For some reason I bristle about certain language matters. Perhaps I am a pedant but the evolution of English expression does not always please me. One compressed word that gets my goat is "standout". It is often used carelessly by radio and TV presenters in relation to sporting achievement. For example:-
"Smith was the standout performer for England against Wales."
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"The standout team at the tournament has been Japan."
It might also be used in relation to stage performances - as in:-
"For me the standout out show in The West End right now is 'Crazy for You' ".
I hate "standout". Google has a facility called the N-Viewer which is able to track the frequency of word use in printed books over the past two hundred years. Whereas the word "prudence" continues to decline, the word "television" continues to rise. This graph shows the rising incidence of "standout":-
In silhouette, the mountain seemed to stand out far more than the surrounding hills.
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At the identity parade, only one man appeared to stand out in the eyes of the firsthand witness.
Instead of "standout" I prefer to say "outstanding" - as in:-
Smith was England's most outstanding player in the Wales match.
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The most outstanding team at The World Cup has been Japan in my opinion.
To commentators and other users of the slovenly term "standout", I would simply ask - "In what circumstances do you ever use the word 'outstanding'?" Hopefully this would cause them to pause for consideration.
Although we have "jazz", "cool", "hip-hop", "chewing gum" and "Big Mac" over here in England - all absorbed from American use of English, I think we should collectively put our feet down with regard to "standout". That is arguably a bridge too far or perhaps it is already a battle lost.
I'll bet you used similar examples with your classes. You could really get them going. However, the language changes and in these days of high power communication change can happen very rapidly. If I gave my students a writing assignment I did the assignment too. Then they had to edit my piece of writing and it was done in public. So check one of my posts and have some fun with expressions I use!
ReplyDeleteI used to do something similar myself - modelling writing and letting the pupils ask questions or make suggestions.
DeleteI've never heard of the Google N-Viewer before. What a handy facility!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious. Before the American term "chewing gum" made its way into your language, what did y'all call it?
There wasn't any chewing gum before that Kelly!
DeleteI hadn't thought about it, but do prefer outstanding. I don't think I have ever read or said "standout", but "outstanding" is in a few of the novels I read.
ReplyDeleteDo you read outstanding novels?
DeleteHah! I read fiction which requires little thought but takes me away to all sorts of places in my mind. Escapism in a handy little package.
DeleteLike you, the use of some terms and expressions irk me more than others. One of my pet irks is "priority". Almost everywhere I come across it, it is used wrongly. There is no such thing as a ranking of priorities. Priority is exactly that: Priority, something that is to be addressed FIRST, that is more important than anything else at a given moment. Nothing can really be "top priority" or of "less priority" - there is only one, and that's it. Everything else simply does not have priority.
ReplyDeleteOf course there is a ranking of what is most important, still important, less important or completely unimportant, but priority is only the very first one.
But much as it irks me, I know it is a battle lost, and I'm afraid your stance against "standout" is, too.
I had never really thought about "priority" before but of course you are right. I will watch out misuse now.
DeleteI agree!
ReplyDeleteAre we both dinosaurs Frances?
DeleteProbably! But I do like words/phrases/grammar to be correct. I was lucky to have been educated at a grammar school and taught proper!!! One of my pet hates is a sentence such as " he done amazing" for instance.
DeleteAgreed by your fellow dinosaur.
DeleteThe rise in the sporting phrase 'back to back' coincided with the decline in usage of 'consecutive'. Sports commentators are the worst for replacing perfectly good words with others.
ReplyDeleteThey seem keen on modernity. You are right about "back to back". I hadn'#t thought about that one Andrew.
DeleteGive up YP. It is indeed a lost cause.
ReplyDeleteI am King Canute reborn.
DeleteYour comments make an outstanding case for this YP.
ReplyDeleteI have been outstanding in the rain.
DeleteReminds of of my high school basketball days. We always had one kid on our team that everyone always declared at the "standout" because he always scored the most points. My gripe is that he would shoot four times and miss for every one time he actually scored. He scored a lot of points because while missing 80% of all his shots is testament to not being a team player while people like me might only shoot two or three times a game but make 100% of their shots.
ReplyDeleteAre you a tall guy Ed? Most basketball players are like bean poles. In fact they tend to stand out above the crowd.
DeleteI am taller than many though would be short by NBA standards.
DeleteThat is the standout post of the day.
ReplyDeleteAre you deliberately trying to wind me up you beast! (As Billy Bunter would have said).
DeleteThe one that drives me crazy is the unnecessary "at" - as in "Where are you at?"
ReplyDeleteI am wearing my 'at Mary!
DeleteAs users of the language, we outnumber our ancestors.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Confucius.
DeleteThis issue does not stand out as a standout issue in my opinion, Neil! :)
ReplyDeleteNo wonder the seafront theatre closed in Cleethorpes!
DeleteWhy is a farmer good at his Job? He's always out standing in his field. I'm here all week.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder the seafront theatre closed in Cleethorpes.
DeleteOf all the terms to object to, this one wouldn't be a standout! Not for me, anyway.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'd use standout as a noun in formal writing, but according to Blogger search, I've used it three times on my blog. I've used "outstanding" seven times -- for what that's worth.
Partly what I dislike is the willing and rather lazy adoption of Americanisms without question.
DeleteI went looking for the N-Viewer and Google told me it's not available for my device. I guess I'm just a leftout.
ReplyDeleteMessage left on your blog.
DeleteMy top annoyance in the "evolution" of English is the now pervasive use of the word "guys". Guys are male. I saw a young dad the other day with two young daughters calling them "guys" as if that were normal. I can't help but wonder if everyone would be just as okay with referring generically to boys and men as "gals".
ReplyDeleteIf I was called a "gal" would I have to dress up like one? How does one apply make-up Marcia?
Delete