at least those on BBC Four, my main listening source), where you might imagine that a bit of 'hyping' drumming might be justified to offset the lack of pictures, seem to manage perfectly well without it. However, I have noticed that even there the trailers for forthcoming programmes increasingly have this pointless noise running in the background.

Also it's apparently obligatory during road traffic announcements from whatever source.

Is it not time to start a campaign to drum it out of programming altogether?

Goes

At what point should I, as a journalist, replace the word 'says' with 'goes'? It strikes me that most people under the age of 20 consider it obligatory - like!

Utilise

Why do the authors of press releases and scientific papers so rarely employ the simple word "use" but insist on "utilise"?

Is it because they think utilise sounds more impressive?

And what does "state of the art" mean? Doesn't it usually just imply "modern"?

It has to be said

This phrase litters one BBC weather forecaster's presentations. Why? If it has to be said, just say it!

Added bonus

Surely a bonus is, by implication, added?

In the future - again!

We have just been informed, on BBC TV News, that government spending "is set to decline in the future." When? In the past perhaps?

In the future

If someone has used the word "will" or "shall", is it really necessary to add "in the future" in the same sentence? I suggest hardly ever.

Apsolutely (sic) - a disease?

During this evening's Antiques Roadshow on BBC television the word "apsolutely" (sic) was uttered 27 times.

I realise that in some people's eyes such counting merely confirms my anorak status. But can no-one account for the apparent stranglehold that this throw-away word, so often linked thoughtlessly linked to "fantastic", has on our nation?

Absolutely everyone is at it.

More hours

We've had another daft helping from a BBC weather forecaster today, namely: ".....afternoon hours."

I despair!

...through its paces

Can someone please explain why machinery nearly always has to be "put through its paces" rather than simply "tested" or "tried"?

Is are!

Recently on BBC radio we have been treated to:

"There is (sic) two answers to that question" and "There are (sic) a range of measures"!

UGH!

Absolutely................meaningless

Tonight, on BBC TV, when responding to a question about how things were down among the dogs at Crufts, one of the presenters replied simply: "It's absolutely!" Just that.

The commentary was littered with the unthinking "absolutely" (invariably pronounced apsolutely) & "absolutely fantastic" to the point where I could take no more and turned the sound off.

What is it that makes this word 'absolutely' so apparently addictive?

Up until

What's wrong with just "until"?

If what?

I often hear radio announcements telling me: "If you are heading............." an accident/hold up has occurred, and "If you’d like to go along.............. " some event will be taking place.

It's nonsense. Do the presenters of these messages really mean that if I don't head (travel) in that direction the accident/hold up will miraculously disappear, and that if I choose not to go along the event won't take place? I don't think so.

Forward planning

Amazing! How else? Backward?

Or what?

Can anyone explain why the phrase "or alternatively" is apparently so irresistible?

West Scotland

This morning, on the BBC weather forecast, we were informed that rain would be moving into the western side of Scotland. What's wrong with 'west Scotland'?

Mild how?

We have just been told, on the BBC Radio Four weather forecast, that tomorrow will be "mild as far as temperatures go".

How else?

Precipitation miracles

I recall that not so long ago a BBC weather forecaster told us that the rain would be falling from the sky (where else for goodness sake?) and that some snow showers might be settling (shock horror!) on the ground.

Weather on offer

I frequently hear, in forecasts, that a particular type of weather is on offer. May I refuse it?

Old adage

I have rightly been taken to task, by my chief sub-editor, for permitting old to prefix adage in copy submitted by one of our Farmer Focus writers (who shall remain nameless).

Adage is, as a traditional maxim or proverb, by definition old, he reminds me.

Raft of measures

Why must 'measures' in news reports nearly always arrive on rafts?

For example instead of "The government has issued new measures on etc ......", we are usually treated to "The government has issued a raft of new measures on etc ......".

Overnight tonight

What is it that compels weather forecasters, when they are clearly talking about the next few hours at most, to refer to "overnight tonight"?

It's strange when at the same time they will tell us that the rain "overnight tonight will affect most". Most what? Regions, towns, people, hamsters, pedants?

