I studied French at school the basics have come in handy, i currently am studying both Spanish and French as part of my role, I'm unsure if I'll ever be fluent in either but i think i will learn enough to be able to get by should i need to go to either country on a scouting trip.

When I was eleven,I thought what am I doing French for ? I'll never go to France. So I didn't do the homework and was a bit of a tosser in class. As a punishment (those were the days), the teacher, the impressively named Miss Baggs made me go to her office at dinner time and do my French devoir. She could obviously see something in me that I couldn't. After a few weeks I found that I could learn French and went on to learn German. Much later in life I started learning Spanish and can now speak that too.

Because of all that, in my job in export sales I got to go to most of Europe, Iceland, and Israel. All for nothing, free.

All because I got a kick up the arse from Miss Baggs forty odd years ago.

I'm not bragging, but this is why grammar is important.

I'd done no revision and looking back its my one big regret that I didn't try harder at school and my first stab a college.

 

I thought I was being cool when in fact I was being a tit.

 

The benefit of hindsight, however part of school is finding yourself and is just as important. Though I must admit, when I did teacher training and they wanted to see my GCSE certification (too many Cs - the bare minimum work required) I was a bit sheepish, and it took some searching for as well. Every waking moment was devoted to music where possible in my last two years of schooling, including publishing a 'fanzine' with a mate. When I read old copies of that, our spelling and grammar are atrocious (probably because we didn't pay much attention in school) but further proof learning isn't limited to school (as they've hopefully improved since), nor are academic qualifications a surefire indicator of high intelligence (especially at O level or GCSE).

Edited October 26, 201213 yr by Youri McAnespie

I studied French at school the basics have come in handy, i currently am studying both Spanish and French as part of my role, I'm unsure if I'll ever be fluent in either but i think i will learn enough to be able to get by should i need to go to either country on a scouting trip.

 

le cone and el cone. Sorted.

I did German at school and although I liked it, I've forgotten most of it now. It's my intention to take up a language at night school next year - can't decide between German, Italian or Spanish.

I like the Boltonism "i cunt do that"

Indeed Youri. When I was out of work this time last year I got on two courses at New Bury Centre. Teaching Assistant, and BSL level one. I'm 58 now and left it a bit late, but as part of the Working in Schools course I needed to show me maths and English GCEs. As my exams were in 1971 they are out of date so I had to sit Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy exams.

My point is, you're never too late to learn.

I did German at school and although I liked it, I've forgotten most of it now. It's my intention to take up a language at night school next year - can't decide between German, Italian or Spanish.

 

Little Lever Language School used to run free O level courses in Spanish and Italian but I don't know if it's still free.

Last time I looked into it, Horwich College (I think) were also doing a free course. I don't mind paying a bit though. It's another feather in my cap, as they say.

le cone and el cone. Sorted.

 

also "Le Bib" and "El Bibbio"

...So I didn't do the homework and was a bit of a tosser in class. As a punishment (those were the days), the teacher, the impressively named Miss Baggs made me go to her office at dinner time and do my French devoir. She could obviously see something in me that I couldn't...

 

That anecdote sounded like the start of a reader's letter in 'Razzle' or 'Fiesta' One that ended with something like...

 

...all over her breasts, she then calmly buttoned her blouse back up and left the office. I've not seen Miss Baggs in forty odd years, but often smile at the thought of that afternoon...

I think you might have to pay for the exam though. It's still well worth it, and the first time someone speaks to you in their own language and realises you can understand them and reply is brilliant.

Juan, you are ze verrry notty boy, and you merst be pernished.

Gulp, tres bien Miss Baggs. Merci.

Juan, you are ze verrry notty boy, and you merst be pernished.

Gulp, tres bien Miss Baggs. Merci.

 

Was she in 'Allo 'Allo?

Oui. That little waitress that looked lika cochon.

haha - she did indeed.

 

Whilst we're on the subject of cochons, why does Guinea pig translate as Indian pig?

Edited October 26, 201213 yr by DazBobParr

I'm amazed George Orwell hasn't had a mention yet.

 

He saw this coming and called it Newspeak in 1984. Well, it was 1948, but you know what I mean.

 

The truth is, an evolving language is healthy. Unfortunately, "textspeak" is fucking cuntish and people like Diddles attempting to take the moral high ground on this issue are slack-jawed fuckpuddles of the worst kind.

 

I deal with hundreds of people on a business level and no matter who they are, if they use this poisonous grammar when dealing with me, they last no longer. It's lazy, ill-educated and pathetic.

I studied French at school the basics have come in handy, i currently am studying both Spanish and French as part of my role, I'm unsure if I'll ever be fluent in either but i think i will learn enough to be able to get by should i need to go to either country on a scouting trip.

 

 

Which one's you Franny?

 

another one that I have noticed creeping in is the use of the word 'are' instead of our.

 

ot an e mail the other day which read; morning ***** ,have you had chance to look at are plans yet?"

 

the of /have thing really does bug me, as does bad grammar in general, but this seems to be a new development and really annoys as it's just stupidity and the wrong word, not a spelling mistake, not a shortening due to local dialect ( though the way we pronounce are and our is similar), not evolving language, it's just the wrong fucking word in the wrong fucking place, but point it out and you become a grammar nazi all of a sudden.

some of them need a fucking good haircut

 

Anyway, you can't see Franny, as he's in that little wooded area fucking a squirrel

another one that I have noticed creeping in is the use of the word 'are' instead of our.

 

got an e mail the other day which read; morning ***** ,have you had chance to look at are plans yet?"

 

I see that all the time, it really annoys me, I don't know why, it just does

 

Another one I've just thought of is people who don't use "Th" in the way it should be, they just replace it with an "F"

 

Three = Free

Thought = Fought

Think = Fink

 

learn to speak properly you dick

B

 

In the days when they dumbed down gradings to the lowest common denominator so every fucker got A**** simply for avoiding an asbo and having ability to write their own name in the exam, that's hardly surprising.

Speaking of textspeak and looking at that photo, I'm sure there's a P2P BSHMN going on in the background. As somebody pointed out earlier, it was borne of a need to keep things brief when a text cost about 30p and was limited to X amount of characters. No longer relevant - unless you're a complete fucktard, I'd rather see loads of spelling mistakes than indulge someone using that bilge.

 

The lad on the far left, back row - someone should point out doing a black power salute isn't really appropriate if you're white.

Edited October 26, 201213 yr by Youri McAnespie

Which one's you Franny?

 

 

The one in the middle at the back looks like he's harbouring a dark and shameful secret from the previous night.

The one in the middle at the back looks like he's harbouring a dark and shameful secret from the previous night.

indeed....and the one on the end holding his fist aloft looks like he might be something to do with it