A NATIONAL BULLETIN

ISSUES IN AUSTRALIAN STYLE AND THE USE OF ENGLISH IN AUSTRALIA Volume 11 No 2 DECEMBER 2003 The Australian Word Map Sue Butler, publisher of the Macquarie , writes about the Australian Word Map project and its contribution to the recently published Macquarie ABC Dictionary.

ustralian Word Map, the being accessed at the rate of 20,000 corner of the ABC website hits a week. I N THIS Adevoted to Australian region- The reason for the introduction of alisms, is the result of the synthesis an editorial filter was that the ISSUE of the special aptitudes of response, though enthusiastic, was Macquarie Dictionary and the somewhat undisciplined. Con- ABC. Macquarie does the lexico- tributors were sending general graphy behind the scenes. The colloquialisms as well as regionalisms ABC picks up our small voice and which, if included, would have QuestionsI N of THISRhetoric 3 amplifies it across Australia, then blurred the focus of the site. It was ISSUE follows up by providing the important to keep people attuned to SCOSE Notes 4 mechanism by which people from the notion of regionalism. around the country can reply. Of course, publication on the The idea of collecting regionalisms site was one thing, but publication 5 appealed to the ABC because its role in the dictionary was another. For grammar as a national broadcaster requires it to that we needed evidence that an provide services to the regions. It item had some kind of general appealed to us as dictionary-makers currency, even if that currency was Style Council 2004 5 because we were tired of the wellworn limited to a small region. examples of regionalism that made up The comments from contributors From the Editor 6 the sum of knowledge to date. After helped to corroborate offerings devon, fritz, polony, etc., what was which might otherwise have Letters to the Editor 7 there to say? The dreadful thought appeared to be one-off eccentricities. had occurred that perhaps In addition we researched other regionalism was part of a colonial past available resources and were able to Book Notes 8 and no longer existed under the track down items and, in some Oxford Guide to World barrage of national communications instances, account for their presence and standardisation. in the region. Finally, we compiled a English The response from the website was national email list from the addresses The Meaning of Everything immediate and encouraging. At the helpfully provided by contributors time of the publication of the willing to be part of a follow-up Feedback 22 10 Macquarie ABC Dictionary, 6000 campaign. These people were contributions had been selected to go surveyed on a number of items to on the site from about twice that provide verification for their regions. Feedback Report 11 number of unedited offerings, and The fact that there were words another 6000 people had and phrases appearing on Word Rubicon 12 commented on the listed items. The Map which were new to the editors Australian Word Map website was of the dictionary demonstrates that

DECEMBER DECEMBER 2001 2003 AUSTRALIAN AUSTRALIAN STYLE STYLE 1 1 Continued from page 1 fact that colonial Tasmanians referred to wombats as badgers. There are still rural areas where echidnas are known as porcupines. Queenslanders will have a duchesse in their bedrooms rather than a dressing table, the duchesse in mid-nineteenth-century England being a particular kind of dressing table with a swing glass. The other strongly discernible influence is the statewide standard imposed in some areas of language. Sometimes these jargons are actually set by state governments, as in education and the infrastructure of roads and railways. Sometimes they simply operate within a state by the spoken language is still primary, major causes of regional variation – custom and convenience and the and has a range of expression and a the make-up of the original influence of statewide media, as in lexicon that goes beyond what might settlement community with its the jargon of real estate. appear in print. various language influences, and Thus a kindergarten in New There are phrases that seem to run the imposition of items by state South Wales is a prep class in around the countryside as a national governments setting standards in Victoria and Tasmania, and a shared joke. Each comm-unity matters of housing, roads, transport reception class in South Australia. A develops its own version of the joke and education. power pole is a Stobie pole in South which makes it even more delicious. The original patterns of Australia, an SEC pole in Victoria, Take, for example, the range of settlement made different dialects and a hydro pole in Tasmania. humorous names for a cask of wine – of influential in A semi-detached house is in South red handbag, Dapto briefcase, etc. And different parts of the country. Australia called a maisonette. A sleep- the collection of words for speedos – Victorians may well ask for a piece out is in most of Australia a partially budgie smugglers, ball-huggers, nylon instead of a sandwich, thus enclosed porch or veranda, but in disgusters, dick pokers or dick revealing a Scottish presence in Victoria it is a building separate from stickers, dick togs or DTs. their community. The Tasmanians the main house. This building is in Just as the key items of Australian refer to a spoiled or troublesome Tasmania called a chalet. English identify Australians as a child as a nointer betraying a In the past, collecting evidence of community separate from those Northern British dialect. How the regionalism was a laborious exercise, which speak British English or South Australians acquired the term carried out in the old way, with , so too do these gent for a maggot, a shortening of questionnaires and field research. It regionalisms in their smaller sphere gentleman, which dates back to the is just as well that new technology identify a person from one part of jargon of anglers in England in the has given us the means to tap into the country as distinct from 1500s, is a mystery. this aspect of Australian English and another. Often it is when we move Background languages had their move past devon, fritz, polony, ... out of the area in which we grew up influence too. So, for example, the to another part of the country that German community in the Barossa we notice the identifying features of has given rise to a number of our regional dialect. With time, distinct items of English in South that keen observation blurs and we Australia, such as fritz (a luncheon begin to adopt the local expressions meat), schnitter (a sandwich) and of the new community to which we streusel cake (a cake with a topping belong, while retaining a distinct of nuts, sugar and spices). sense of nostalgia about the words In some cases regional items we have left behind. Language and from the early days of settlement identity, even at this local level, are have become fossilised in a The address of the WordMap entwined. particular community. Thus the website is: Historically there have been two badger box bears witness still to the http://abc.net.au/wordmap/ Australian Style is published by the Style Council Centre, Macquarie University. It is edited by Pam Peters, with executive assistance from Adam Smith. The editorial reference group includes Ann Atkinson, David Blair, Sue Butler, Richard Tardif and Colin Yallop. Views expressed in Australian Style and the styles chosen are those of the authors indicated. Design: Irene Meier. ISSN 1320-0941

