English Chess Forum

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 13, 2021 7:00 pm

"'I hope me and Leylah put on a good show...'"

Yes, that made me wince a bit, but it is modern usage... After my 8th win at Countdown, I was asked how I felt and I was totally incoherent, and that's at a word game! So I'll let her off, if only for the dignified way both players spoke afterwards. As for her Britishness, she's been here since she was 2, so that's good enough for me. Of course, Andy Murray said he was treated as British when he won and Scottish when he lost!

Though people who have actually looked into this claim it is mostly (if not entirely) a myth

"Though people who have actually looked into this claim it is mostly (if not entirely) a myth "

Quite possibly - our Andy has the habit of saying things with a deadpan expression, so some people think he's serious when he's joking.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... l-34909845

A slightly similar example was an observation (in one of those "Top X most shocking sporting moments" TV shows some years ago) from former footballer John Barnes that Ben Johnson was from Canada until he was disgraced, after which he was suddenly Ben Johnson from Jamaica, much to the chagrin of Jamaican-born Barnes.

As Michael Flanders remarked back in 1964, in his spoken preamble to the Song Of Patriotic Prejudice:

The rule is: if we've done anything good it's "another triumph for Great Britain!" And if we haven't it's "England loses again."

Indeed - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYFiL4p4K9Y

Starts about 45 minutes. I seem to recall when I first saw this on TV that the American audience didn't seem totally enthralled with the lyrics of the song in question. (I haven't had time to re-watch it.)

J T Melsom wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:56 pm

After Paul's reaction to the England football team failing to show sufficient delight at finishing second, and now Emma Raducanu's poor grasp of language, I'm very much looking forward to his insights after the Ryder Cup.

I have no pedantic points to make about the Ryder Cup, though I have just noticed that predictive text wanted Ruder Cup, which echoes the behaviour of many American spectators. I don't have Sky Sports or whatever channel was necessary to watch the event live.

However, I read that Rory McIlroy was in tears at the post-match press conference, thinking he had let the side down, though he had at least won his singles match. I mention this because I have noticed over the last decade or two that TV, especially in news interviews, frequently shows a member of the public breaking down in tears. It seems as though producers regard this as TV gold and I suspect that interviewers often phrase their questions to elicit an emotional response. I sometimes find this unnecessarily intrusive. I am fairly sure it didn't happen so much in the old days.

The ancient among you may recall a TV programme in the 1950s called 'Face to Face' in which a man called Freeman (could Google his first name) interviewed a celebrity. When he made Gilbert Harding (famous as a panellist on 'What's My Line?') cry, it made national headlines as an extraordinary thing to happen.

I have read criticism that TV cameras homed in too much on the Queen at Prince Philip's funeral. Obviously it was hoped that pictures of her in floods of tears could be flashed round the world. TV gold again. Fortunately Her Majesty did not oblige and kept her head down.

Paul Habershon wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:01 am

J T Melsom wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:56 pm

After Paul's reaction to the England football team failing to show sufficient delight at finishing second, and now Emma Raducanu's poor grasp of language, I'm very much looking forward to his insights after the Ryder Cup.

The ancient among you may recall a TV programme in the 1950s called 'Face to Face' in which a man called Freeman (could Google his first name) interviewed a celebrity. When he made Gilbert Harding (famous as a panellist on 'What's My Line?') cry, it made national headlines as an extraordinary thing to happen.

It was John Freeman.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074m4n

I like the typo in today's Times Chess column: '...153 federations sending teams compromising men, women and junior players...'

Glad to see no 'of' after the intended 'comprising', though. It sometimes gets inserted, perhaps because of the similarity with the correct 'consisting of'.

While I'm here - the epidemic of beginning answers with 'So...' shows no sign of abating. I think it's mainly by people under thirty.

I don't have shares in the company, but these might interest readers.

https://www.redmolotov.com/pedants-revo ... ct-image-1

https://www.redmolotov.com/silently-cor ... ct-image-1

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 02, 2021 2:02 pm

https://www.redmolotov.com/silently-cor ... ct-image-1

That one would really put pressure on the wearer and antagonise the humourless. I haven't dared wear even a lime green t-shirt emblazoned with SCRABBLE. It's been in a cupboard for over twenty years.

Have any of you worn something which advertises an interest in chess and has it attracted comments, particularly from non-players?

"Have any of you worn something which advertises an interest in chess and has it attracted comments, particularly from non-players?"

Occasionally. I did wear one with a threatening red knight for one of the Countdown appearances and they told me not to wear it again as it "strobed".
I did congratulate a passer-by on his Periodic Table T-shirt recently. I guess there are many different interests ...

Paul Habershon wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 02, 2021 6:08 pm

Have any of you worn something which advertises an interest in chess and has it attracted comments, particularly from non-players?

I wear the T-shirts given away at Olympiads and they do sometimes get comments from strangers. Never in a bad way!

Paul Habershon wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 02, 2021 6:08 pm

Have any of you worn something which advertises an interest in chess and has it attracted comments, particularly from non-players?

After attending a West End performance of Chess in the 1980s I broke my usual anti-merchandising rule and bought one of the black sweatshirts they were flogging in the foyer. (I've still got it, though it's long since been relegated to gardening wear.) The only comment it ever provoked was: "great show, that, wasn't it?".

Quote from another thread: 'Covid has ironically done chess a huge favour.'

I'm not too sure of my ground here, but is 'ironic/ironically' often misused? I think 'paradoxically' may be more suitable in the above example.

Claudio Ranieri used to manage Leicester City but has now been appointed at Watford. If these two teams were picked together in the FA Cup draw, I can imagine someone calling it ironic, but is it merely coincidental?

An example of irony? If someone appears late for breakfast and is greeted with 'Good evening!'? However, irony isn't always humorous.

There must be many better examples or explanations.

Blackadder:
Baldrick, have you no idea what "irony" is?

Baldrick:
Yes, it's like "goldy" and "bronzy" only it's made out of iron.