Tuesday 24 February 2009

REVIEWING THE SITUATION

When did people start using the word 'situation' so strangely?

I hear it all the time and on Woman's Hour (BBC Radio 4) this morning, during a discussion about an exhibition of hats at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the presenter commented that "we're all of us familiar with the bobble-hat situation."

Personally, I'm not - or, at least, I don't think I am - but maybe these guys are...


...at least the one in the middle seems to be - I'm not sure about the chap on the right!

7 comments:

SharonM said...

I suppose if you were looking for a caption for the guy in the middle it might be "Hmm, Betty, I got a bit of bobble!"

summersi: A Parliamo Glasgow word, with apologies to Stanley Baxter "Summersi - Summersi I don't have to go around wearing a hat like that"

Bentos said...

I think it's derived from the American, rather military usage, ie 'Mr President, we have a situation..'

Brian Sibley said...

LISAH - That's an unofficial Caption Competition entry, I'm afraid!

BENTOS - Yeah, sure... but bobble-hats...?

Phil said...

"Caps in various qualities to fit average head." Not exactly a USP!

Sesserit: to wear a Robin 1597 bobble-hat with pride.

Bitter Animator said...

I hadn't really noticed the 'situation' thing but I have noticed a rather large abundance of the word 'random' in the last few years.

Phil said...

Oh, don't get me started on the rise of "random"! I seem to have missed the meeting where it was decided that "random" would now be synonymous with "arbitrary"...

Brian Sibley said...

In that case, guys, we'd better start listening out for 'arbitrary random situation' situations...