Scouting Association (UK) - Writing Style Guide

[RememberSchiff 3133]

For your amusement

July 5, 2022

Scouts in Britain have been told to stop referring to New Zealand and Australia as "Down Under" as part of a wide-ranging series of rulings, prompting howls of laughter on the West Coast this morning.

Several British newspapers reported on the new Scout style guide, which now bans children from using the terms "falling on deaf ears", "man made" (Use artificial or synthetic instead.), and also "maiden name" and "Christian name".

Source:

https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/woke-new-scout-style-met-laughter

Style Guide:

https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/local-media-and-member-communications/our-brand/scouts-style-guide/scouts-style-guide/

[MattR 2433]

Kiwis and Ausies? Too many syllables. How about Koowies? Unfortunately that's too close to Cuey, a delicacy in South America. And a pet in North America. Given that Ausies eat kangaroos, why not?

[Tron 24]

Some of it makes sense, I never knew that the grapevine game was called chinese whispers, changing that seems like a good move; some of the other stuff though, wtf.

[Eagledad 2578]

The little red wagon is next.

Barry

[RememberSchiff 3133]

So don’t use "Down Under" to refer to Australia or New Zealand, however, using "Across the Pond" to refer to the United States is not restricted.

 

[Cambridgeskip 652]

This story doing the rounds really is tiresome.

Let's be clear, no one, certainly not children, have been banned from saying anything.

The document is a style guide, pure and simple, issued as guidance for anyone putting out written comms to ensure consistency. To be honest I didn't even know we had a style guide till this story came out. Although if you work for any organisation of more than a few hundred people you probably have one that you've never read. The only people who look at it are marketing people.

It's a load of stuff and nonsense and part of the whole tiresome trope about "woke" taking over the world or some such other drivel.

[RememberSchiff 3133]

Yes, we have our less loaded, nonsensical Language of Scouting.  No doubt, we are working diligently to close the gap.

[Eagle1993 1864]

20 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

Yes, we have our less loaded, nonsensical Language of Scouting.  No doubt, we are working diligently to close the gap.

Or mind it.