For free

Why do so many people talk about things being "for free"? Surely they are simply "free"?

Must

You've got to, we've got to and I have got to.......

What is wrong with the little word must?

Apology!

Sorry. apologies, grovel, etc. Missed the apostrophe after goodness in previous post!

Rise where?

On the BBC's Farming Today programme this morning , in a discussion about milk prices, we were told that they might have to "rise up". Where else for goodness sake?

Friendly fire

Really? How come if the recipient is dead?

Thanks

What is it that compels radio presenters, even on the BBC Today programme, and many others to utter "Thank you very much indeed" for even the simplest of offerings, such as the weather forecast?

Planning for what?

Why do so many people speak about planning for the future?

What else do you plan for?

Apsolutely (sic) fantastic

If ever there was a phrase that's lost all meaning surely this is it?

You can well nigh guarantee that when someone on TV is asked by a sports commentator how they feel about some minor achievement, or by some garden or house make-over specialist how they react to the transformation, they will utter the now thoughtless "apsolutely (sic) fantastic".

With so many alternative and highly descriptive adjectives available the word "lazy" springs all too readily to mind.

Price costs - pardon?

On the BBC1 lunchtime news we have just been told that the average house price now costs a certain amount!

In my book the average house price is either that certain amount or it costs that amount. To say the price costs something is daft.

Its way

Why, in weather forecaster speak, must rain, snow etc always move "its way" in a particular direction? Why can't it simply move?

Up until

What's wrong with the simple "until"?

Adding "up" adds no meaning!

What sort of preview?

Why is it that previews are nearly always described as "sneak"?

And why do so many people refer to a period of time (usually in interview-speak), when it's perfectly obvious that it refers to time?

Let's not even consider "at this precise moment in time"!

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Duplicate news presenters

Can someone please explain the logic behind having two presenters standing side by side on BBC TV News, each reading alternate sentences, the non-speaker usually inanely turning to admire their companion?

Barmy, I reckon. Or is it all to do with job creation?

Have got (sic)

I've got, you've got and everyone else has got!

Ugh!

What's wrong with I have, you have and everyone has?

I blame our acquisitive society.

Furtive campaign to abolish "are"

I reckon there is a plot underway to get rid of the little English word "are".

It strikes me that it is now almost universally acceptable to replace "are" with "is" when applied to plurals.

Some typical recently uttered examples from radio and TV programmes:

"There's (contracted 'there is') two answers to that question."

"There is seventeen men at work."

"There is some high temperatures to come later this week."

Perhaps everyone is following the example of Estelle Morris who, when Education Minister, proudly insisted on the BBC Today programme that "There is more teachers."

Maybe she started the campaign.

Yes - apsolutely (sic)

Is anyone else as fed up with hearing the word absolutely (usually pronounced apsolutely) thoughtlessly littering conversations as I am?

It's creeping in everywhere. Even the simple 'yes' seems no longer acceptable without being qualified by it.

I should be a rich man were I to receive £1 every time I hear it uttered thoughtlessly on TV and radio, where the hackneyed "apsolutely (sic) fantastic" seems the almost universal response to even the most mundane of avhievements

I blame our hyped-up society, as exemplified particularly by sports commentators such as those covering Grand Prix motor racing where we have even been treated to "He's apsolutely (sic) overtaken him!"

As we head

Why is it that everyone nowadays seems to be "heading" somewhere? Why do we so rarely hear "travelling", "journeying" or simply "moving"?

And why is it that most TV and radio weather forecasters seem unable to utter the word "towards" without prefacing it with "as we head"?

The other oft-heard nonsense is to be told, on traffic reports, that if we head in a particular direction there is an accident or hold up - implying that if we don't go that way the event will not occur.

Morning & evening 'time'

Most English-speaking people, I'd assume (correct me if I'm wrong), know what morning and evening are. So why do so many weather forecasters, who seem to have a strange language all of their own, refer to "morning time" and "evening time"?

Weather conditions

Why is it that when the dictionary defines weather as "atmospheric conditions" nearly everyone unthinkingly refers to "weather conditions"?

It's daft!