GB spelling and writing

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LGS

I am a bit torn on this, yes it is disgraceful that there were spelling mistakes and the family name was wrong, but it is an easy mistake, Janes/James, more care should of definately been taken in writing the letter, but on the other hand he is the first Prime minister to take the time to do personal handwritten letters, beforehand it was a computer generated letter an just signed and sent. I can totally understand Mrs Janes anger, but at least he takes the time no other PM has ever done.

What are your thoughts?

Replies sorted oldest to newest

fabienneMember

It's unfortunate, as a handwritten letter should give the human touch. No doubt Mr Brown's poor eyesight didn't help much.

11/9/097:27 AM

cologne 1Member Memoriam

I don't much like the man, but I did feel a bit sorry for him today. As you say, he takes the trouble to send a personal letter and, yes, he should have taken more care, but I don't think this should have been made public. It seems that The Sun is waging a war against him now on some very flimsy pretense, eg. not bowing at the right time. Attack him on his politics by all means, but not on this.

11/9/097:28 AM

DemantoidMember

Was it computer-generated? I thought it was handwritten. If it was computer-generated, why wasn't it spell-checked before being printed off? In any case, it was an unforgivable mistake. He was writing to the mother of a dead soldier and couldn't even get the name right. Disgraceful.

His own spelling of other words seems to be appalling too - nice to know we're being ruled by a semi-literate berk.

11/9/097:29 AM

TiGiMember

He can't seem to do anything right can he!

11/9/097:30 AM

Queen of the High TeasMember

I think whatever the situation it's a case of damned if he does, damned if he doesn't now. The STUN has jumped on this story and I personally think they are being more disrespectful to Guardsman Janes' memory by exploiting this to score political points.

11/9/097:30 AM

LGSMember

Toid, no it wasn't they used to be, he is the first one to do handwritten letters

11/9/097:31 AM

LeccyMember

I'm in two minds, I'd be upset if I was Mrs Jane but there again...he can't see so well and we dunno if he has any issues with spelling/writing (seems to be the case) and I reckon that should be taken into account.

TBH I reckon people will jump on him no matter what, damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

11/9/097:33 AM

Former Member

Much as I despise the man and what he stands for, I'd say the woman is using him to displace her anger over her loss. She's lost her son to war, it hardly matters about a slightly ropey letter in the scheme of things.

11/9/097:34 AM

LeccyMember

Reference:

we dunno if he has any issues with spelling/writing

I had to edit my post twice

11/9/097:35 AM

LGSMember

Reference:

that was my first thought too along with help from the SUN

11/9/097:39 AM

Garage JoeMember

Reference:

What are your thoughts?

As a Grade 6 Eng Lang type I never have the confidence to pick up other people on their spelling and grammar. Gordon Brown has always had a reputation for poor handwriting anyway but at least he had a go at sending a personal letter and followed it up with a 'phone call.
The Sun and it's readers are the lowest of the low scratters of all time. They may be lying in the gutter but they are looking at the dog shieght.

A message to the OAP. It's "definitely!"

11/9/097:48 AM

LGSMember

apologies Sir/Miss

11/9/097:50 AM

Garage JoeMember

11/9/097:57 AM

Yogi19Member 10 years

Reference:

I completely agree with you Daniel.

11/9/097:59 AM

Former Member

I'm of two minds. While I agree that he shouldn't be taken to task over writing a letter instead of sending out a less personalised one, he should set an example of using correct spelling and grammar.

11/9/098:11 AM

Blizz'ardMember 10 years

He even gets MP the wrong way round.

11/9/098:18 AM

LiverpoollassMember

I think it is the least he can do (apart from bring our lads home) - at least get the grammar and spelling right Gordon.

11/9/098:23 AM

fabienneMember

It's the thought that counts.

11/9/098:24 AM

brisketMember Memoriam

I agree with Daniel. (This is happening quite a lot lately - should I be worried?)
The sensitivities and judgments of a grieving person are not at their best.
I think the newspaper is being disrespectful.

11/9/098:26 AM

LeccyMember

Reference:

he should set an example of using correct spelling and grammar.

That's the bit that I'm torn about though, if he can't help it...I read that he has to write in black marker to be able to see it. So in a way I quite admire him for still persevering with hand writing things if he struggles.

I dunno, it's a funny one. I think Dan has a good point though, she's angry at her son dying more than anything else. (naturally!)

11/9/098:26 AM

fabienneMember

I think Mr Brown will understand that a bereaved parent will lash out at other people in the numbness of grief. The mum can be excused, but shame on the 'news'paper.

11/9/098:28 AM

JoyronMember

Reference:

I agree with you.

11/9/098:39 AM

Garage JoeMember

You won't believe this but it was lead story on the news

All the footage of the unfortunate lady had the Sun masthead copyright in the top right corner. I wonder what made her go with that particular paper?

11/9/0910:25 AM

DemantoidMember

Reference:

She's lost her son to war, it hardly matters about a slightly ropey letter in the scheme of things.

