I first became aware of it in "news" articles when Julia Gillard replaced Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister of Australia. Somehow a perfectly understandable transition, for logical reasons, became a "coup". Kevin was "knifed". There was "blood on the floor" of the Party room. ?? Totally inaccurate; he's still alive and well, serving as Foreign Minister (and yes, he does speak and understand Mandarin. How many other Ministers of State can claim that?)
Somehow, these days, people in motor vehicle crashes (or any other 'environmental disaster') are "killed". ? by whom? "Killed" implies there was some 'intention'. From my point of view they just "died". e.g. 'Fred Bloggs and Mary Doe died in a motor vehicle crash on the Nunjikompita Highway last night'. Yes, I know; doesn't have the same "selling power" as "TWO KILLED ON HIGHWAY!!!"
Will, at some point, have a look at the "de-valuation" - and control - of the language by the Murdoch conglomerate Empire (much information out there to assess and compress).
Um, while am at it - will just mention my view of the word "fuck", which seems to be creeping into general, public, discourse.
From Wikipedia -
Fuck is an English word that is generally considered profane which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. However, by extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed. (my bold)Have heard the argument that says "if it's used more often it will lose its power". Crap. It IS a negative, emotively violent word and should never be allowed into sensible, rational, discussion. Nor should it be encouraged in any way. Do I use it in conversation? Of course I do, not often - BUT, at least I know that it IS negative, ugly, loathsome. Mostly used as an 'all purpose' adjective by the uneducated.
Which then makes me think about the quality of education in general - but that, also, is a long and complicated subject.
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