STA Blog

For some obscure reason the media this week has been focusing on just how old is ‘old’. Apart from the vacuous response: you’re as old as you feel, others have been more succinct. Like, when you reach 90, or anyone 15 years older than you are currently. Years ago we used to talk of grumpy old men and women, curmudgeonly being the defining characteristic.

I’ve a funny feeling I might have joined this cohort. I’m finding that many words and expressions used regularly in the media and in everyday conversations grate. Maybe it’s because my mother tongue is English and so much online content is dominated by the Anglo Saxon lingo. I understand – and happily make allowances for – content providers where it’s their second or maybe third language. Because I speak 5 languages, I understand how one can be more confident and sound more intelligent in one’s first language (though I find those who speak English in strong foreign accents hard work).

Talking of which, the 2024 rankings of the top 100 universities worldwide was released very recently. https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/choosing-university/worlds-top-100-universities Whether one rates these stats or not, the overwhelming conclusion is that the vast majority are English-speaking institutions in English speaking countries. USA and UK are way ahead, a sprinkling of Australians and Canadians, one Irish and one Kiwi. The only Swiss institution (ETH Zurich) comes in at a very respectable number 7, with the University of Singapore snapping at its heels on 8. Please tell me: why are so many big offices and factories claiming that they are a ‘campus’ or ‘foundation’?

My pet hate answer to a question is: ‘go online’, closely followed by an interviewee who says: ‘that’s a really good question’. Overused expressions include ‘iconic’, ‘ecosystem’, ‘process’, ‘talent’ and ‘resilience’. In politics I find that (mainly liberals) bang on about ‘democracy’ (usually said in a strong North American accent), use ‘populism’ as a derogatory expression and fret about ‘humanitarian’ issues. Plus I have always disliked psychobabble, where today ‘mental health’ and ‘mindfulness’ seem to be at the centre of lots of peoples’ worries.

As for financial market-speak: ‘we need certainty’, ‘markets don’t like volatility’ and ‘the trend is your friend – until it ends’ are perhaps the most useless comments you will hear.