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This short post is about ways we can present examples in English. In Hong Kong English, users often use the word 'including' to present examples in a way that is incorrect.
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Of course you know that did is the past tense of do. But did you know that the question 'did you know…?' is not simply the past tense form of 'do you know?'
 Today's blog post is about an unusual aspect of noun use in English that many Hong Kong writers are unaware of. it leads to frequent errors in their writing.
Very often when I send edited documents or other materials by email to a client, I receive a reply thanking me and a comment that the files "are well received". This expression is commonly used in Hong Kong English to mean "we have received the files without any problems of delivery, and they are all here".
Despite being so common in Hong Kong, this is not an expression you will find in standard English elsewhere in the world.  On 22 April, the Government published the Consultation Report and Proposals on the Method for Selecting the Chief Executive by Universal Suffrage, and at the same time introduced a couple of slogans to drum up support: ‘2017, Make it Happen!’, and 'You can vote to elect the Chief Executive. There's no reason to take it away!’. Unfortunately, the inelegant and ungrammatical second slogan runs the risk of losing the Government support rather than gaining it.
When I'm strolling around Hong Kong, I keep my eyes open for unusual signs like the one featured today below. Signs can go on display to the public for long periods of time, so usually writers take some care to get the wording right. When the wording is NOT right (as here), it suggests a problem that may be widespread among users of English.  |
About this blogThis blog arises from keeping an eye on English in Hong Kong. I often use signs, notices and advertisements that I see as starting points to write about English issues that commonly challenge Hong Kong writers. Archives
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