J R-M - pernickity pedant?

I thought this was a joke when I heard it on the news this morning. What a pillock he is!

I find I don't agree with his politics but nevertheless find him quite amusing. I like his wit as evidenced on HIGNFY. I'd call him quirky. Quirky is fine, generally speaking. As this is apparently a list of likes and dislikes as guidance to his office staff surely that's fine too.

Agree it should be under Pedants Corner, though. JRM's natural home, I'd have thought

I've seen it suggested that he's preparing for us to be aligned to the US, who still use imperial measures.

I think perhaps JRM is a time traveller from the 18th century and has got himself stuck here . Poor man it must be so confusing for him.

MaizieD, now that makes sense. But which Gallon shall we adopt- and are we moving on the Fahrenheit too?

Due to the fact that I find JRM and his views totally unacceptable and, as far as I can ascertain, he has no powers to actually dictate the wording of his communications. I'm afraid I would make every effort to make sure my reports got as many of the forbidden items in as possible. (At least it would keep him occupied and stop him spreading his reactionary ideas)

Your post was a bit mean craftyone we all enjoy different topics surely?

Jura - I think that Jakey - sorry, the Right Honourable Jacob William Rees-Mogg Esq. - has already taken up the issue with the BBC as said Corporation has been converting the recent air temperatures from Centrigrade to Fahrenheit for the benefit of the viewing public.

I'm sure someone will correct any grammatical errors in my post, for which I would be most grateful.

Why is the word equal to be banned?
Does that mean that two can no longer equal two?

Should be or would be?
Methinks it could be should be

Yours sincerely

There was a phone in about this on local radio this morning, the majority of callers agreed with him and gave lists of words and phrases they would like banned.

Can someone explain to me why they object to a Minister wanting his correspondence to be written in understandable English rather than meaningless phrases.

WadesNan No one objects to understandable English, but English is a living language and, much as he might want to, not even JRM can turn the clock back and use the language of Dickens. All a report or letter needs to be is clear and understandable-all the rest including pet hates, favourite punctuation etc. is just pedantic and unnecessary.

craftyone no more or less boring than the minutiae of house buying/selling/moving.
Each to their own.

Believing it is important and having to work harder to uphold standards of spelling and grammar and politeness may encourage the MPs to think more about maintaining good standards in other areas of life as well as politics. Something which would benefit the whole country if everyone did the same.

What ever makes anyone think that civil servants don’t uphold standards of spelling etc.

The man is a fool.

Minister wanting his correspondence to be written in understandable English

Some of this 'English' has been around for so long that I'm sure that most people, however much they might wince at it, understands it just fine.

I'm hard put to understand what is so reprehensible about words like 'equal' and 'invest'; though I can see that the first has no attraction for JRM (he probably doesn't know what it means) and the second is complete anathema when applied to public spending. I've no doubt it's fine when coupled with a scheme which would make him some profit.

JR-M's list of rules is precisely what my close-to-retirement English teacher taught us almost 70 years ago. Obviously Eton College's masters maintained this regime well into the 1970-80s. I think JR-M is younger than my DSs and grammar was unknown to that generation in English comprehensives.

I agree absolutely annodomini and can’t see why it has occasioned such a furore.
The benefits of a Scottish education <sigh>

From the Guardian:

The official transcript of parliamentary proceedings, Hansard, records more than 700 instances of Rees-Mogg using one or other of the banned words or phrases.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/26/the-comma-touch-jacob-rees-mogg-sends-language-rules-to-staff

What's he going to do? Mark errors in red pen and make them write it out again for homework?

Love it! I presume this means he is raising his children with old-fashioned standards. There's hope for this country after all!

When you think about it, Leader Of The House was made for JRM surely?
A stickler for detail and tradition.
Whether quills will become mandatory is still under discussion with staff apparently, as a few who prefer biros are being stubborn.

Sorry many of those approving of JRM's measures would not pass his test. They have failed to use a double space after full stops.

Whenever I see JRM or hear him speak, the thought that he is perhaps on the Autistic Spectrum comes to mind. I am no expert, of course, and have no proof but it might explain his other worldly look and behaviour. For this reason, I can’t bring myself to judge him. It may be his way of coping with the world. Who knows?

I don't like him, his attitudes or his politics!
But (oops, unacceptable) if he is insisting on this nit-picking level of grammar only for his own communications then that puts a different slant on it.
I'd hate to have letters go out in my name with a level of grammar and syntax that I'd find unacceptable.
If, however, staff feel every email and memo has to be double checked to satisfy his whims, then that might slow things down and make the department less efficient.

' I presume this means he is raising his children with old-fashioned standards. There's hope for this country after all!' standards such as making money out of something that goes against his religious beliefs and shifting his money to Dublin because of Brexit etc etc

Labaik....nice to see that someone actually reads my posts. I think they are skimmed past most of the time.