AIBU to expect the BBC to use good English

I have given up with the BBC. Not only is the standard of English sloppy, but the standard of reporting/research is too.

absent I do agree. I'm fed up with (not of as is often said) the BBC with their 'upcomings' and 'going forwards' and 'the' instead of 'thee' I even heard 'a hotel' the other day - makes my ears hurt.

I think 'a hotel' is acceptable these days, susiecb. Who do you know who actually says 'an' hotel?

It's not just the BBC. Sloppy English is everywhere. There are three errors that really drive me insane....'we was', 'a bit of water' and the double negative such as 'I wasn't doing nothing'.

Also sloppy English leads to sloppy grammar. Now don't get me started on that lol.

Get thee to Pedants' Corner, vampirequeen, where all such errors are aired!

A minspronunciation (and that's another one!) which I hate is 'fith' instead of 'fifth'. It's particularly noticeable in BBC presenters.

Them things instead of those things, drives me mad, and Vampire Queen never mind double negatives, how about this triple one I heard recently "I aint not never" Top that!

Surely not uttered by a BBC presenter though?

to me "an hotel" although I know it's correct, always sounds wrong

I always say an hotel. The one word that really gets my goat is "drawring" it is drawing for goodness sake and the BBC presenters are as guilty as anyone

I also say 'an 'hotel' with a silent h.

Another thing that is inexplicable on the beeb is weather presenters who talk about "not much 'in the way of' rain. What the hell does that mean?

Here in France, the weather forecast for the whole of France (4xthe size of England) is succinctly covered in 1 minute, in simple French, 3 times a day and forecast maps are included in that for the next 2/3 days.

Simples!

On the subject of France specki do you mind popping out and turning the thermostat up I do not want three weeks of rain and cool weather when I arrive.

well harri its not too wonderful in the South West - 'mixed' is the best way to describe it. Whereabouts are you going to?

The way of short cutting words I find irritating like "slow mo" instead of "slow motion" . What will the next buzz word be?

Newsreaders seem to have trouble pronouncing deteriorate, they leave out a syllable makes me shout at the TV. The double negative is everywhere, newsreaders yesterday reporting on Syria said ' no bodies were found', how can you find nothing?

specki we are staying in a hamlet called Bouye not far from Monpazier. I am hedging my bets and taking a waterproof and a thick cardigan, old stone houses can be cool when weather is iffy.

I don't see that as a double negative susiecb; I think you can find nothing. They were using the passive tense. Another way to put it would be 'they didn't find anything', or 'any bodies'.

The advantage of using the passive is that you don't have to say who or what was doing the finding!

Yes, the missing syllable in 'deteriorate'. The same happens with 'particularly'.

'Secretary' seems to have the first 'r' omitted quite often, too...

'harri' Monpazier is about 30 mins from us. I should have been singing there in a couple of weeks but now have to go back to UK. Monpazier is lovely..hope the weather improves for you. If I stop singing, maybe it will!

Sorry - seem to have gone off this thread. Yes, when they say 'secetry' - that bugs me.

Spotted on the Olympic Torch relay website:
" A short trip in the coach before Erwen Wulteputte, 25, is due to carry the flame in Blyth. Erwen had heart surgery as a youngster but it doesn't stop him from participating in his favourite hobby, horse jumping."

Presumably one starts with little Falabela horses, working up through Shetland ponies and so on until you can jump over a Clydesdale?
Honestly! [frustrated] emoticon.

gracesmum!

haha grace! I have almost explodeD at BBC Springwatch where Chris Packham keeps saying 'off of'.. maybe I should write to BBC!!

Yes he DOES. He is only slightly less irritating than Bill Oddie who was outrageously unprofessional, continually interrupting his co-presenter.
Did you see my sporting faux pas of the week on the malapropisms thread? Visions of breastfeeding cyclists with leaky boobs...

And love the image of people vaulting over horses gracesmum . Should be an official Olympic event I reckon.

An hotel (in my opinion the 'h' should be sounded but some say an 'otel'!!Odd I say!