I have a page on this site where I talk about some of the worst cries against the English language that are regularly committed by the staff of London Underground. I’m thinking of updating that page more frequently as I’ve recently heard so many new grammatical monstrosities on my journeys to and from work. For example, at 8:30 this morning we were stuck in a tunnel just outside Clapham Common when the driver made the following announcement.
Due to signalling problems in the Stockwell area. That is the reason for this delay.
He then repeated it in case we hadn’t heard (or, more likely, hadn’t understood) him. Saying that once is excusable as he may have been relaying information that had been passed on to him, but surely anyone would want to change it into something sensible before repeating it.
Oh, and when I’m on a language rant I must draw your attention to the BBC programme The Murder Game where the contestants include a number of people with a wonderfully cavalier attitude to the language. Last Saturday one contestant repeatedly told a suspect that she wasn’t “at liability” to reveal certain information too him.