I'm not sure - I think it would add considerable pain to know the highest representative of the government that sent him there in the first place couldn't even be bothered to get his name right.

11/9/0910:30 AM

CosmopolitanMember 10 years

I think the mother was wrong.

GB wrote a personal letter of condolence. Yes, he should have got someone to check his spelling (IF he's got a problem with spelling etc.,), but it was not written to the public nor for publication.

The paper was out of order in encouraging her to agree to publication.

All in all, they all fail to smell of roses.

11/9/0910:44 AM

Former Member

Well, Gordon's just been making a speech about the Wall in Berlin. Luckily, he didn't say "Ich bin ein Berliner".

11/9/0911:07 AM

fabienneMember

It makes me wonder: how did the press hear about this in the first place?

When I first heard about it on the radio, I felt sorry for the mum, thinking along the same lines as Daniel, that she was displacing her anger at the loss of her son...

But, if you were a mum, in that position, you would be so distraught... would you be in any fit state to be ringing newspapers to slag off the prime minister for some spelling mistakes?

Surely if you lose a loved one, you become less petty, not more.

11/9/0911:09 AM

CosmopolitanMember 10 years

Fabienne, fit state or not.....wouldn't you be calling No.10 and berating them?
That would be my first and only target for a phone call.

11/9/0911:13 AM

Garage JoeMember

Reference:

Well, Gordon's just been making a speech about the Wall in Berlin. Luckily, he didn't say "Ich bin ein Berliner".

The indefinite article ein is omitted when speaking of an individual's profession or residence but is necessary when speaking in a figurative sense as Kennedy did. Since the president was not literally from Berlin but only declaring his solidarity with its citizens, "Ich bin Berliner" would not have been correct.

: pedantic :

11/9/0911:17 AM

fabienneMember

Reference:

Fabienne, fit state or not.....wouldn't you be calling No.10 and berating them? That would be my first and only target for a phone call.

I don't know...

The only thing I've experienced that equates to it in some small way is this: At my niece's funeral, the vicar was in the midst of some pious lecture, and he suddenly starting getting her name wrong. He started referring to her by her mother's name. My poor sister in law, in all her grief, had to speak up and tell the vicar that he was calling the dead girl by the wrong name. It was quite shocking at the time, yet none of us really took offence. It was just human error, pure and simple.

11/9/0911:18 AM

Former Member

C'mon. This is in the great tradition of local papers: the photo of a housewife or pensioner looking disgusted and miserable, holding up the offending letter, next to a story of some bureaucratic cockup or customer service disaster. Obviously, this is a bit more important than finding a half chewed Wispa Gold when you open the packet, or receiving a letter requesting immediate payment of 1p from British Gas otherwise the bailiff will be called it but it's the same principle.

11/9/0911:19 AM

Former Member

Reference:

The indefinite article ein is omitted when speaking of an individual's profession or residence but is necessary when speaking in a figurative sense as Kennedy did. Since the president was not literally from Berlin but only declaring his solidarity with its citizens, "Ich bin Berliner" would not have been correct.

Somebody's been reading Wikipedia.

I checked that exact article out to verify the spelling just before I posted.

11/9/0911:20 AM

LeccyMember

Reference:

Shurrup you doughnut.

11/9/0911:22 AM

Former Member

And you could have at least tried to reword it instead of cut and pasting it.

"Jelly doughnut urban legend"

"The indefinite article ein is omitted when speaking of an individual's profession or residence but is necessary when speaking in a figurative sense as Kennedy did. Since the president was not literally from Berlin but only declaring his solidarity with its citizens, "Ich bin Berliner" would not have been correct.^{"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_bin_ein_Berliner}

11/9/0911:23 AM

Garage JoeMember

Yes I did read it just to confirm what my pal in HH said.
He could also have been a sausage btw.

11/9/0911:24 AM

CosmopolitanMember 10 years

Reference:

The only thing I've experienced that equates to it in some small way is this: At my niece's funeral, the vicar was in the midst of some pious lecture, and he suddenly starting getting her name wrong. He started referring to her by her mother's name. My poor sister in law, in all her grief, had to speak up and tell the vicar that he was calling the dead girl by the wrong name. It was quite shocking at the time, yet none of us really took offence. It was just human error, pure and simple.

The error was pointed out to the 'culprit' - which is only right given the circumstances; I would have done the same. That must have been highly upsettting to your sister in law and many of the family.

Human error is inevitable and that's why I believe that you take your grieveance back to the source (rather than the newspaper).

11/9/0911:28 AM

Garage JoeMember

Reference:

And you could have at least tried to reword it instead of cut and pasting it.

Why? I often cut and paste on here

I'm not that original

As they say, "It's not neccessarily knowing something that makes one intelligent, it's knowing how to find out.

:smug: : etc :

11/9/0911:28 AM

Former Member

Busted.

11/9/0911:28 AM

Garage JoeMember

I am not a great lover of such bands.

11/9/0911:29 AM

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