This started when we were on the way to Weymouth recently and passed a sign at the side of the road bearing the words “BABY SWANS!”
An arrow indicated a turning where you could see the ‘baby swans.’
But honestly, baby swans!!! I was verging on apoplectic. Has the word ‘cygnet’ been taken out of the dictionary?
Does whoever wrote the sign – and I hope it wasn’t someone at the Abbotsbury Swannery – really feel that the public won’t understand the word ‘cygnet?’
Do they imagine that to the general public these days ‘cygnet’ might be an obscure engineering term or perhaps be mistaken for a type of screw found along with the instructions for building an MFI wardrobe?
“Take cygnet B and screw counterclockwise into spigot N. Remember to insert washer before tightening.”
Maybe they think the public will think the reference to cygnet can only mean something jewellery orientated. In these days of bling for men, perhaps cygnet rings are all the rage.
This constant dumbing down of the language is insidious and must be stopped.
Today I saw “Baby Cats Milk” on a cannister in a pet shop.
I have seen adverts for petting farms featuring ‘baby cows’ ‘baby ducks’ and even ‘baby calves!’
Is the man on the Clapham Omnibus taken to be a completely illiterate simpleton these days?
Boadicea's Chariot 
Jan, but don’t people want to see signs like “Baby Swans”, “Baby Cows” – don’t we all need to say things like “bless” (which I can’t stand) and let the kids go “oooh” and “aaah”, “look mum, baby swans”. I mean how many kids could read cygnet? If the saw the word “calf” they would they would ask dad to stop the car so they could have an orange drink and chocolate! At least the sign didn’t say “Swanchicks”.
Your concern over the dumbing down of the language is very real. I heard an English person saying ‘two times’ instead of twice on R4 the other day. I mean, I asks yer, what is the world coming to?
Terms for the off spring, collective nouns and sex of various animals are very interesting and very ‘old English’ and it would be huge shame to lose them.
The terms for cattle are a good example: cow, bull, heifer, bullock, etc.
Here are a few of the collective nouns:
http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Pointless/AnimalGroups.html
Nym, in the old days we learned these words at school. At age 10, we had a blue soft-backed book, ‘First Aid in English’ which included collective nouns, similes, common metaphors and much more.
Jan – Nothing must be done to diminish the obvious achievements of those who have never properly been taught Ehglish.
OZ
Well at least you had a bit of a clue, Jan.
I came across an alarming traffic sign on the M4 some years ago: “Creatures on carriageway”!
No clues at all as to the size or type.
We all slowed down though. 🙂
I agree Jan. ‘Baby calves’ is particularly cringe-making.
I see I have ‘liked’ this blog. Must be clicking without realising what I’m doing. It’s a good blog though, Jan! 🙂
Couldn’t agree more. My grandchildren always reckoned Bearsy and I had swallowed dictionaries. Fortunately our love for words has been inherited by one grandson, but I’ve given up on the others.
What next baby Ferrets instead of Kits?
We learnt these things when we were baby adults.
I’ve always found that children like to learn the correct words for things.
And then, of course, there is my granddaughter who, if asked, ‘Do you know what a baby cow is called?’ will answer, ‘Yes.’
Good point, PG. Never occurred to me that the sign was aimed at early readers, in which case it’s totally ok. 🙂
Thanks for the link Pseu, mum and I had a thing about collective nouns. I always loved a parliament of rooks. A mumuration of starlings still seems wrong though – they’re too loud to be murmuring!
Thanks for those wise words OZ, albeit with tongue stuck firmly in cheek.
Ara, “creatures on carriageway” sounds like the aliens have landed! 🙂
Are you sure you’re not just “liking” indiscriminately, Bilby?
Oh well Boa, at least the one grandchild shows promise! Thing is, I have no objection to the language expanding and changing and incorporating new words but I do object to it contracting.
‘Baby adults’ Rick. *cringe*!!!
😀 Bravo. Perfectly correct. (tautology but I like it)
I didn’t logged on over the weekend, so I have only just seen this. I, too, learnt these things from First Aid in English; in fact I still have my copy from all those years ago (gulp, probably 50!). I tried to get my children interested but to no avail – I actually bought a copy myself and used to read it all the time. Mind you, it would be helpful if I also had a copy with answers in!
Wow, GF! I kept mine for years but it probably got trashed when I left home. Any answers you need help with? 🙂
Gower/ Plain Words – my bible
I don’t know that book, gillieflower but good that you still have it!! Some things must not be relinquished.
Actually I was really annoyed this morning to see the new Oxford English Dictionary has included that *horrible* *ugly* Americanism “STAYCATION.”
I ask you?!! Difficult to think of a more clumsy word for having a holiday in one’s own country.
I suppose I should get hot under the collar as I usually embrace new words but that is just not cool beanz. Grrr.