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Questions of Rhetoric

on Watson’s tirade against who speak and write in public Bill Krebs is Associate Professor the abuse of language by places to be responsible, careful and of and Dpeople who should know clear. He reworks themes familiar Literature at Bond University, better will raise three hearty cheers over the last 400 years: about how and the Australian editor for in many quarters. You will language, especially the deliberate Collins . He recognize Watson’s prime targets or habitual misuse of it, can easily responds to Don Watson’s for censure if you have ever had to be an impediment to clear critique of Public Language, suffer the brainless abuse of thinking, to solid science and to Death Sentence: the decay of language now so common at the sound judgment. To add my public language (Knopf 2003, points where the world of business favourite Francis Bacon quotation RRP $29.95.) and marketing meets government on this theme to the dozens of and the public realm. quotes that Watson offers in an ill- Death Sentence might well linked collage of citations remind you of the times you were swimming in a marginal stream involved in the drafting of mission beside his text: “words do shoot statements or other such exercises back upon the understanding of in public language where the wisest, and mightily entangle obfuscation, an odour of sanctity, and pervert the judgement”. and sounding terribly impressive Language is a powerful tool, but were at least as important as misused can be at best a hindrance communicating clearly. You will but at worst, (certainly according remember the sense of having to Watson) downright pernicious. joined Alice at the Hatter’s tea Watson’s core theme, on which party as commitments, enhance- he will get little argument from ments, flexible game plans chased most, is the infection of politics, each other archetypically through education and public service by the flexible, market-centred strategies often vacuous language of to self-regulatory agreements marketing and manager-speak. Any written within the parameters of a teacher who ever felt nervous about holistic approach… the re-designation of students as We are all of us so used to this “customers” or “clients” for sort of stuff, so seduced by the example, will probably share fashionableness, or the superficial Watson’s fears about how the impressiveness of it, that it can take judgment of teachers and a massive overdose of it to bring us educational planners may well be to our senses and make us scream perverted by uncritical acceptance for a zero-tolerance (there I go!) of such weasel-worded language. approach to the problem. This is Much of the book rambles the point Don Watson has reached, around, and rails against, a range of and his passion about what he sees old favorites in usage abusage as politically and socially dangerous which can be found in any trends is loud and clear in the handbook of clear thinking and language he uses to describe the clear writing: topics like using more abuse of language: this sort of words than are necessary and writing is “sludge” of various kinds, avoiding clichés “…like the including my favourite, “depleted plague”, to cite one of those old buzz-word literacy. I refer of course and impenetrable sludge”. It is jokes which far too few public not to the windy, empty or false “guaranteed copious muck”, “a kind writers would now understand. rhetoric which Watson condemns, of self-sealing grout”, “clag sandwich Death Sentence is an interesting but to rhetoric in its older and with the lot”, “witless and selection of examples of the good, comprehensive sense of the unfathomable dreck” and “sancti- the bad and the ugly in public disciplined organization of ideas, monious clag”. Watson clearly feels language, and could have some matched by economical and that enough is enough! impact if it were directed as a effective clarity of expression, The book is another call to arms heartfelt plea for the restoration of geared to the demands of (Watson acknowledges and cites the study of rhetoric into what in responsible public speaking. Let’s Orwell and other champions of this our school syllabuses is now hope that this plea finds an cause), and he calls upon all those covered by that highly suspect audience.

