I know that language evolves and changes; English seems to do it even more so. \u00a0But I’ve noticed lately that nobody IS an age. \u00a0Suddenly everyone TURNS an age. \u00a0Last weekend we were told in the press that Rod Stewart had turned seventy. \u00a0Why couldn’t they just say that he was seventy or had become seventy or even had reached seventy? \u00a0And it isn’t just used about older people, either, \u00a0Last week I read an article about a child who had turned six. \u00a0Am I the only one to find this a bit strange not to mention \u00a0annoying?<\/p>\n
It’s on a par with nobody saying anything any more. \u00a0They all go. \u00a0As in, ‘So he went ‘What?”, so I’ve gone, “You heard!”‘. \u00a0And women no longer get or become pregnant, they FALL pregnant. \u00a0The use of the word fall suggests that neither parent to be had anything to do with the situation they find themselves in. \u00a0The mother-to-be simply fell pregnant as one might catch flu or slip on a banana skin.<\/p>\n
Isn’t language wonderful?<\/p>\n
I know I’m a bit of a grammar nazi, well a fully paid-up, card-carrying member actually, but I get so tired of not just poor grammar but also mispronunciation. \u00a0If I hear one more TV journalist talk about ha-RASS-ment instead of HA-rass-ment, CON-tri-bute instead of con-TRI-bute or CON-tra-versy instead of con-TROV-asy I think I will scream. \u00a0Why has our beautiful English become so Americanised?<\/p>\n
And while I’m asking life’s-little-misteries style questions, why do supermarkets feel the need to put chorizo in everything that bears the words ‘Spanish style’? \u00a0I absolutely HATE chorizo – and that’s cho-REE-tho not cho-RITS-o. \u00a0I lived in Spain for sixteen years and never once did I eat a paella that contained it, or a chicken dish. \u00a0It was something eaten by itself or on bread as a tapa or put into bean stews – potajes. \u00a0It’s full of fat and it’s disgusting. \u00a0So why do they do it? \u00a0Why is it in every leading supermarket’s Spanish dishes? \u00a0Answers on a postcard.<\/p>\n
Now I’ve finished ranting – \ud83d\ude42 – onto more pleasant things, such as yesterday. \u00a0It was one of those pack-it-all in days; I did some admin at Stages Studios, then went for physio on my fingers, which are very, very slowly improving. \u00a0My physio, the lovely Adrienne, says it can take up to six months before they’re back to anything resembling normal. \u00a0Hmm! \u00a0They didn’t tell me that before the op! \u00a0Then I scooted to Basildon where I did my travel and holidays spot on Gateway 97.8 before spending the evening line-dancing at Hills and Toes. I’ve wanted to line-dance for a while, purely because I love dancing but because of my poor knees can’t tap and I thought it would be a more gentle exercise. \u00a0The one thing putting me off was that I don’t really like C&W music – except Dolly, of course! \u00a0But it was great! \u00a0The music was really varied; it’s amazing that you can line-dance to almost anything. \u00a0The teachers was great, friendly and welcoming and my friend M and I had a really good evening!<\/p>\n
This week is looking busy – we are already working on Melabeau’s shows for 2015, which is very exciting. \u00a0I’ll have some great news for you all soon about that!<\/p>\n
And………drum roll………from 8am GMT tomorrow (Wednesday 14th) SWEET LADY (nothing is as it seems…..) my novel with all the twists and turns will be available as a Kindle download for only 99pence for 24 hours. \u00a0Tell all your friends! \u00a0You don’t want to miss out on that, do \u00a0you?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I know that language evolves and changes; English seems to do it even more so. \u00a0But I’ve noticed lately that nobody IS an age. \u00a0Suddenly everyone TURNS an age. \u00a0Last weekend we were told in the press that Rod Stewart … Continue reading