tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553440626649035970.post2989653413110859958..comments2023-12-10T16:30:24.965+00:00Comments on Max Atkinson's Blog: Militant verb-avoidance in Miliband's latest speechMax Atkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06163447049027217653noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553440626649035970.post-77544987942667943392012-05-10T12:37:34.460+01:002012-05-10T12:37:34.460+01:00I think the intentional effect of these list is th...I think the intentional effect of these list is that they are difficult for the listener to get a grip on. The intention is to make a point by flooding the listener with a great volume of examples. The speaker backs up their poiny by showing that there are seemingly innumerate evidences of their point, an effect which is enhanved if the listener feels strongly about any one of the items.<br />I think that it is often successful in this quest, but equally that it is rather inelegant - and certainly doesn't aid intelligent and precise political debate.Anonymoushttp://politicswordsfaith.blogspot.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553440626649035970.post-65785531077607500772012-05-08T20:56:04.342+01:002012-05-08T20:56:04.342+01:00Maybe it's fine in small doses, but sounds odd...Maybe it's fine in small doses, but sounds odd if over-used?Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12831410189381294219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553440626649035970.post-61204402950376152072012-04-13T16:54:50.600+01:002012-04-13T16:54:50.600+01:00'Rising', 'squeezed' and 'rewa...'Rising', 'squeezed' and 'rewarded' are verbs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553440626649035970.post-29715889895469736352012-04-12T22:20:59.198+01:002012-04-12T22:20:59.198+01:00Perhaps an aversion to 'doing words' relat...Perhaps an aversion to 'doing words' relates to his and his party's impotence and lack of policies. It's in keeping with the strategy of identifying problems but not offering solutions.Adamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553440626649035970.post-53617462863430666552012-04-12T18:27:06.655+01:002012-04-12T18:27:06.655+01:00I used to spend the whole of October err. Potatoin...I used to spend the whole of October err. Potatoing. Is this an example of verblessness? Dsa99ukAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553440626649035970.post-29901618934581878452012-04-12T17:27:39.138+01:002012-04-12T17:27:39.138+01:00Surely the point is that these are not really sent...Surely the point is that these are not really sentences at all. If you replace the full stops with commas, colons or hyphens then they make much more sense and are grammatically correct. The full stops are just to signal to the speech maker to slow down or give emphasis and should really be corrected for the written version.Joelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553440626649035970.post-72426077883391206972012-04-12T12:47:52.574+01:002012-04-12T12:47:52.574+01:00Fascinating - and explains why his speeches sound ...Fascinating - and explains why his speeches sound so odd.Platohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02382484333785112863noreply@blogger.com