Sausages……..how.

MayBee70

Oh how some of you are revelling in this aren’t you. Pathetic imo.

Perhaps we should have used these 2 sentences when the Tories were being scrutinised 😁

While of course I feel sorry for the guy, he’ll be kicking himself, it was just the worst gaffe he could have made in his speech.It’s the sort of thing thatI gasped when I heard it but could still see the humour that most are seeing on here.We wouldn’t be human otherwise, I mean ‘the return of the sausages’ it makes you laugh, as I did after my first horrified gasp.

For goodness sake everyone. It was a slip of the tongue. Does anyone honestly, hand on heart think that he said it deliberately to be disrespectful. Do you really believe that he thought to himself "I know, I'll call the hostages sausages just for kicks and giggles".

I can think of only a very few PM's, Presidents, news readers and public figures who haven't made similar errors. Theresa May notoriously called Brexit "breakfast" for example. I'm the opposite of a Tory, but I saw the humour and didn't try to tarnish her as a flaming idiot because of it.

As already stated, Boris Johnson's "gaffe" actually had very real and life threatening consequences. In that case it was pure laziness on his part to get the facts right, the very thing he was paid to do. It was not a slip of the tongue, it was an entire speech that could have condemned a woman to death.

I too have spoken in lecture theatres full of students so I know how daunting public speaking is. I too am a human being, like KS, and have tripped up over words - it happens.

I do wonder if any of those criticising with such unseemly glee have ever spoken in such a context? And, if they have, did they never make an error?

Of course, because it’s KS, the vultures are always ready to pounce. He will be mortified himself (as I have been when I’ve done it) but he’ll take it on the chin and move on, because he has far more important things to think about.

To those who can’t / won’t move on, enjoy your silly criticism … it says far more about you than it does about KS.

Funny how Johnson was loved for his 'gaffes' which he made on an almost daily basis. People said it made him 'one of us.'

Such double standards.

25Avalon

Should have gone to Specsavers.

He doesn't need to. Nothing but the best designer free specs for him.

Should have gone to Specsavers.

That's very Bob Dylan, Casdon, though I can't remember the exact words. Or the "walk in my shoes proverb"? I agree we should show some humility, but humour can enter into it too.
Malapropisms are rife in language, especially to do with foods and inverting the first sounds, like chish and fips, but that's nowhere near the same as hostages and sausages.

Mamie

It isn't about not having rehearsed or not knowing your script off by heart is it. It is about misspeaking one three syllable word for another with a very similar sound. I have also spoken many times at conferences and given how demanding it is of the human brain, I am not in the least surprised when people make mistakes.
Fortunately most people understand and are prepared to be kind.

Sadly the News and Politics forum on GN isn’t the place to come for kindness or understanding mamie.

It’s the kind of toe-curling gaffe that’ll keep him awake during the small hours. I have to be grateful that my own gaffes weren’t broadcast or recorded, but they still replay in my head on occasions. I’m with you Casdon on this.

eazybee

It wasn't a joke, it wasn't funny and it had absolutely no connection with the comment about Nazanin Zahari-Radcliffe.

Exactly. The N Z-R gaffe showed a lack of preparation for the situation and a tenuous grasp of the facts. It was totally different from a slip of the tongue, which is all the ‘sausages’ thing was.

As others have said, all public speakers trip over words at times. I certainly have. It’s not a sign of dementia or lack of comprehension. In fact, it happens in general conversation too. We have a George Formby grill, and my son enjoys stork and puffing sandwiches for exactly that reason.

Just to be clear, I mean idiots are common. I don't think KS or DL fall into that category.

eggplant

Freya5

What an idiot. Out of the mould of David Lammy.
No respect for that dreadful situation. Any apology , anywhere!!

There are idiots for sure.

I do always wonder if the critical people have walked the walk.

Freya5

What an idiot. Out of the mould of David Lammy.
No respect for that dreadful situation. Any apology , anywhere!!

There are idiots for sure.

What an idiot. Out of the mould of David Lammy.
No respect for that dreadful situation. Any apology , anywhere!!

It isn't about not having rehearsed or not knowing your script off by heart is it. It is about misspeaking one three syllable word for another with a very similar sound. I have also spoken many times at conferences and given how demanding it is of the human brain, I am not in the least surprised when people make mistakes.
Fortunately most people understand and are prepared to be kind.

escaped

Indeed, but if the autocue goes fuzzy, or worst case scenario freezes, as happens, you need to know what you are saying is correct. In this instance, you also have a hard copy you can switch to without losing a word, and many speakers use both in order to vary eye contact or head position. Then, there's using your memory.
It's definitely a skill.
For me, its the entire unfortunate muddling of the word.

I know, I’ve used them, and as you say it’s a skill. It’s easy to get things wrong though however much you practice, and I’ve always found if I was nervous I made more mistakes than if I was speaking ad lib, answering questions etc. at the end. People who don’t give speeches underestimate the skills needed.

Indeed, but if the autocue goes fuzzy, or worst case scenario freezes, as happens, you need to know what you are saying is correct. In this instance, you also have a hard copy you can switch to without losing a word, and many speakers use both in order to vary eye contact or head position. Then, there's using your memory.
It's definitely a skill.
For me, its the entire unfortunate muddling of the word.

merlotgran

MissAdventure

I expect his tunes are absolute bangers!!

Hot dog jumping frog Albuquerque

Cringe. There are actual human beings, children , families caught up in this war.

Wyllow3

I don't think it's funny to joke around the awful hostage situation in Gaza, the families, so much suffering. Have respect.

Horrendous. Totally unfunny. Something seriously wrong with this level of disassociation.

escaped

Interesting, Casdon, Charles and Diana were repeating words from memory, NOT reading from an autocue. When you read you follow, the phonetics structures you learnt when a child, and it is very unusual not to get the sound of the beginning letter correct. I think Chomsky explains that in his Linguistics.

That’s if every word you speak is from the autocue escaped, which isn’t the case in most speeches. If you’re speaking to an audience you keep your head up and address them, speaking from memory and only refer to the autocue as a prompt.

Interesting, Casdon, Charles and Diana were repeating words from memory, NOT reading from an autocue. When you read you follow, the phonetics structures you learnt when a child, and it is very unusual not to get the sound of the beginning letter correct. I think Chomsky explains that in his Linguistics.

Far from funny to even repeat.

I dont blame the PM.
We all make word mistakes.

Are your speeches perfect on every occasion eazybee, if so hats off to you. Kings, presidents and PMs fluff, but clearly you don’t.

It wasn't a joke, it wasn't funny and it had absolutely no connection with the comment about Nazanin Zahari-Radcliffe.

Having done lots of public speaking, I know from experience that it’s when you’ve practiced your speech that you are more likely to make errors like that. If you haven’t practiced there are a lot of ers, ahs and pauses. If you’re nervous but practiced you are likely get your words wrong. A good example is Charles and Diana’s wedding where they both made errors, and the names were transposed.