DECEMBER DECEMBER 2001 2003 AUSTRALIAN AUSTRALIAN STYLE STYLE 3 3 S C O S E NOTES

Language researcher Irene hitherto unfamiliar term. Its replaced it with more formal single Poinkin summarises recent meaning was fairly obvious from word verbs like embellish or discussions at SCOSE, the the context. We’re accustomed to exaggerate. ABC Standing Committee on hearing sexy used colloquially to Lack of precision is a major Spoken English. mean exciting, attractive or trendy, concern to Don Watson in his new and sex up is just a verb based on book Death Sentence (see review, the same idea. SCOSE learnt that page 3). He calls on the media to sex up had been used in the 1940s examine more carefully the n a radio program in May this in a very literal sense – it is in fact language of those who speak in year the BBC journalist Andrew listed in the New Shorter Oxford public and to demand explanations IGilligan made some remarks Dictionary (“give a sexual flavour of anything that’s obscure. At the which were widely quoted and to, increase the sexual content of; next meeting SCOSE will look at mentioned a term which attracted arouse sexually”). By the 1970s it some recent examples. Did you the attention of some listeners. He had acquired a metaphorical find yourself wondering what said that the Blair government had meaning, with expressions like George W. Bush meant when he deliberately sexed up the intell- “sexed-up Bach”. So if you sex described a new policy as “a igence dossier which it had used to something up, you make it appear forward strategy of freedom”? What make a case for Britain’s involve- to be more interesting, attractive, did he mean when he said that “the ment in the war in Iraq. acceptable, etc. Like many phrasal advance of freedom leads to peace”, Subsequent news items kept verbs and other colloquial express- and that the establishment of a free mentioning the term sexed up and ions the term can serve as an Iraq would be a “watershed event”? prompted ABC listeners to ask umbrella for a wide range of And what did the journalist mean where it came from and to question qualities, and this lack of precision when he referred to this as a whether it was appropriate for is a potential downside. SCOSE “landmark” speech? reporters to keep using it. advised caution and moderation, The term wildfire continues to SCOSE was also intrigued by noting that some newspapers had trouble some listeners. They think the sudden popularity of this stopped using sexed up and had it’s American for bushfire, but in fact it’s established in Australian usage and there’s nothing to suggest the Americans beat us to it. The Macquarie Dictionary says wildfire means “a grass fire or bushfire of unusual intensity and speed which is out of control”, while bushfire is “a fire in forest or scrub country”. This suggests that bushfire is a subcategory of wildfire. Since bushfires aren’t a feature of American life, we only hear them speak of wildfires, which might explain why some Australians think wildfire is an American term. Wildfire is likely to stay in use because it’s reinforced by the phrase “spread like wildfire”. The west African republic of Niger was in turmoil in the middle of this year. In the ABC newsroom there was some turmoil too over the pronunciation of the name. An authentic pronunciation is not always the right choice. Some journalists were unaware that there was an established anglicised version, so when they heard a

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Australian English grammar: fact or fiction?

he grammar of Australian naturally when writers and editors English is often said to be are thinking less specifically about just like that of British and grammar and more about Style Council 2004 T The next Style Council Conference is American English, or so little communication. By the same shaping up for July 9-11, 2004 in different that it hardly matters. token, published texts always downtown Sydney. The theme will While there is much common involve the input of professional be public and professional discourse, property, research studies point to editors, and their contribution to giving a platform to those who write, differences of degree in the Australian English grammar needs edit or teach it, and providing open popularity of some kinds of verb to be factored in. forums in which to critique it. Don constructions and verb forms like A new database of public Watson’s book on the decay of public those tested in the regular dialogue, drawn from talkback language (see review article p.3) is a Feedback questionnaires. A large radio will be created, to document rallying cry, and the conference will ARC-supported research project on the grammar that people use when bring together editors, comm- Australian English grammar is they want to communicate with a unications trainers and interested members of the public in the about to begin, with Peter Collins reasonably broad, unseen audience. common quest for clarity. Texts from (University of NSW) and Pam Talkback programs where the host annual reports and e-documents to Peters (Macquarie University) as gives plenty of time to the callers PhD theses will be under scrutiny, the “chief investigators”. The aim will be sampled, with an eye on with papers focusing on their is to research the grammar used by both older and younger callers, and language as well as the editorial Australians in ordinary public a spread of social backgrounds. As problems that they can create. communication, written and far as possible, we would like to Nominations for the top ten clichés spoken, and to identify its the collect data from all state capital will be taken, and an award made at distinctive elements. Just how cities and would therefore welcome the end of the conference for the most Americanised it is (or is not) will volunteers from beyond NSW to widely used cliché. The conference also become clear. tape-record talkback from selected will provide in service training for The Australian English grammar local radio stations, especially professional communicators, writing project will make use of data from commercial ones. The criteria for teachers, editors and all who grapple with academic, corporate and bureau- Feedback questionnaires (see for choosing them will be indicated on cratic documents. example p. 11 below) to discover the Dictionary Research Centre Dates and other registration details people’s grammatical preferences website at: www.drc.mq.edu.au will be available on the Style Council when attention is focused on Offers of help with taping would website at www.ling.mq.edu.au/style particular constructions. It will also be much appreciated, and audiotapes Feel free to contact the make the most of databases of will of course be supplied. Please Conference Administrator Adam printed texts held at Macquarie contact Pam Peters at Macquarie Smith on 02 9850 8783 for further University, which show what comes University, on 02 9850 8773. information.

