What a pleasure it was to spend the weekend in the UK and hear people unselfconsciously speaking English all around me. Not to mention listening to my fellow curmudgeons grumbling and getting apoplectic about how the language is going to the dogs.
During one such tirade I learnt a wonderful new expression: the moronic interrogative. It was coined by Rory McGrath and refers to the habit of having a rising tone at the end of a sentence as though you are asking a question. This is rather popular among the yoof who have, it is believed, picked it from Aussie soap operas. Here are Stewie and Roger from Family Guy with a few examples.
Anyone else got any language pet hates?
It drives me crazy the way that my son peppers his conversation with Americanisms.
Incidentally, you will be very amused to hear that when I arrived at Heathrow, my epassport did not work. I had to go and talk to the immigration office. He informed me that the computer cold not process me as I bore to close a resemblance to John Peel A more common problem than you’d imagine!