This is prompted by hearing that Bridget Phillipson is to apologise to the victims of forced adoption in the 1940s-70s, but this use of apologise has given me pause for thought before.
IMO apologising is admitting some degree of personal responsibility or involvement which I don't think can be passed on or inherited.
So it seems inappropriate, even a bit glib, for politicians to be apologising for things that happened before they were born. It must be possible to find a form of words expressing deep regret at what happened and sounding sincere.
I'm not sure that victim is the right word either but less easy to think of an alternative.
What household chore have you got completely wrong?
1234 keeps appearing just when a decision is pending — anyone else?
Aricle on what it's like to work as professional psychic witch


