Monday, November 03, 2008

U.K.'s "ethnic cleansing" of the English language

Councils ban 'elitist' and 'discriminatory' Latin phrases
Daily Telegraph, Nov. 3

Local authorities have ordered employees to stop using the words and phrases on documents and when communicating with members of the public and to rely on wordier alternatives instead. The ban has infuriated classical scholars who say it is diluting the world's richest language and is the "linguistic equivalent of ethnic cleansing".

Bournemouth Council, which has the Latin motto Pulchritudo et Salubritas, meaning beauty and health, has listed 19 terms it no longer considers acceptable for use. This includes bona fide, eg (exempli gratia), prima facie, ad lib or ad libitum, etc or et cetera, ie or id est, inter alia, NB or nota bene, per, per se, pro rata, quid pro quo, vis-a-vis, vice versa and even via. …

In instructions to staff, the council said: "Not everyone knows Latin. Many readers do not have English as their first language so using Latin can be particularly difficult."


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H.M.M. Ministry for Lingustic Reform

Equality House, 33 Swithin's (formerly St Swithin's) Lane

Londonistan 1OH 2MY

22 May 2018

To all government officials:

Since you now represent 83.5 per cent of employed Britons, it is incumbent upon you to set an example for that portion of the public that continues to write in English.

Although Latin phrases have been prohibited since Jan. 1 in the second year of the Charles Caliphate, the English language remains riddled with words derived from Latin and even Greek. Although such words might appear on the surface to be innocent, they project an unwholesome attitude of historicism and imperialism, many having been widely used in Crusader times. In addition, they are generally polysyllabic, presenting especial difficulty to Arabic- and African-language speakers.

Under the Language Transition Act of 2013, English is being phased out in all official documents and communications. During the transition period, the language must be purified of its historicalist and imperialist roots so that English speakers will not be induced to harbour unconscious revisionist attitudes. Therefore, H.M.M. Style Guide and Word Usage is hereby modified to restrict the use of Latin- and Greek-derived words in so far as is practicable.

This will typically replace single, reactionary, multi-syllable words with groups of simple, easy to understand words, preferably with no historicist-imperialist content. For example, the sentence "Vapourise the infidel" may be written as follows: Make kufars split into small bits of gas.

It is understood by our office that this will be difficult at first, particularly for government workers whose time in office began before the Caliphate. Be comforted that no stonings or hangings will be administered for first offences.

In the name of Allah the Merciful and the Prophet (pbuh), we have spoken.

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2 comments:

leadpb said...

"Many readers do not have English as their first language so using Latin can be particularly difficult."

Hmm, yes, and many readers also doubtless do not have civilised behaviour as their first manner of socialising, so getting on with the contracted supply of weaponry in UK can be a challenge.

Isn't there some official standard of daftness that must be bettered for a royal to assume the highest station? How about giving Charles his own cooking how as consolation? I don't believe they use it over there but "drip" would be a most suitable appellation for him.

Rick Darby said...

Leadpb,

Hilarious!

From now on maybe I'll measure these "Britain self-destructs" postings on the Daftness Index.