A to Z of English usage myths
2 weeks ago
Doubleplusungood!
This evening, while half listening to the evening news, I was brought to a state of shudderation by a sports reporter's use of the phrase: "...Brighton and Hove Albion's unwinning streak". The word is LOSING, dammit – unwinning is not only a pointless neologism, it is also a prime example of Orwellian Newspeak, and the great man invented that tortured language as a dystopian warning, no more; no less.
4 comments:
Did they have any tie games in this streak? Maybe "unwinning" isn't the best choice of words, but it may be more acurate than "losing".
Fair point there David (I was too cross to think it through) but the reporter could simply have said "four games without a win".
Maybe the reporter was thinking of that other torturer or mangler of language: comedian, Stanley Unwin. Alas, no 'deep joy' for Brighton and Hove Albion this week. I wonder how long that unwinning streak will continue.
Would 'winless streak' be any better? Just trying to think of some more alternatives...
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