Another BA crime
Jan 5, 2022, 11:37 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Aadvantage platinum; IHG Spire
Posts: 546
I actually think that whoever penned that little gem was British born, raised and schooled. These days I work mostly with non-native speakers (as I am), generally from the Netherlands or the Nordics, and they are all pretty surprised by how bad native British speakers are at spelling. And not just that, errors like it's instead of its, your instead of you're, their instead of there extremely common these days not just amongst the youngsters, but from anyone aged 50 down. Just today I read an email from an (allegedly) Oxbridge-educated client of ours and sweet Jesus riding a wheelbarrow it was bad. It doesn't seem to affect other English native speakers, like the Aussies, Canadians or (I know, I know) Americans.
In which case, you can imagine the level of written English employers are having to deal with - BA are not alone in this. However, you would think they would use someone with decent English skills to proof read it….
Jan 5, 2022, 11:46 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK (currently)
Programs: BA Gold (and many other greater and lesser distinctions)
Posts: 7,214
It’s because we seem to have taken the attitude of “what does it matter as long as people understand what you mean” - in fact, IIRC not so long ago there was even some discussion about whether spelling and grammar should even be scored in exams any more as long as they got their point across!
In which case, you can imagine the level of written English employers are having to deal with - BA are not alone in this. However, you would think they would use someone with decent English skills to proof read it….
In which case, you can imagine the level of written English employers are having to deal with - BA are not alone in this. However, you would think they would use someone with decent English skills to proof read it….
Jan 5, 2022, 12:41 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: clue is in the nym
Programs: BA Gold, TP Gold, VS Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 833
Jan 5, 2022, 1:29 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: fwp blood diamond, dykwia uranium
Posts: 7,252
Jan 5, 2022, 2:05 pm
#24
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: British Airways GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond & Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,614
The real crime is the catering, and BA's aspirations in this space. The concept of a bog standard chicken curry being aspirational British food is very 1980's....probably the last time someone from BA F&B went to a restaurant.
Jan 5, 2022, 2:37 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: British Airways GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond & Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,614
Jan 5, 2022, 2:50 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 943
I actually think that whoever penned that little gem was British born, raised and schooled. These days I work mostly with non-native speakers (as I am), generally from the Netherlands or the Nordics, and they are all pretty surprised by how bad native British speakers are at spelling. And not just that, errors like it's instead of its, your instead of you're, their instead of there extremely common these days not just amongst the youngsters, but from anyone aged 50 down. Just today I read an email from an (allegedly) Oxbridge-educated client of ours and sweet Jesus riding a wheelbarrow it was bad. It doesn't seem to affect other English native speakers, like the Aussies, Canadians or (I know, I know) Americans.
The problem is that, in general, we aren't taught our own language particularly well at school. It won't be the same for everyone, I'm sure, but my grammar was not particularly good until I went to university and the mistakes were actually highlighted to me. It was a shock seeing how many of them I made.
Jan 5, 2022, 3:17 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Manchester
Programs: VA (Plat), QR (OWE), BAEC (Silver), AY (Gold), HH (Diamond)
Posts: 165
I must take exception to this comment. Whilst I don't frequently do side by side comparisons between the Australian and English text, on the whole Aussies are pretty poor, and I'd say on par with the British on butchering the written word. At least when spoken the Australians are concise and intelligible 😉
Jan 5, 2022, 3:24 pm
#30
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold-GGL
Posts: 1,193
That's my favourite phrase this year so far! Thank you for (a) the fabulous mental image which lead to (b) a hearty chuckle