Annoying terms used on television programmes

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I have just heard some person say "We are reconsidering the footprint of the building"...whatever is this supposed to convey to the viewing public?

Another expression that annoys me is when the studio presenter is talking to an outside site presenter and the term "Paint me a picture" is used when asking for the impressions gathered by the member on the outside site. Are there not enough standard expressions in basic English terminology to convey the required message ?

Has anyone else heard of any other media expressions that annoy them, that are used these days that reveal the inability of a television presenter to use correct English expressions with which to express themselves ?

 

[GB]

Building footprint is a standard architecture term for the outline or area of a building. I assume you were watching a program relating to the construction of a property. If so it is to be expected that such terms will be used.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Building footprint is a standard architecture term for the outline or area of a building. I assume you were watching a program relating to the construction of a property. If so it is to be expected that such terms will be used.

Fair enough, but would this be outside the comprehension of the average member of the viewing public when listening to television. How is the word "footprint" supposed to convey an easily understandable message to such an average viewer.

When was the term "footprint" first used in standard English terms to convey anything outside of the use of feet ? I cannot recall this term being used in my younger days, other than in that terminology.
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[Oswyntail]

Fair enough, but would this be outside the comprehension of the average member of the viewing public when listening to television.

I wouldn't have thought so (though I have heard the term myself). It is quite a nice graphic metaphor and, with very little needed in terms of interpretation, conveys a concept which would otherwise require many more words to explain.
And "painting" a word picture is something that I can remember being taught in my first English lessons at Grammar School, so that has been around for quite some time.

 

[GB]

Fair enough, but would this be outside the comprehension of the average member of the viewing public when listening to television. How is the word "footprint" supposed to convey an easily understandable message to such an average viewer.

When was the term "footprint" first used in standard English terms to convey anything outside of the use of feet ? I cannot recall this term being used in my younger days, other than in that terminology.
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If you don't know what the term means then I think its a matter of putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 4. If you think for a moment what a "footprint" actually is (ignore the fact its more associated with feet) and apply it to a building then you will get along the right sort of lines.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If you don't know what the term means then I think its a matter of putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 4. If you think for a moment what a "footprint" actually is (ignore the fact its more associated with feet) and apply it to a building then you will get along the right sort of lines.

Well that appears to show me that even having the intelligence to obtain a First Class Honours Degree in Mathematics at Manchester University in 1966 and being a Classics scholar in my younger days, it has not allowed for the development of that part of my brain that deals with the ability to fully comprehend the terminology of one's own language.

If I was on television on such a building construction programme that was mentioned in an earlier posting on this thread, discussing the finer points of the value of the application of intumescent coatings to structural steelwork to enable the steel to last somewhat longer than untreated steelwork during a severe building fire, I would not honestly expect many of the viewing audience to have any idea whatsoever what I was discussing.

 

[ainsworth74]

When news reporters (be they in print or on TV) say something like 'today the Royal Navy deployed the battleship Somerset to the gulf region' it's a minor thing but really really gets on my nerves. I think because it's just such a failure of research and a sign of utter lazyness. Less then ten seconds on Google will tell you that it's a frigate (top result is the Royal Navy's own page on the Somerset!) or failing that just use the term 'warship'.

 

[Yew]

Some sort of thermal barrier coating? Probably based on aluminium or titanium oxides?

My pet hate is the word colleague, in any use of the word

 

[tamesidedepot]

radio presenters who refer to their programme as a 'show' when clearly they are unable to show anything.

 

[deltic1989]

Some sort of thermal barrier coating? Probably based on aluminium or titanium oxides?

My pet hate is the word colleague, in any use of the word

Oh Asda really get on my nerves with that one. Signs saying words to the effect of 'need help? Ask one of our colleages' why not just say assistants or employees?

 

[Eagle]

radio presenters who refer to their programme as a 'show' when clearly they are unable to show anything.

What? 'Show' doesn't imply anything visual. Its basic meanings are 'demonstrate' and 'exhibit' (the latter being more relevant), and I can do either with words alone without resorting to images.

 

[Smudger105e]

I hate the phrase "carbon footprint" :/

 

[Eagle]

I hate the phrase "carbon footprint" :/

Because of course, it should be "carbon dioxide footprint". Carbon is the black stuff that's inside pencils or steam engines.

 

[SS4]

Because of course, it should be "carbon dioxide footprint". Carbon is the black stuff that's inside pencils or steam engines.

And what is reputedly a girl's best fried

==============================

I hate million and billion and so on to refer to large numbers especially in the context of science programs in which most viewers will understand standard form. Some of our older remembers may well remember 1 billion being 1,000,000,000,000 (there are 12 zeroes there) but younger ones may think 1,000,000,000 (nine zeroes) whereas 10^9 (pronounced "ten to the nine" or "ten to the power of nine") is unambiguous.

Surprised nobody has said Train Station yet

Luftwaffe when pronouned with a w.

 

[GB]

Whats wrong with "Train Station"? Seems technically correct.

 

[deltic1989]

One thing that does grate on me is when British newscasters use Americanisms. The Americans to my mind are doing a fine job of killing the English language without the BBC joining in.

 

[SS4]

Whats wrong with "Train Station"? Seems technically correct.

In my opinion nothing but it seems there was a discussion on it earlier this year

edit: A second thread

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Whats wrong with "Train Station"? Seems technically correct.

You will soon find out if MattE2010 sees this thread....

