Why is that we were amongst the nations of the EU that most proactively embraced the euro, adapting with little difficulty to the change in currency and we have to tarnish the transition by failing to call it by its proper name? I am no pedant but the fact is euro must be up there with the most use words in the vernacular and it frustrates the hell out of me that we repeatedly get it's name wrong. On three occasions last night, Joe Higgins on Questions and Answers, an ad for a DVD sale and unsurprisingly Glenda Gilson on Rodge and Podge it was Euros, Euros, Euros. Note I've used capital letters as I'm sure if they were to spell the word they would use the upper case which is also wrong. How simple can it be, a short 4 letter word, no need for capitilisation or a plural and yet we give out about the price of an item and so forth talking about a currency that does not exist.
How can advertisers be so reckless as to let such an inaccuracy go into their output, this type of laziness will seep into kids fragile little minds and before we know it we'll be talking in Euros. We are already on the slippery slope of txt speak, lets get this right. It's euro.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
'euro'
Why is that we were amongst the nations of the EU that most proactively embraced the euro, adapting with little difficulty to the change in currency and we have to tarnish the transition by failing to call it by its proper name? I am no pedant but the fact is euro must be up there with the most use words in the vernacular and it frustrates the hell out of me that we repeatedly get it's name wrong. On three occasions last night, Joe Higgins on Questions and Answers, an ad for a DVD sale and unsurprisingly Glenda Gilson on Rodge and Podge it was Euros, Euros, Euros. Note I've used capital letters as I'm sure if they were to spell the word they would use the upper case which is also wrong. How simple can it be, a short 4 letter word, no need for capitilisation or a plural and yet we give out about the price of an item and so forth talking about a currency that does not exist.
How can advertisers be so reckless as to let such an inaccuracy go into their output, this type of laziness will seep into kids fragile little minds and before we know it we'll be talking in Euros. We are already on the slippery slope of txt speak, lets get this right. It's euro.
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12 comments:
I hear you brother. When we changed currency I used my sources (ie friends that work in the Central Bank) to confirm that the plural was Euro, and I've been perplexed ever since that so many people get it wrong all the time.
I guess we have to lump them all into the same category as those who mix up they're and their, you're and your, and my biggest pet peeve, writing "would of" instead of "would have".
Actually both euro and euros are acceptable. I find most English speakers use euros. In Ireland it seems to be that as you move up the socio-economic ladder then people tend to go back to euro.
'I am no pedant'
I trust the irony of following those 4 words with a pedantic rant is not lost on you.
You're right Seamus, its about elitism.
Ireland is the only English speaking nation to use the euro. There is no plural form to the design of either the notes or coins and the singular is used in all legislation and publications.
I also remember the euro having no plural being an element of the information campaign in the lead up to its launch.
It's ridiculous that there is no plural. The fact is that the common usage is simply the people proving they have more sense than all the Eurocrats who came up with the dopey currency.
Euro's an awful name to start with for precisely the reason you stated - it's so widely used for other things. Fecking Ecu would have been better - at least it meant something!
At the risk of relying on a slightly dodgy source there is a whole article dedicated to this on Wikipedia. In the section on English there are a few pointers:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistic_issues_concerning_the_euro#English
"Official practice followed in English-language EU legislation is to use the words euro and cent as both singular and plural."
but (and there is always a but)
"the Directorate-General for Translation strongly recommends that in all material generated by the Commission intended for the general public, the "natural plurals", euros and cents, be used."
Personally I use "euro" and "euros" grates on my ear. But it's not worth getting worked up about.
I wasn't aware of that translation policy, it seems to contradict the simplicity of having no plural for ease of use across the Union.
I'm an agent of moderation and balance on many other issues, this is my one bete noir!
i think in ireland it is just that pound when to pounds so people felt that euro goes to euros. Now it is common place that both are excepted i.e. euro and euros
it frustrates the hell out of me that we repeatedly get it's name wrong.
You have a lot to worry about don't you. Jeuz, man get a life.
Well anonymous, if that really is your name, I have and live a life and in the midst of it I get annoyed at things that may seem trivial to others and indeed are probably trivial in the general scheme of things. However,I make no apology for it.Taking time out from war, famine, my job and bank loan to vent about the banal is a great relief, you should try it.
checking your call credit on some of the post popular networks they do say EUROS!
I'm just going to have to start a revolution from this blog! All suggestions for snappy acronyms and logos for the T-shirts are welcomed.
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