Continued from page 4 French version, [nee-ZHAIR], in was considered acceptable. But many Americans pronounce it, but some of the foreign reports some of our broadcasters have told don’t blame the Americans – some (including one in which an SCOSE that they’re accustomed to Australians would end up pro- American pronounced it this way), hearing it pronounced with the nouncing it [kuhm-BAT-uhnt] they thought it had to be right. stress on the second syllable. even if they had never heard an Uniformity was achieved, however, Indeed we’ve heard the Prime American pronounce it that way. after it was pointed out that the Minister John Howard pronounce Lastly, SCOSE gave marks for anglicised version given in the it this way. This second version guilelessness to the broadcaster who SCOSE database ([NIGH-juh]) isn’t a surprising development. As pronounced orgy as [AW-gee] was indeed the appropriate one to SCOSE member Pam Peters has instead of [AW-jee]. He pleaded use. pointed out, the [kuhm-BAT- ignorance on the grounds that he had A second pronunciation has uhnt] version is conditioned by the never participated in such an event. emerged for the word combatant. verb combat ([kuhm-BAT]). Of Clearly not a member of the media Until now only [KOM-buh-tuhnt] course it happens to be the way given to sexing up the issues.

DECEMBER DECEMBER 2001 2003 AUSTRALIAN AUSTRALIAN STYLE STYLE 5 5 he Editor’s mailbag has run it was refashioned with the Greek background, it loses the sense of the gamut from sport and th in the seventeenth century a setting sail. T fashion to history and “pseudo-etymological perversion”, Finally, another building philosophy, but everywhere there according to the OED, but one whose floor signage is a bit of a mix: are new usages. Many thanks to which has stuck, just like the d in Ann MacCann (NSW) found one those who wrote in or emailed about admiral. where the floors outside the lift verbal curiosities, and especially to Variation in space rather were labeled G to 4, and the those whose contributions could not than time was noted by an buttons inside offered you 1 to 5. be acknowledged below, through anonymous writer from SA, Fortunately it was a department lack of space. responding to comments in the store, so the only casualties might The article in AS 11:1 (June June editorial on humbug as a verb be the delivery of fashion goods to 2003) on the spelling of ding(h)y meaning “irritate” in Aboriginal the sports section, etc. in the archives of a sailing club English. In Papua New Guinea prompted Andrew Rayment (VIC) pidgin, the same verb appears as to send in some of those in hambag (meaning “mess about”, Victorian Railways publications “mislead”, “distract”). The PNG from the first three to four decades spelling reminds us of how close of the twentieth century. They the vowels in cut and cat are in show the spelling employe, the other dialects of English. masculine form if you imagine it Within Australian English with an acute accent on the end. itself, the same word appears as This spelling is common in the US, both gig and geek in the informal Feedback Acknowledgements according to the 1972 Supplement expression “have a ___at” (“have a Feedback 21 on subject and object to the Oxford English Dictionary look at”). The expression itself pronouns was greatly helped by hundreds of respondents, and (OED), and its citations for probably owes something to especially the following people, who employee come from British Scottish, where the word is keek. In sent in batches of questionnaires on sources. But employee is now fact it appears in other Germanic behalf of their groups, named and standard in the US too; Websters languages including Norwegian, unnamed: Michael Dwyer, Canberra Dictionary (1986) has employe Swedish and Dutch, where kijken (10); Shirley Barnett, Coffs Harbour. only as the secondary spelling. The is the verb “look at”. (13); VH-1, a group of Aero- Railways records show also an Another colloquial verb modellers, NSW (14); W. Barrwick, earlier spelling of trolley without meaning “look, stare at” is gawp, Yanco Agricultural High School (18); the e, as trolly with plural trollies, which may well explain the Robert Lindsay, Coonabarabran of course. The OED has it in mystery word gorbie reported High School (24); Mrs John nineteenth century British sources among the letters in the June issue Thompson, the Edgecliff Writers Group (8); Norman Talbot, Nimrod up to 1881, and these from of AS. This helpful suggestion Publishing (88); David Pocock, Victoria would show it had a longer comes from KR Massingham Herberton Secondary Department life in the antipodes. A further (ACT), who remembered being (9); John Pfitzner, Openbook point of interest is the spelling of admonished as a child for being a Publishers (22); Alison Manthorpe, the station names Flinders street gawpie when staring at anyone. It Port Lincoln (5); Joan Loudon, the and Spencer street with hyphens. might as well be spelled gorpie, and Writers’ Workshop class at Hobart This again was a nineteenth thus fits the bill well in terms of U3A. (11); Dr Rosemary Milne, century convention for street meaning and pronunciation. Richmond. (13); Anne Calvert, names, preserved in older legal Gawp is itself a probably a variation Holmesglen Institute of TAFE (17); documents. of gape, a word from Old Norse. Dee Gargano, Melbourne. (19); Robyn Whiteley, VIC (35); Janel Yet another word whose If spelling changes make words O’Hehir, VIC (5); J. Rodriguez, appearance and pronunciation look more different than they are, Deakin University (74); Deakin has changed over the course of time so can the space between them – or University, VIC (8); Bronwyn is algorithm. It was once algorism, the loss of it. The now usual Rachor, the Australian Public Service queried by Maureen Wright practice of writing worthwhile is an Commission. (8); Colin Beasley, (QLD) from the June AS article on interesting case, noted by Neville Murdoch University (11); F. Arabic loanwords. In medieval Cohen (NSW), along with the Trigone, WA (6); Jean Cameron, the English its various spellings always increasing use of underway, now North Coast Branch U3A, WA (6); included the s, which properly endorsed by the Shorter Oxford The Sunset Coast Literati, WA (6); links it with its Arabic origins. But (1992). For those with a nautical Ray Forma, Claremont WA (96)

