How do newsreaders and soapstars get away with saying 'pitcher' for 'picture' and eccetera instead of etcetera

Question

I wonder why, in North America, the word 'there' always seemsto be followed by a singular verb, eg. there's boats - which is short for there is boats. (Dreadful grammar!) ... How do people figure out that something can 'center around', since the center is in the middle, and how anything can possibly be 'very' unique, if the word 'unique' already means there's only one of kind??

Answer 1

The soap stars are victims of the writers - that's why their grammar and word usage is so poor.

Perhaps newscasters use a common speech to sound like their audiences. Many people think people use proper speech skills to talk down to them. Rather than improve their speaking skills, many people will get all defensive and uppity when conversing with people who do indeed speak proper English. Rather than improve themselves, the criticize those who speak well, and accuse THEM of putting on airs, etc.

This is more common with the local newscasters than the national level newspeople. They want the local audience to think of the newscasters as being "like them".

I am sure some of the local newscopy is being written by people who write the way they speak.

Also, much to the horror of language purists like you, and to some extent me, LANGUAGE IS DYNAMIC AND ALWAYS CHANGING.

Don't you still mourn the loss of the collective noun that uses a singular verb?

Answer 2

I think I can justify "very unique." Children are taught that each of them, no matter how normal he/she may seem, is special and unique. There needs to be a way to differentiate between the "normal" unique children and those who are not so normal, hence some are called "very unique."

As for soap stars, I guess you don't have to be grammatically correct, or, for that matter, educated at all, as long as you're attractive and can (in someone's view) act.

And for the typical lack of grammar in the U.S.---that blame can be placed largely on peer pressure. For example, a black child who speaks proper English or gets good grades may be labeled by his/her peers as "acting white" and made a social outcast. The same may be said of a student who will not skip class to hang out with his/her peers. Most children will sacrifice their education in order to fit in.

The students who do not fit into this category are burdened by a nation where the school systems cater to the needs of the slowest students, leaving little challenge and no options for high achievers. I would guess that about 75% of them flunk out simply because they lost interest and either started skipping more classes than they attend or drop out all together.

Answer 3

I never heard the "there's boats" before. However, I have heard, "There's a boat." As for the other, people in the arts have to over enunciate their words, so that their audience will understand them.

Answer 4

There are boats.

I have a feeling that it is because, we, as North American's, are lazy. We do not take the time to fully understand proper grammar.

Answer 5

We are speaking in dialect. Most of us use common American English in everyday life. It may not be correct according to formal English grammar rules, but it is easily understood by most Americans.

Answer 6

i agree there are those whose grammar could use some help, but let's face it. our education system has gone to hell. let's all take a moment of silence to thank bush, and his predecessors for that!!!! i've learned that most people LIKE to learn. and i think most people on yahoo answers are pretty intelligent. maybe you can help by (not responding for the rest of us to see of course) e-mailing them corrections or what not. couldn't hurt.

p.s. i'm aware i never use caps when i'm supposed too. lol

Answer 7

I totally agree. Now all we have to do is decide on a suitable punishment. For me, it's a toss-up between boiling in oil and drawing & quartering, but I'm open to suggestions.

Answer 8

I know, just today I heard a newscaster say supposibly! and it was not a foreigner but a born and raised American!

Answer 9

Well If you don't like it leave ... jeez get used to it... and in spelling that get away with it cuz the ' represents part of a word or a letter. So when people read it that's how it's started..............

Answer 10

I know what you mean too. One time I was watching the news and the guy actually said that someone "stoled" a car!!