How many goals?

[Lawcruncher]

In a report of a match where two goals were scored it says: Two goals either side of half-time... Should that be A goal either side of half-time...?

[mind the gap]

In a report of a match where two goals were scored it says: Two goals either side of half-time... Should that be A goal either side of half-time...?

Yes, I tend to agree -it's rather sloppy. 'Either' is the wrong word, as it connotes the idea of an alternative or choice (except when being used negatively, I suppose : 'No goals scored in either half'). To be accurate, they needed to say 'one each side of half time', or simply 'one in each half'.

What football commentary needs these days is an injection of Pliny.

[theartfullodger]

Expecting most sports reporters, other than the thunderers , to produce good eEnglish is likely to result in disappointment....

Cheers!

[leaseholdanswers]

I am told that the phrase ,however sloppy, is commonly understood as 1 goal in each half, often to prove that it was an evenly contested or consistently played match over the 90 minutes.

Though why someone watches a game for 2 scores in 90 minutes and, say, the winner scores 2-1 but loses 4-3 on aggregate is beyond me. Especially as they are clearly playing on grass.

I say go to a game where, after 3 hours, the final score is 53-47; that's value for money

[leaseholdanswers]

Expecting most sports reporters, other than the thunderers , to produce good eEnglish is likely to result in disappointment....

Cheers!

Sky adopted that "thunderer" approach for the new F1 coverage with the lead commentator screaming that "the car was overtaking", something we could plainly see, and yelling for almost 2 hours.

I was not alone in complaining, and Sky changed the tone for the second race. Bring back Murray....

[mind the gap]

Sky adopted that "thunderer" approach for the new F1 coverage with the lead commentator screaming that "the car was overtaking", something we could plainly see, and yelling for almost 2 hours.

I was not alone in complaining, and Sky changed the tone for the second race. Bring back Murray....

None of that however goes anywhere near explaining why anyone in their right mind would choose to expose themself to the sight and sound of a load of noisy cars screaming round an F1 track in the first place. It would be bad enough without any commentary, but listening to an excitable screeching commentator as well as aggressively screeching cars would be like having your head in a vice.

Truly one of life's unfathomable mysteries. However, if you are hellbent on immersing yourself in the sights and sounds of the F1 experience, you can recreate it authentically but in a more socially useful way, by offering to do playground duty in a primary school. That should cure you.

[leaseholdanswers]

in the sights and sounds of the F1 experience, you can recreate it authentically but in a more socially useful way, by offering to do playground duty in a primary school. That should cure you.

If there was a reasonable chance primary school children might fly through the air at 200mph, upside down, or burst into flames, I might just offer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUXVZ...eature=related