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Dear Editor Dear Pam, list of synonyms for the search re “Male person” One of your “Letters” corr- engine to automatically include. I worked at the Queensland espondents refers to the days when There are even worse problems Police Academy and I learned that, newspapers employed proofreaders. with millennium, and I have heard although speaking policely sounds That precaution wasn’t foolproof. it said that if you consistently spell like musical comedy, there are The publication of a report that the this word correctly on your website three reasons why it happens, Duke of Edinburgh had shot a you are failing about half of your despite the risibility. great many peasants is well users! Firstly, because of a comm- authenticated, but I doubt the Unfortunately there doesn’t endable decentralisation of police legend that a Times report seem to be a generally applicable duties, it’s the officer on the spot, announcing that “Queen Victoria rule about double letters. When not a well-trained spokesperson, was the first person to pass over using these examples as a standard, who gets on air, and you can’t Waterloo Bridge” appeared in print and assuming that we usually need expect every officer of every rank to with the “a” replaced by another both letters doubled, I find myself be trained in media methods. That, vowel. misspelling harassment! at least, keeps the story fresh and Nowadays mistakes are honest. common. This Monday’s [July 21] Glenda Browne Secondly there is a legal (age) Sydney Morning Herald “Guide” Blaxland, NSW difference between a man and a boy, reports, for example, that “the and a woman and a girl. So, if the subsequent investigation came to POI (person of interest) is around the incredulous conclusion that Dear Pam, about the age when the difference Dutroux was acting alone”. Still, it After much discussion recently kicks in, and if the police officer is brightens the day for us pedants! my brother and I were able to not yet certain of the age, the officer reconcile dates to go in our diaries. feels safer saying “male person”. Dennis Gibbings The problem was: he said “Let’s put The third reason is that working Hornsby NSW the date forward a day,” so instead with legislation all your life makes of Thursday I made it Friday. No, you bound to think and speak in he meant Wednesday. If he’d said: legislative terms. There is an offence Dear Pam, “Let’s bring it forward” I might “Violence against the person”, I was interested to read John have had Wednesday. I have exactly which accounts for a recent Brisbane Satterley’s letter (June 2003) about the same problem when someone radio police interview (after a home the misspelling of accommodation. says: “Let’s put the date back.” invasion) in which the police officer, When working with user logs from Does anyone else have this sounding like something from search engines, I have found that problem? Gilbert & Sullivan, said: “Violence accommodation is misspelt over against the person was committed 30% of the time. For this reason, Lesley E. Shaw against the male person”. when I am creating metadata, I St Lucia, SA always include accomodation in a Paul Bennett Queensland R.G. Kimber sent us this interesting example of Northern Territory dress codes.

Dear Pam, The rather puerile attempt by the US neo-conservatives to irritate or admonish the intransigent French for their attitude over Iraq, by renaming French fries as freedom fries, overlooked the logical extensions. Should we also have freedom polish, freedom leave, freedom toast, or even, heaven forbid, freedom letters?

