Can we please use English

[Snoopy]

This morning, listening to "Today" on Radio Four I heard the sports reporter giving her opinion on British prospects in today's events at the current athletics competition.
Britons, she assured us, stood a good chance of meddling in the afternoons events. It took three repeats of this phrase for me to realise that rather than suggesting that our lads and lasses intended to interfere with the goings on, both track and field, that she actually meant that the UK team had a chance of winning a medal or two today.
Tell me BBC ~ When did "Medalling" become a verb participle or even a word?
And we wonder why our children are so ill educated.
I accept that English is a living and evolving language (and long may it continue so to be) but ..... really! 

[Barman]

This morning, listening to "Today" on Radio Four I heard the sports reporter giving her opinion on British prospects in today's events at the current athletics competition.
Britons, she assured us, stood a good chance of meddling in the afternoons events. It took three repeats of this phrase for me to realise that rather than suggesting that our lads and lasses intended to interfere with the goings on, both track and field, that she actually meant that the UK team had a chance of winning a medal or two today.
Tell me BBC ~ When did "Medalling" become a verb participle or even a word?
And we wonder why our children are so ill educated.
I accept that English is a living and evolving language (and long may it continue so to be) but ..... really! 

The thing that really annoys me (apart from the fact that our meddling expectations are so poor) is the poor use of English on children?s programmes.

It is quite frankly no wonder that children can?t pronounce the ?s? in yes when their role models are adults that I can?t understand. And the Tellytubbies of course. 

[Nick]

I heard that to. Since when has medal been a verb?

[grumpyoldsoldier]

We are all doomed, the English language and the Beeb are one.

[Uncle Mort]

The rot started when announcers stopped saying "This is the British Broadcasting Corporation" and substituted "BBC" ~ when they change to "This is the Beeb - next, 'stenders" English will be doomed.

[Misunderstood]

The rot started when announcers stopped saying "This is the British Broadcasting Corporation" and substituted "BBC" ~ when they change to "This is the Beeb - next, 'stenders" English will be doomed.

Agreed!

Whilst I am anything but a pedant, I am infuriated by the rapidly growing body of people that can't tell the difference between lose and loose.

We need standards.  It should be teachers but - 'nuff said! so, BBC English has been regarded as the 'Gold Standard' of the language throughout the world.

It fails monumentally when native English speakers are confused by it. 

[Mr Happy]

They've a worrying trend of late of saying 'Torres the Spain International', Spanish surely!

And when Ronaldo does a trick 'Great play by the Portugese.' surely that should be followed by player or are they referring to the whole Nation?

Happy awaits correction...

[Snoopy]

They've a worrying trend of late of saying 'Torres the Spain International', Spanish surely!

And when Ronaldo does a trick 'Great play by the Portugese.' surely that should be followed by player or are they referring to the whole Nation?

Happy awaits correction...

Let's just be grateful they don't refer to him as the "Portugezer" (though thinking about it Greavsey probably would)