Sunday, February 22, 2009

"Next We have The Weather Report"

I have spent nearly 20 years out of 70 going to school. One of the things that I have learned is that WORDS are critically important when communicating. But, I don't think everyone shares my belief. A major abuser of the language of communication is the communication industry itself. I refer specifically to television.

How many times have we heard a TV news reader say, "NEXT we have the weather report - RIGHT AFTER the break"? We then watch a few commercials, and then the news resumes. NO WEATHER REPORT. There are usually several stories before the weather report, maybe even another break.

Here's the problem - three words, NEXT and RIGHT AFTER.

What do there three words mean? When I went to school NEXT meant "Immediately following". RIGHT, as in "Right After" meant "In exact location". AFTER meant "later in time".
RIGHT AFTER meant NEXT.

Have I missed something??????

4 comments:

Tracy said...

To be read like Andy Rooney....right? How about first annual?

Chris said...

No wonder our kids today don't take anything seriously. Why should they, nothing they hear is true.
Ahhhhhhh, you're going to get me started about people being on time or NOT being on time when they say they'll be ready in 15 minutes or "be there" in 30 minutes. When I know they won't be. lol
chris

diy said...

Its a trans- Atlantic abuse of the language. My favourite dislike is the phrase " fit for purpose". Or North Britain (Scotland), but never South Britian

As for weather forecasters, they all have shoulder trouble, aye. Standing in front of a map this tiny island they can not get their arm to move upward from London.

One auld Grump to the other

Anonymous said...

I totally agree on this post with you. That drives me crazy along with misspelling words that you use everyday several times a day. We're with you man.

By the way, I loved the post about the "spider". I laughed so hard. I am always being startled like that.