John McArthur Carlton South, VIC

DECEMBER DECEMBER 2001 2003 AUSTRALIAN AUSTRALIAN STYLE STYLE 7 7 Oxford Guide to World English Linguist Dr Ruth Wajnryb and patterns in both directions. (Did Scotch-Irish migration to App- writes the weekly “Words” you know, for instance, that while alachia in the US. column for the Sydney American English might be said to This is a reference book, not a Morning Herald. She is a “rule the linguistic roost light read from cover to cover. But language consultant for Collins worldwide”, the actual English of that said, open up on any page, and Dictionaries, and the director Americans is enormously varied, you become engrossed in, for of LARA consultancy, a and inclined to leak, northwards, example, the way that Arabic has into , southwards language and communication interacted with English since the into Caribbean English?). In the service. Here she reviews the Crusades (11th 13th centuries). A process of describing the evolving sprinkling of loan words has come Oxford Guide to World patterns, McArthur treats both the English, Tom McArthur, in over the centuries, mostly from linguistic elements and those of the three distinct sociocultural domains Oxford University Press 2002, broader cultural context. Islam (eg ayatollah, mullah), Arab RRP $34.95. The Guide’s organization takes a society (eg alcove, bedouin, sultan) different approach from the and knowledge or learning (eg Companion in being thematic alchemy, algebra); and often the he Oxford Guide to World where the latter was alphabetical. loan words are influenced by a English takes up, a decade The themed sections are mediating language eg safari T later, where its “mother geographically organised into five (through Swahili), albatross book”, The Oxford Companion to major sections: Europe (divided (through Portuguese and Spanish), the English language left off. In the into England, Scotland, Wales, admiral (through French). Or, did Introduction to the 1992 Ireland and Continental Europe), you know that Americans say Companion, McArthur wrote: the Americas (USA, Canada, “huh?” where Canadians say “eh?” In the closing years of the Caribbean, Latin America), Africa, Just as people skim travel books twentieth century, the English Asia (west, south, south-east, east), looking for what is said about their language has become a global Australasia, Oceania and Antarctica. own country (well, I do anyway), I resource. As such, it does not owe The regional approach (as opposed, had a good long look at the its existence or the protection of its say, to one that followed political/ Australia sub-section of the essence to any nation or group. national borders) is congruent with Australasia section, and fortunately Inasmuch as a particular language demographic distributions, an belongs to any individual or (phew!) it’s not about sheilas, community, English is the examination of which immediately dingoes and meatpies. There’s a possession of every individual and reveals that political and lingual detailed coverage of colonial every community that in any way boundaries do not conflate neatly beginnings and of Aboriginal uses it. or comfortably. Remember, for languages, and a separate section He begins the 2002 work by instance, that Melbourne is the on “swearing, slang, strine and suggesting that, in the last decade, third biggest Greek-speaking city stereotypes”, including mention of for many people this comment has in the world; that Yiddish has the influence of Australian English already become a truism. followed the Jewish Diaspora; that through the popularity of The Guide maps the the Englishes of individual pockets Australian soapies on the shaping of demographic story of English. It of USA are strongly influenced by so-called “Estuary English” in the tracks the global territory where the historical movements of people, London area; and the contribution English today is “a significant like German in eastern Pennsyl- of the Macquarie Dictionary to the language” – a map lists 104 places, vania, French in Louisiana, and understanding of English as an alphabetically from Anguilla to Spanish in parts of Texas. The Asian Language. Zimbabwe. This is achieved not in challenge that McArthur faces, and By virtue of its goals, the Guide a purist sense of the development of overcomes successfully, is how to travels deeply into the past, but if outreach ports flowing from a follow a demographic structure one foot is inevitably historical, the mother source. The focus is rather while also noting “the ties that other is very much on the ground of on what “happened to English” bind” – that is the inter- “now”. It’s scholarly, erudite, when it “arrived” in a new place, connections among varieties of inclusive, entertaining, and how it contacted and interacted English that are geographically wonderfully readable. Perhaps my with other languages, hybridised or disparate – like West African Eng- only quibble – I’d rather it were accommodated or blended, with an lish to African-American English; “Englishes”, not “English”, in the attention to the transfer of material or Scots, Ulster Scots, and the title!

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The Meaning of Everything aving written a “footnote to seemed to me rather over-elaborate. Michael Lewis teaches in history” in The Surgeon of This prose style might have been an Linguistics and Student Writing HCrowthorne, Simon unconscious response to the high- Skills programs at Macquarie Winchester has sought to write “the flown oratory of Stanley Baldwin’s University, and is a language history itself” in this new book. As speech marking the completion of and communication consultant with the earlier work, Winchester is the enterprise in 1928, which is with Brandle Pty. He reviews careful to place his humans in the reported in the Prologue to the Simon Winchester’s new book context of events even as he focuses book. Still, on the evidence of The The Meaning of Everything, on the “human interest” aspect of his Surgeon of Crowthorne and The Oxford University Press, 2003; story. Only one character is painted Map that Changed the World, RRP $34.95 in full colour – James Murray, the Winchester does not need to elevate chief editor for most of the seventy his style to gain and hold the years that the first edition of the reader’s attention. Oxford English Dictionary was in the Another quibble that is perhaps making. But we also meet Murray’s personal (though I suspect that it predecessors, successors, and will be shared by others), is that the colleagues. We meet the visionaries book comes across in part as an who first conceived the enterprise; exercise in hagiography rather than the egotists and bumblers who history. The title itself suggests placed seemingly insurmountable that the OED has “captured the obstacles in its path; the supporters language”, and this idea is who helped to overcome those frequently reinforced by Win- obstacles; the front-line troops who chester’s own words and quotes read the books and submitted the from others. (Winchester himself citations that were the Dictionary’s says, on page 235, that “this story raw material. Makers of other is not supposed to be overtly dictionaries have their own tales to hagiographical” [my emphasis].) tell, but in comparison with the In a sense, the “hero” of The tribulations of the OED project, Meaning of Everything is the those tales are an O. Henry story Dictionary itself; but, though alongside the Iliad. described as “the greatest enterprise Like Homer (though I will not of its kind in history”, it never truly pursue the analogy too far), takes on a life of its own. Somehow, Winchester interrupts the main it remains a mere artefact, while the narrative with some delightful project that created it is shown as a asides. We meet the original of cockpit of egos and vanities. Yet, in Kenneth Grahame’s Ratty; we find the end, it is the Dictionary that Tennyson and Tolkien con- lives on; the names and natures of tributing definitions of their own the men and women who made it coinages; we cross the path of the are almost completely forgotten. master printer Horace Hart (he of Winchester’s book serves to remind Hart’s Rules). We learn of the stiff us that the OED was and remains a chilliness of Oxonian attitudes to very human creation, and that outsiders; we learn of the Post lexicography is an immensely Office’s thoughtfulness in pro- challenging discipline rather than viding a pillar box by the front gate mere harmless drudgery. Despite of Murray’s home; we learn of the its somewhat variable style, The games played by the lexicographers Meaning of Everything deserves a as they struggled to write clear yet place on the shelves of every lover of concise definitions. this or any language. The story itself, as told by Winchester, is fascinating and enjoyable. However the style, in the opening chapters at any rate,

