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The language of Corona

(97 Posts)
Greymar Mon 16-Mar-20 20:43:03

Herd, cull, self isolate. These trip off the tongue. They have a sinister sound to me, an Orwellian feel.

GagaJo Tue 17-Mar-20 09:27:45

Greymar, I couldn’t agree more. Language constructs our understanding of our world.

And yes, I agree. Very Orwellian. I’d like less Orwell and more Churchill right now, but it’s too late to change what we’ve got.

Callistemon Tue 17-Mar-20 09:30:31

These terms have been used for years, a hundred or more

Don't fall into the trap, the username may change but the style of posting doesn't.

Grany Tue 17-Mar-20 09:50:06

Last Gasp A joke What PM said to call the new ventilators, to gathered important CEOs They were not impressed.

Jabberwok Tue 17-Mar-20 10:36:05

All this reference to Churchill by people on here who would have loathed him!! A monarchist to his fingertips, an imperialist ditto, and thought that people of colour needed to be ruled by Europeans preferably the British, as they were too childlike to run themselves, and wept at the loss of India to name but a few!!! Apart from WW11, his political career was pretty mediocre to poor, remember Gallipoli?! All this admiration from the left?! Surely not!!!

GagaJo Tue 17-Mar-20 10:52:23

You're right, I would have loathed Churchill, as did the people who voted him out when we returned to peacetime.

BUT in the country's time of need, he was strong. Which is what we need now.

GagaJo Tue 17-Mar-20 10:54:47

The language of the media and some politicians now fits within an apocalyptic semantic field. Which is exactly how people in Italy in the high infection zones are describing it.

Urmstongran Tue 17-Mar-20 11:00:46

Better to be safe than poorly (or worse). Call it what you will - if expert advice keeps more of us out of harm’s way it gets my vote!

Dinahmo Tue 17-Mar-20 11:19:04

Labaik Macron announced yesterday that payment of utilities and rents are to be suspended. I think that he also said that payment of taxes and cotisations (equivalent to NIC) would also be suspended but I'm not sure.

France is putting billions of euros into the economy and he said that no one would be allowed to go bankrupt.

The orders regarding movement are also being enforced and we have to print off and complete a document to certify our movements.

Margs Tue 17-Mar-20 11:43:37

Heard on Radio 4 yesterday someone was observing that the talk of "the Spirit of The Blitz" and "Dunkirk Spirit" was largely a myth that had gained credence over the decades. In fact, they quite brutally pointed out, people often reverted to their basest behaviour, ie: police had to be posted in bombed out streets to deter looters who even scrabbled in the rubble to thieve jewellery from corpses, and they were overrun trying to keep tabs on black marketeers.

We're seeing similar behaviour repeated in the supermarket "riots".

Sussexborn Tue 17-Mar-20 11:51:30

Is there a way to block the rantings of these Negative Nellies? I used to laugh at them but they are becoming tedious and boringly predictable. I am guessing they drink vinegar three times a day!

CrazyGrandma2 Tue 17-Mar-20 11:54:47

Can't remember who asked the question, but I can confirm that Corona beer is very drinkable smile

sazz1 Tue 17-Mar-20 11:58:40

Cancelled seeing my friend today as adult son has developed symptoms cough temperature headache vomiting. OH stayed at son's flat for a weekend. Came home 8 days ago so staying away from people for the next week to make sure he doesn't have it. OH fit and healthy atm as am I. You don't take it seriously unless it hits close to home well I didnt All the best everyone

Jabberwok Tue 17-Mar-20 12:03:16

Absolutely true Margs according to my parents!! The blitz was a thieves paradise!! but at least then you could go out and about. Isolating people is more akin to the plague! was there a plague spirit? who knows,but I rather doubt it!!!

Valski Tue 17-Mar-20 12:05:22

So glad I’m not the only one who feels like doing the My Sharona chorus everytime someone mentions this virus! My youngest daughter was born in 1979 (the year the song was out) and I made the mistake of buying her a CD of music from her birth year and this classic featured on it!

crimpedhalo Tue 17-Mar-20 12:35:38

@B9exchange

Wish someone would flatten my curve
Lol

Labaik Tue 17-Mar-20 12:52:23

The government are constantly playing catchup with the advice/lessons learned from other countries. Herd immunity has now been imprinted in peoples brains but for herd immunity I just automatically read herd mentality. Is it wrong that some of us have the audacity to question the advice propaganda being put out by this government. Even Jeremy Hunt criticised Johnsons approach to the crisis last week. Thankfully a lot of people were taking action [eg social distancing/isolation] before being advised to by the government. If only we still had the Medicines Agency in London sad. And, as I've said before several times, if a pandemic was at the top of the governments list of things that could go wrong, why oh why are we so unprepared? Even Theresa May is questioning Johnsons plan of action.

Foxyferret Tue 17-Mar-20 13:01:06

I’ve also been singing my carona from day one. Now I cannot get the song out of my head.

Theoddbird Tue 17-Mar-20 13:18:52

The original poster's comment is the kind of thing that could make people panic. They are just terms in normal language ... nothing sinister at all.

Labaik Tue 17-Mar-20 13:23:00

They're not normal language. How many people had heard of the term before?

Callistemon Tue 17-Mar-20 13:29:29

I thought everyone would have heard of herd immunity and self-isolation as medical terms.

As for culling, everyone has heard of that term but a journalist just used it to panic people, sensationalism designed to draw attention and he has succeeded!

Anyway this OP is just designed to be provactive, the name may change but the style of posting doesn't.
hmm

GagaJo Tue 17-Mar-20 13:29:31

Theoddbird, language is NEVER impartial. Political rhetoric is designed to have a specific effect. As long as BJ sticks to the script, the effects are carefully orchestrated. Until he cracks a joke, 'last gasp' for instance. Bet DC was furious about that gaffe.

Labaik Tue 17-Mar-20 13:34:35

Last gasp, squashing sombreros...why are people still impressed by this man?

nipsmum Tue 17-Mar-20 13:51:41

With a world population of over 7-5 Billion people. Can anyone tell me the projected figures for deaths from The virus worldwide. I would like to be able to make sense of this, and it might help to know that.

Jaye53 Tue 17-Mar-20 14:05:24

I cant be a#### anymore either.its all so stunning to the brain and my emotions. Really worry about the anxious depressed lonely and sick people going through all this distressing situation we are all going to have to face.

pollyolly Tue 17-Mar-20 14:40:42

I was told by a priest that in Italy there is a St. Corona
who is the Patron Saint of epidemics and has a church named for her in Anzu, Italy. Her feast day is 14th. May. Praying to her might help.