That we’re leaving the European Union – well, maybe, hopefully – is a good thing. For our latest idiot behaviour from the European Parliament is that they should regulate the names of things – in a political organisation that has at least 27 languages. Umm, you know, this doesn’t work? Language, when you’ve got 27 of them, being something that you’ve rather got to let take its own course.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]They will not, however, be called ‘veggiesteaks’ anymore, if the Agriculture Committee has any say. ‘Animal product names’ for plant-based food is too misleading for the customer. No more veggieburgers or soymilk. It should be vegetable discs and soydrink, reports De Standaard.[/perfectpullquote]Idiots is too kind for these people. “Burger” for example. In English at least – and here’s part of the problem – “beanburger” or “veggieburger” are already words in general use. Who in buggery are the politicians to tell us which words we may use or not? What do they think we are, French or something?
Similarly, this:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]According to Éric Andrieu, member of the Committee, that’s not at all what happened. “The meat lobby is not involved in this. It was a debate in the Parliament, and more than 80% (of the committee) approved the proposal. It’s about common sense for consumers. We need to use the word steak for an actual steak.”[/perfectpullquote]Please define steak for us then. Pork steak? Beefsteak? Venison steak?
Ah, it’s a cut, isn’t it. A particular way of slicing. So, cauliflower steak works too. As indeed it does, it being an actual thing served in actual real life restaurants right now.
So, in the absence of these fools doing the right thing and buggering off out of our lives then we’ve got to bugger off out of the EU. Which is what we’re doing and this is the reason why.
No, obviously, not just because someone wants to stop us saying veggieburger. But because the entire federast system is made of the sorts of fools who think that politicians should define words for us.
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Anyone read Nineteen Eighty-Four recently? This is not about language. It's all about control. And like our host I think it is double plus ungood.
France has been attempting government control of language for centuries, with entirely negligible success. The Minister of Culture in the 90s introduced a law to control this, he was a certain M. Toubon, universally referred to as Mr Allgood.
Well who knew the EU parliament had such powers?
It sounds like the EU parliament could be useful for warehousing idiots provided they couldn't actually enforce their edicts.
Of course, the EU Parliament has no 'edicts' of its own. Edicts are called 'Directives', and they are created by the EU Commission. The Parliament is only allowed to agree to them....
Much like our Parliament has become, really...
They've already defined 'Brexit'.
A process whereby member states pay more for less services and freedom. See also 'Slavery'...
Similarly, in English, 'burger' is a preparation method. It's only a meat burger if you specify that it's a meat burger by prepending it with the appropriate adjective. Otherwise it could be a fish burger, or more specifically a cod burger, or a cheese&onion burger - all available at my local chippie.
Though, as a real yorkshireman, I call them rissoles. :)