DECEMBER DECEMBER 2001 2003 AUSTRALIAN AUSTRALIAN STYLE STYLE 9 9 VERBAL OPTIONS

Please indicate which of the two alternative expressions given below you would be more likely to use in: a) casual conversation with a close friend; b) a letter written on a serious matter to someone not known to you

ab 22 (conversation) (letter)

1. [Can] [May] I offer you some advice?

2. I am sure it [‘s/is going to] [will] be very entertaining.

3. They [have to] [must] be in Adelaide by Tuesday.

4. We [may] [might] have made the wrong decision.

5. I [‘d/had better] [should] consult the family.

6. You [ought to] [should] consider joining the group.

7. She [may] [might] have died if the ambulance hadn’t come.

8. We [have to] [‘ve/have got to] replace the back fence.

9. In Australia you [can] [may] say “surfer” or “surfie”.

10. He [mustn’t] [can’t] be a very good cook.

Would you please indicate your sex and age bracket:

F/M 10-24 25-44 45-64 65+ and the state in which you live:

ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA

Please return this Feedback questionnaire to: Style Council Centre, Linguistics Department, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 Australia. Alternatively, the questionnaire may be faxed to the Style Council Centre at (02)9850 9199.

Continued from page 11 experience for we/us blind people”. There, syntax would suggest that the majority preference, whether the Perhaps the explanation lies in the whom was in order, because it’s the construction is the object of a verb fact that the pronoun come last in object of the verb met. But (item 14), the object of a phrasal the “for John and I” example, and increasingly whom appears only verb (item 15) or the complement of seems to carry some emphasis following a preposition, and 85% of a noun (item 16). Only when the through its position in the sentence. respondents voted for “To whom gerund is the first item in the clause, Sentence position is certainly did you give the parcel?” does it go the other way. In the the key to the fact that most people Interestingly, the difference be- following sentence, 72% of prefer to use who in questions like tween written and spoken usage was respondents voted for the possessive: “Who are you waiting for?”, which hardly noted here. “I don’t know; my/me being there was endorsed by 84% of respond- In sentences with a gerund/ probably made a difference.” ents. More curious is the fact that verbal noun, the results showed the All these findings are relevant 73% of respondents endorsed the strong Australian tendency to prefer to the project in Australian English use of “who” in “The judge who we the object pronoun rather than the grammar, described on p.5. met in the corridor was very jolly”. possessive. The table shows this as

10 AUSTRALIAN STYLE DECEMBER 2003

The questionnaire on pronouns produced a large and very interesting set of responses from 946 people, well distributed across the age range, as shown in the table below. Thanks to all those who acted as agents, and to their groups, named on p.6. Some respondents (about 150) added information to the questionnaire on whether they would use different pronouns in speech and writing in particular cases. We’re very grateful to them for providing those extra insights into the scale of usage. The questionnaire data have been painstakingly entered by Deanna Wong, and expertly processed by Adam Smith.

