Wednesday, August 26, 2015



Cop was told off for using the phrase 'Z for Zulu' by Britain's Department of Work and Pensions

Language is a modern minefield. Use the wrong word or expression and you could find yourself pilloried on social media or even prosecuted for 'hate crime'.

It's difficult to keep up. Words which were perfectly OK a couple of years ago are now political poison. And the ground keeps shifting.

Mail reader Dave Monk, an ex-copper, recently rang the Department of Work and Pensions with a query. He quoted his reference number, using the phonetic alphabet he had learned as part of his police training. But when he got to 'Z for Zulu', the assistant stopped him in his tracks.

'We're not allowed to say Zulu any more; it's been changed to Z for Zebra,' she told him.

Dave was flabbergasted. But then, if he's kept in touch with his ex-colleagues still in The Job, he should have known better. Public bodies, especially the Old Bill [British police], have become ever more vigilant when it comes to rooting out what could be perceived to be 'inappropriate' language.

I shouldn't be surprised to learn that the entire phonetic alphabet has been overhauled.

SOURCE

That junks a lot of army training too

Zulus in Kwazulu/Natal are very proud to be Zulus so this is actually dishonoring them


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Zulu is a proper term and in no way a slang word or insulting. In fact it's insulting to suggest it is!

Anonymous said...

How could Zulus be offended by having Zulu used around the globe in a positive light??? Beyond amazing and into farce.

MDH

Bird of Paradise said...

Buricratic and PC nonsense the luatics are running the assilum

Anonymous said...

Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox
That is all I can remember from many years ago. I think there was also Xray.

Anonymous said...

So 12:26 rather than waste time typing what you can't remember, why not instead look it up as you obviously have the internet at your fingertips. Not 'Able' but 'Alpha', not 'Baker' but 'Bravo' - and not 'Dog' or 'Easy' - try 'Delta' and 'Echo'!

Alpha Skua said...

Where ever became of Common Sense? there is no common sense anymore with the PC nonsense