Reporter #1: What is "ratify"?
Reporter #2: Oh, it means that there was something wrong so they have to correct the mistake...
Err... madam, i think you are defining "rectify", not "ratify"!!!!
Ok, that may have been an honest mistake - she may have misheard (but surely she should have known better as it was stated in the context of ratifying an International treaty) - still, i cannot help but cringe at the standard of English i hear all around me!!! It truly is bad!
Look, i will state from the outset that my English is not the best ever and i do make mistakes, more often than i would like! But some of the English i come across is truly atrocious!
Take a look at this person's status on FB after Brazil got knocked out of the recent World Cup:-
And how does one cancel one's mind???
OK - she's just a student in a local institution. But how about this - a comment made on one of my previous student's status. The maker of the comment apparently is a barrister!!!!
We are a qualified barrister???? It's a good thing she did not indicate which Inn she qualified from!!!!
I was looking thru the on-line leave application programme we have at my work place - and was shocked by what i saw (underlined in red):-
My application details will be sending to my supervisor(s)?????
I guess the worse was during a staff-management meeting i attended recently. An academic staff actually made the following statements:-
"We can actually felt (the vibration)..."
"...it is quite distractive..."
"The glass is very glare..."
To say that i was shocked is an understatement!!!! I stared at her in disbelief each time she uttered anything. This here is a lecturer. She is a teacher. In an institute of higher learning, teaching a degree course to undergraduate students, a course which is conducted in English!!!!
My English may not be perfect but u have to admit that hers is bad! And it is just so sad.
p/s - no offence meant to anyone (tt's why i tried my best to ensure the identity of persons involved are hidden) and i hope none will be taken.
*One of his classic hits. Apparently, it was supposed to be a duet with Prince. Now that would have made it even more interesting!!!
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