Gordon Brown advocates lots of shifts breaking rocks in a quarry, combined with a disciplined regime of press-ups for immigrants - sort of.
But the more important question, over and above whether Gordon Brown has lost his damn mind, is where outside the world of journalism do people ever get 'slammed' for doing or saying certain things? Have you ever heard anyone using this expression in normal conversation? Neither have I. So how come people accept day after day this linguistic curiosity in their newspapers? Not that it's exactly a weighty issue - but still...
For more sense and patience on this topic, see here.
"Love Child"
ReplyDeleteYou'll get loads of comments with other examples now I've started things off Shuggy.
Honest.
ReplyDelete"Romp."
ReplyDelete"It was claimed yesterday" Yea, by you!
"Love rat"
ReplyDelete"Rapped" (same thing as "slammed").
"Hail" (opposite of "slam", e.g. "Livingstone hails Olympic bid plan").
"Tot" for small child (usually killed in horrific accident and therefore "tragic tot").
Exclusive to the "Sun": "rozzers" (policmen) and "pins" (legs). Do Cockneys ever use these expressions in the real world?
Isn't it partly to do with headline space? So "disagreed with" or "criticised" take up more room than "slam". Another one is "row" for any disagreement, dispute or discussion, however mild or reasoned. Or "snubbed" when MacVIP can't turn up to the latest commemoration or celebration or festival or conference even if MacVIP has a clash of dates and can't be everywhere. As for "shock" - when was the last time you used that word except in extremis? About once a year? Yet a shock happens every day according to the tabloids.
ReplyDeleteOn Planet Hack:
ReplyDeleteCuts are always swingeing
Measures are draconian
Bedsits are squalid
Suburbs are leafy
Gunmen are slain (I like that word lots. The only other things that get slain are dragons)
Have to stop now.
Oh, but I've been slamming Gordon too, if anyone cares:
http://oldtraffordviews.blogspot.com/2007/02/gordons-tonic.html
During the transfer window football managers indulge in the tabloid pastime of 'swooping' for players.
ReplyDeleteI disagree about "tots". There was once a fine jazz band "Marty Grosz and Destiny's Tots".
ReplyDelete"Romp."
ReplyDeleteAs in "Celeb's sordid three-in-a-bed romp"? I know - why can't they call it a threesome like everyone else? Plus it takes up less space...