Government English Too High-Brow
Example. On April 16, 2024 Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Minister of Finance presented the 2024 budget. All I remember is something called capital gains because the media was serving it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the whole month. Please don’t embarrass me by asking me what it is, but I can safely say it is another example of the government talking to the monetized few, and not the majority. Alternatively, the government assumes the term capital gains is in the public domain such as simple words like office hours, traffic, gas, graduation, immigration, that sort of thing.
GREAT NEWS
The government does listen sometimes, judging from a provincial office that controls rent. In certain provinces, landlords don’t wake up one morning and decide to increase the rent. They must apply to a government department that polices them. I came across a letter from such a department and guess what? It uses fancy English, then explains in English-of-the-people, if I can put it like that. Example. Landlords must provide information about:
- Operating expenses (expenses that recur on a regular basis)
- Capital expenditures (improvements that have a lasting, long-term benefit)
These are two of four pieces of information the government wants from landlords that want to increase the rent. See, the explanation is inclusive. Ordinary people will feel they are part of the nation and start listening to ministers and the Prime Minister when they are being interviewed. As for capital gains, it is still in the news and I'm still in the dark about it. The English is too high-brow for me.
Nonqaba waka Msimang
Blogger Without Borders
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