Some usage that has entered modern Engleish, and can be heard on SAFM and other fun radio stesshins in the land of .za:
- Refute: to deny a statement, without providing a shred of evidence that would prove it wrong. It is not an assessment of an argument, but a standalone statement that says no, ur wrong:
We entirely refute ActionAid’s allegations that we do not pay our fair share of tax in Africa
- Fin Nance: the girl who looks after the money. She took over from Phi Nance.
- The price is trading at: Goods do not trade at some prices, nay, prices for goods are traded. These prices can be bought in barrels, apparently. Want to buy a barrel of prices?
The price of Brent crude is trading at $44.55 a barrel …
- Suspect (emphasis on the Sus): An entirely unknown person who definitely committed a crime, about whose identity nothing at all is known:
One of the suspects shot the man, and is still at large.
- Alleged: something nasty that someone said, for example in a judicial decision. If anyone said anything nasty, it was alleged. Irrespective of the strength of the evidence, it remains an allegation. You know, after the whole court case and all that, we really can’t be sure about anything:
Alleged serial rapist Michael Christian Clay was found guilty on all 10 counts he was charged with.
- Critical: Someone is injured. Saying “in a” and “condition” is clearly the only possible meaning:
Advocate critical after being dragged by taxi
I suppose you can’t really expect the advocate to approve.