The pronouns are the last bastion therefore preferred to have the Feedback 21 had it as me, and of the English case system, disting- subject pronoun (I/she) in 80-90% had the syntactically uishing between the subject I, the sentences like those. This appropriate pronoun in three object me and the possessive my. underscores the link with written other cases presented. The only These distinctions are still there for usage. Spoken usage takes them as countercase was registered in all the personal pronouns, and for the phrases that they are, and is “There was a message waiting the relative pronoun who, though therefore comfortable with the for John and I/me”, where just the use of the case-marked forms object pronouns. The Feedback under two thirds of respondents doesn’t always line up with their results here show that the plumped for I, even though the grammatical role in a given enthusiam and motivation for using coordinated phrase there is the sentence. Speech is more variable subject pronouns in comparative object of the verb/preposition. than writing in this regard, and constructions is declining. But the age differentiation was generations of teachers have When pronouns are co- enormous, with the use of I grappled with teaching students ordinated with names, or with each preferred by both Age 1 and 2 how the case system works. other (“you and I/me”), their (64% and 54% respectively), Current research shows much use syntactic role is not necessarily and me by 80% in Age 3 and of object pronouns as the default obvious to all, and the pronouns are 90% in Age 4. The most (where the syntax would suggest sometimes used erratically. People intriguing thing about this one of the others). Yet there are note the use of “between you and I”, result is that the same countercases in which the subject where syntax demands me, because respondents mostly voted for pronouns turn up unexpectedly. of the preceding proposition. Yet the object pronoun in the rather The results from Feedback two thirds of the respondents to similar case of “It’s a common 21 show that most Australians would now use an object pronoun A2GE 1 A3GE A4GE AGE in comparative phrases with than 1. John is taller than ____. or as (items 1, 2 and 3 in the table below). The pronouns me and her me 9%2% 8%2 6%3 50 weigh in with the majority in each I 8%% 1%8 3%7 50 case, though respondents also 2. She had danced much longer than ____. noted that the use of the object pronouns was much more strongly me 7%8% 7%4 5%6 42 associated with speech than I 2%2% 2%6 4%4 58 writing. For item 1 only 22% 3. Is the new soloist as good as ____? would use it in writing, and for item 2, just 29%. But the age- her 9%3% 8%7 6%8 50 grouped data shown in the table she 7%% 1%3 3%2 50 confirms that younger respondents 14. He didn't seem to notice ____ talking all through. are much more likely to use the object pronouns for items 1, 2 and them 7%0% 6%5 5%5 56 3 than their elders. The cont- their 3%0% 3%5 4%5 44 inuous gradation across the age 15. We were concerned about ____ working there. range is very clear, and it no doubt your 2%1% 1%7 4%4 41 correlates with the emphasis placed on case distinctions in you 7%9% 8%3 5%6 59 traditional grammar teaching. 16. How do you like the idea of ____ staying with us? Grammarians of the older school them 9%1% 9%0 6%7 63 liked to explain comparative phrases as elliptical clauses, and their 9%% 1%0 3%3 37

DECEMBER DECEMBER 2001 2003 AUSTRALIAN AUSTRALIAN STYLE STYLE 11 11 RUBICON, devised by David Astle, is a hybrid of crossword, jigsaw and acrostic. First, solve as many clues as you can and I begin to fit the answers inside the grid. (The scattered letters of RUBICON should give you a toehold.) When the grid is completed, arrange the clues from the first Across to the last Down – their 32 initial letters will spell a category. As a bonus, B which six of your answers belong to the category in question? R Daring admiral created by CS Forester (10) Sanctuary set aside for prayer (10) Scrubbing out (10) When siestas are traditionally N observed (10) Hyper-rigid as a result of a mental C disorder (9) Lake Michigan city (9) O Margins of play (9) Objected (9) Officially the fairest of them all (4,5) U Orthodox name for “mary jane” (9) Race entailing swimming, cycling and running (9) Tasty (9) Antonym of besmirch (7) Solution to Rubicon in last issue I N N U E N D O C A M P U S Appreciated (7) WORDS THAT HOLD A N A P I C A T Kidded around (5,2) O U T H O U S E T R I V I A FAMILIAR ANIMAL: Amulet Main ingredient of dhal (7) F U N T I I R Names can be so “casually” (mule), spumante (puma), delicate F A R M Y A R D A M U L E T mentioned (7) (cat), eponym (pony), pavilion (lion), S E M A A O I L Optimistic sign for Noah (7) hibiscus (ibis) B U T T O N H O L E O H C G M Y N D Preliminary (7) K N I G H T H O O D Rudi Giuliani’s stamping ground (3,4) L B A T S I U H Decorated fabric in traditional Malay Slaven’s alter ego (5) A L I E N S S P U M A N T E style (5) With a few years’ variation (5) H S D H P F R “Elbow” of the foot (5) Extinct volcano of Japan (4) O C C U L T D E L I C A T E Emulated a monarch (5) Express in words (4) M U E R S I S In or around the kidneys (5) Neutral word for bank hold-ups; A B S O R B L E T H A R G Y

Lighting up illegally (5) occupations (4) Pales (5) Off-work (4)

How to contact Australian Style On editorial matters Please contact the editor at Macquarie University as follows: By mail: Please write to Pam Peters, Editor By Fax: Australian Style Call fax number 02 9850 9199 Department of Linguistics Macquarie University NSW 2109 By Phone: By email: Call direct on 02 9850 7693. If there’s no one in the Style Council Centre office, your call [email protected] will be received on an answering machine and returned as soon as possible. Concerning the mailing list If you change your address, or need to alter your details on the mailing list in any way, or would like to add the name of a friend or colleague to the list, please contact: Australian Style, c/- Government Services and Information Environment Division, National Office for the Information Economy, GPO Box 390, Canberra ACT 2601 or by email: [email protected]

12 AUSTRALIAN STYLE DECEMBER 2003