Scylla and Charybdis

I didn’t hear him speak but agree Agree with WW that most of us as well as the general population would not have understood his message ‘ loud and clear’. He was showing off and I for one am not impressed.

All a matter of opinion WWM2.
I don't think he's a 'silly little man' or that he has an 'over inflated ego'. He's a politician landed with a big and unexpected problem that shows no sign of improving.

Whether or not we understand what the intended message was, I think we can assume some people didn’t get it.

Very poor communication. But quite honestly when has Johnson ever been good at communication?

Silly little man with an over inflated ego.

I got his message loud and clear. We all know what to do and what not to do. He instinctively used the language he usually communicates in. We got the gist. No need to go on about it.

Even if his audience doesn’t know the precise details of his reference (and I didn’t until I googled) I think a majority would be aware of its general implications. It’s a cliché, after all.

I’ll try it on my sons this evening. They didn’t go to Eton.

The bursaries for trainee teachers have been modified. The science subjects, fair enough, are being retained at the same level. Humanities, including English, are being slashed to zero though Languages and Classics have been retained at a reduced rate. I know that it is to do with the popularity of entering these roles, but I still find it difficult to understand funding for classics rather than English.
I thought this was an appropriate comment on this thread,
schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-wields-axe-on-teacher-training-bursaries-as-covid-causes-supply-rises/

HMS Scylla was sunk to form a reef off the coast of Cornwall.
HMS Charybdis was sunk off the Western Isles.

Not really a good omen.

I hardly think not using classical references such as Scylla and Charybdis is “lowest common denominator” speech.
Read the room Boris !

Sparkling

As with all his messages, unclear to a vast amount of people. That’s his trouble, he doesn’t get his messages over. No wonder everyone is confused.

This ???

As with all his messages, unclear to a vast amount of people. That’s his trouble, he doesn’t get his messages over. No wonder everyone is confused.

Grandma70s

Much as I dislike Boris, I don’t think he’s trying to impress by using this expression. It would just be natural for someone of his background. Do you think he should avoid expressions that may not be known to everybody? Lowest common denominator speech?

Perhaps people should be glad they’ve learnt something new.

When he’s addressing the nation during a pandemic he damn well should make sure his language is clear. This is nothing at all to do with dumbing down but everything to do with effective communication.

Much as I dislike Boris, I don’t think he’s trying to impress by using this expression. It would just be natural for someone of his background. Do you think he should avoid expressions that may not be known to everybody? Lowest common denominator speech?

Perhaps people should be glad they’ve learnt something new.

Scylla 'ere.

A way Boris could have put his point across and not to seem to be cocking a snoop at the general population, he could have said `between the devil and the deep blue sea.`

I’d never heard of it so looked it up on Google and also found Boris on You Tube trying to impress us with his Scylla and Charybdis. Why didn’t he just say “the lesser of the 2 evils” or “between the devil and the deep blue sea” or “between a rock and hard place” which Google says is the rough meaning? Most people will have heard and understand those expressions. I’ve certainly learned something anyway!

He's a bit like Mr Trump in that they both use language that appeals to their 'base ' supporters.

I'd much rather he'd agreed to extend FSM than show off his classical knowledge. A bit of humanity rather than being a smarty pants.

I agree Call I was talking about this particular one that is certainly not in the Pandora’s box league. I also think that if a PM is communicating to the nation during a pandemic he should be far more mindful of his use of language

We do use many sayings from Ancient Greece and they are perfectly understandable.
Opening Pandora's box - that could describe the situation the world is in right now.
To be a Cassandra
The Midas touch.
Etc

Regarding Pandora's box, she did manage to shut it before Hope escaped.

Elegran

Your second paragraph just repeats what I said, Suziewoozie, and some of the posts above DO sneer at the uselessness of a knowledge of myths from ancient Greece.

I don’t think it does but it doesn’t matter - he’s not a good communicator with or without unnecessary classical allusions.

Your second paragraph just repeats what I said, Suziewoozie, and some of the posts above DO sneer at the uselessness of a knowledge of myths from ancient Greece.

But it was totally clear to many people although more may have understood 'between a rock and a hard place' or 'between the devil and the deep blue sea'.

Callistemon - Oopsminty

How about a reference to the adulterous love affair of Helen of Troy with Paris, prince of Troy? Or to the wooden horse that smuggled in the hidden warriors who opened up the locked gates of Troy in the night to the beseigers? Would more people recognise those?

‘Knowledge of any sort is a valuable asset and not to be sneered at just because the sneerer doesn't happen to have that particular chunk.’
It’s not the knowledge that is being sneered at ie criticised but the context in which it is being used. A good communicator appreciates that clarity is the first rule

Knowledge of any sort is a valuable asset and not to be sneered at just because the sneerer doesn't happen to have that particular chunk. I knew what he was talking about - the twin whirlpools that Odysseus had to steer his boat safely between to return to his home island after 10 years at the Trojan War. Does that make me elitist? I hope not! I thought it just meant that I had read Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey, and (shock, horror) actually enjoyed them.

BJ's education was an old-fashioned one, concentrating on what an educated person used to be expected to know. What hasn't happened with BJ is adding more up-to-date stuff to what he learnt at school. He is still in nineteenth century mode, like his pal Rees-Mogg. He is not PM of the country he was a child in, all those years ago.