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Police langauge

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Mishap Thu 31-Jan-13 22:13:38

Just been listening to the TV and was very struck by a policeman talking - you can spot them a mile off by their language. Why do they say "persons" and not people; "male" and not man etc.? - weird! - and very slightly irritating!

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HUNTERF Thu 31-Jan-13 22:16:43

I don't know why but many people on the street thought I was a police officer especially around London.
I have never been a police officer in my life.

Frank

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gracesmum Thu 31-Jan-13 22:31:10

Maybe the same reason some people insist on referring to the female gender as "ladies". There is a certain archaic pedantry to police-speak if the stereotype is to be beieved.

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annodomini Thu 31-Jan-13 23:16:30

In fact, I keep hearing them referring to 'an individual' rather than 'a person' - must ask my police source about this.

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absent Fri 01-Feb-13 07:43:22

What is even odder is that when you make a statement, the policeman who laboriously writes it down or types it with two fingers, rewords what you have said and quite often misspells it too.

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Ella46 Fri 01-Feb-13 08:55:51

absent I think that is to eliminate any ambiguity.

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Ariadne Fri 01-Feb-13 09:04:58

Love the "archaic pedantry" gracesmum! But you're so right. Some people in think that by using a certain vocabulary, they sound more formal - for example "prior to" "commencement of" and so on.

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absent Fri 01-Feb-13 09:08:22

Ella46 Unfortunately, it also sometimes changes what is being said.

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