 

[EM2]

The only one that comes to mind is when Andy Townsend on ITV insists on referring to 'the goals' as opposed to 'the goal'.
'That cross has flown across the face of the goals'.
'He's a demon in front of the goals'.

 

[Eagle]

'That cross has flown across the face of the goals'.

What, both of them?

 

[EM2]

What, both of them?

Exactly!

 

[Eagle]

If we're allowed to pinpoint specific people on TV, can I shout at Jamie Oliver that there is no 'x' in espresso?

 

[Nonsense]

Well that appears to show me that even having the intelligence to obtain a First Class Honours Degree in Mathematics at Manchester University in 1966 and being a Classics scholar in my younger days, it has not allowed for the development of that part of my brain that deals with the ability to fully comprehend the terminology of one's own language.

If I was on television on such a building construction programme that was mentioned in an earlier posting on this thread, discussing the finer points of the value of the application of intumescent coatings to structural steelwork to enable the steel to last somewhat longer than untreated steelwork during a severe building fire, I would not honestly expect many of the viewing audience to have any idea whatsoever what I was discussing.

You have very low expectations of the viewing audience. I'm not familiar with the word intumescent, but there's nothing else too mystifying in the rest of that sentence, and even if there was, I'd probably extract the precise gist of the discussion from the context of the narration.

Done to death I'm sure but a train station is where you would go to catch a train in 21st Century Britain. Railway station is an older term which means the same thing.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Building footprint is a standard architecture term for the outline or area of a building.

Since I made my original posting and received clarification from you, my wife took it upon herself to put this terminology in a question to the people attending a committee meeting in the village today at the end of the meeting when tea and cakes were to the fore, armed with the answer that you had given..( Don't forget that I referred to average viewers in my second posting)....She asked the question of seventeen people, all from different walks of life....but not one of them knew of the answer that you had given.
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You have very low expectations of the viewing audience.

All I can do is to refer you to the posting that I have just made in response to GB when out of seventeen people questioned, not a single one knew the answer. Again, I was at pains to refer to average viewers.

 

[GB]

I'm not sure what point your trying to make. Asking 17 people (even from different walks of life) is hardly conclusive and doesn't change what the term is or where it is used.

I still maintain that it is not unreasonable to apply a bit of logic to get the general idea. Everyone knows what a footprint is and most people will have heard of the term "carbon footprint".... Building footprint is hardly a giant leap.

In anycase, just becuase you did not know what it means doesn't mean that others dont and is hardly cause to call it an annoying term.

Maybe there should be no technical terms in any programs for fear of offending or upsetting someone.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I still maintain that it is not unreasonable to apply a bit of logic to get the general idea. Everyone knows what a footprint is and most people will have heard of the term "carbon footprint".... Building footprint is hardly a giant leap.

But Eagle said in his earlier posting on this thread that "carbon footprint" was an incorrect term and the correct term was "carbon dioxide footprint"....How many "average" viewers would know of the correct terminology of the actual use of this phrase ?

Comparing carbon and buildings when referring to "footprints" is something out of the "apples and tractors" school of comparitives...:roll:.

 

[Nonsense]

All I can do is to refer you to the posting that I have just made in response to GB when out of seventeen people questioned, not a single one knew the answer. Again, I was at pains to refer to average viewers.

Perhaps you're not the average viewer. May be the average viewer watches more property porn, which is where I'm sure I first heard the term.

 

[GB]

Comparing carbon and buildings when referring to "footprints" is something out of the "apples and tractors" school of comparitives...:roll:.

Is it? They both leave physical impressions or marks do they not?

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Building footprint is a standard architecture term for the outline or area of a building. I assume you were watching a program relating to the construction of a property. If so it is to be expected that such terms will be used.

I have read several books on architecture over the years and I am fairly certain that "footprint" was not a term that appeared in any of them. I would suggest that it must have come in to use fairly recently along with similar use in for example, IT - referring to the area taken up by desktop computers, the amount of memory used by a process, the reception area of a satellite etc. and in general "management speak."

I would suggest that a footprint is the effect left on the ground by someone's foot, not the area of someone's foot (which would be better described as "shoe size") and the use of the term "footprint" in global warming discussions is therefore more appropriate than it is in architecture.

However, I am resigned to the possibility that younger architects may feel that the extensive glossary of technical terms available to the profession must be supplemented by glib and inaccurate terms in popular use.

It is just one of the many current "buzzwords" which will become dated eventually - and the sooner the better as far as I am concerned.

 

[Bungle73]

I have just heard some person say "We are reconsidering the footprint of the building"...whatever is this supposed to convey to the viewing public?

Another expression that annoys me is when the studio presenter is talking to an outside site presenter and the term "Paint me a picture" is used when asking for the impressions gathered by the member on the outside site. Are there not enough standard expressions in basic English terminology to convey the required message ?

Has anyone else heard of any other media expressions that annoy them, that are used these days that reveal the inability of a television presenter to use correct English expressions with which to express themselves ?

Is this a joke thread? You honestly didn't know what "footprint" means in relation to a building......or anything else for that matter?

As for the second phrase, it IS a standard expression.

My pet hate is the word colleague, in any use of the word

What?? Colleague is a perfectly acceptable and correct word.....or would you prefer people to use that awful Americanism: co-worker?

Oh Asda really get on my nerves with that one. Signs saying words to the effect of 'need help? Ask one of our colleages' why not just say assistants or employees?

Why