Scylla and Charybdis

Thank you, *Parsley3” for affording me a rare sighting of the vocative.

Et tu, Grumppe.

Callistemon ?

Callistemon

But have I crossed my Rubicon

Possibly, grumppa
Or should that be grumppus?

Agree, Callistemon For him, it is a normal expression, just as mathematicians, scientists and social workers have a lot of normal expressions that they use in everyday speech without doing it to show off. Falling over, to my mathematician father, was always "going base over apex" and talking of how much dosh an acquaintance had accumulated over a lifetime of high salaries he referred to "the total under the curve". We knew what he meant.

However, Boris Johnson was speaking to the nation, and Scylla and Charybdis are not normal enough in the general population for him to use in that situation.

In fairness to Boris, which I find difficult, I would have thought that S&C were as well known as most of the legendary things or characters found in the Iliad and the Odyssey, like Achilles’ heel and the Trojan horse.

He has a problem in that he has never progressed beyond his classical education (which didn’t even earn him a First). I derive a certain Schadenfreude from seeing people in public life making asses of themselves, if that is le mot juste.

But have I crossed my Rubicon in using non-demotic English on Gransnet?

I don't think he was showing off at all, silverlining.

I think this may well be a normal turn of phrase for him and, in fact, for many people although perhaps not for younger generations so perhaps not the best choice for getting the message across.

And vice versa Alegrias

Jane10

You are indeed Alegrias and that is all that they are.

Oh, so close to being nice Jane10, but you blew it.

Well, all the people who read this thread will now know what Scylla and Charybdis are, and those who don't could always Look It Up.
It is a term that has been used quite regularly in political debate, and I discovered that this morning from wikipedia.

I saw the thread title and thought they might be sexually transmitted infections?

You are indeed Alegrias and that is all that they are.

Yes, we are all entitled to our opinions....one thing we can agree on.

Jane10 and Lemongrove you are both right, of course. Mea culpa. (See what I did there?)

But, as is said so often on this site, I am entitled to my opinions.

Alegrias 2 Always difficult to analyse somebody you don’t actually know well, and many people in public life develop a persona in order to cope properly.We can all have theories but have to recognise we can all be wrong.

'Self serving, entitled buffoon'. Another opinion rather than necessarily accurate. I'm not a Boris fan but I find the ascribing of negative terms to him based solely on personal opinions not very helpful or adding anything useful to the debate.

I have been treating this thread as a discussion about education, not as "looking for something to complain about"

Watching his body language I would say he overcompensates for low self confidence and wanting to be liked by expressive gesturing and cliches.

Anyone really possessing an over inflated ego wouldn’t always try and please, the way he does.

No, we're obviously not talking about the same person. I'm talking about Boris Johnson, the well known self-serving entitled buffoon. Who are you talking about?

Well said Jane10??

How does anyone actually know that Johnson has an over inflated ego? I mean really? Watching his body language I would say he overcompensates for low self confidence and wanting to be liked by expressive gesturing and cliches.
Anyone really possessing an over inflated ego wouldn’t always try and please, the way he does.
Now, Donald Trump....there’s an obvious over inflated ego.

Were the only words you lot heard 'Scylla and Charybdis'? Luckily I managed to understand what he was saying straightaway. Just lucky I guess- or not looking for things to complain about.

LauraNorder

Oh well, let's all dumb down then.

If that's what it takes for his messaging to be clear, then yes, let's all dumb down. It was a press conference about a pandemic, not an Eton debating chamber where he got points for classical allusions.

Oh well, let's all dumb down then.

Yes I agree twice!

Jane10

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.

You don't think Johnson has an over inflated ego? Are we talking about the same person?