Manglish - ABC-TV - Word Wise - Peter Rowsthorn &
When asked what is the correct usage of "bought" and "brought", "linguist" Kate Burridge, claims that the verbs "bought" and "brought" (from "buy" and "bring") are now interchangeable, all because of what she claims is common usage. She says this is known as "suppletion". In essence, she believes it's acceptable to say that "he brought it at the shops and bought it home". We believe that's utter nonsense. Of course the English language has always and will always change. But it should change for good reason, not because people are lazy or do not understand the meaning of the words they are writing or saying. It follows that if more people decide to say "pacifically", when they mean "specifically", then that's OK. Perhaps doctors should start referring to Alzheimer's disease as old timers' disease. For over a generation, English teachers in Australia have generally not taught grammar or spelling. As a result, many young Australians do not possess the skills to communicate effectively, verbally or in writing.
