Bernard Hughes
@bernardhughes.bsky.social
Thank you! Perhaps I should retrofit some words - I've done that before
November 26, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Thank you! Perhaps I should retrofit some words - I've done that before
I fear this ‘bit here, bit there’ approach to tax policy is more susceptible to this kind of reporting than 2p on income tax would have been
November 25, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I fear this ‘bit here, bit there’ approach to tax policy is more susceptible to this kind of reporting than 2p on income tax would have been
Thank you Jonathan. I only knew Tom after he'd stopped playing for conducting - but I remember him proudly pointing out a particularly sweet note he played on the end of a Divine Comedy track
November 25, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Thank you Jonathan. I only knew Tom after he'd stopped playing for conducting - but I remember him proudly pointing out a particularly sweet note he played on the end of a Divine Comedy track
Reposted by Bernard Hughes
Re that...
A democratic government raising tax is not 'raiding' anything.
Journalists should drop this destructive phrase - it's propaganda:
www.thenewworld.co.uk/phil-tinline...
A democratic government raising tax is not 'raiding' anything.
Journalists should drop this destructive phrase - it's propaganda:
www.thenewworld.co.uk/phil-tinline...
Why the right wing media keeps screaming ‘tax raid’
This isn’t journalism, it’s propaganda that reframes tax policy as assault and a democratically elected Labour government as thieves
www.thenewworld.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Re that...
A democratic government raising tax is not 'raiding' anything.
Journalists should drop this destructive phrase - it's propaganda:
www.thenewworld.co.uk/phil-tinline...
A democratic government raising tax is not 'raiding' anything.
Journalists should drop this destructive phrase - it's propaganda:
www.thenewworld.co.uk/phil-tinline...
And here is ‘Perhaps’
Bernard Hughes: Perhaps (Epiphoni Consort)
YouTube video by Bernard Hughes
youtu.be
November 25, 2025 at 7:32 AM
And here is ‘Perhaps’
Ok fair enough - but I would frame it as 'write what sounds natural' obsessing about potential rule infractions mainly leads to hypercorrection and convolution. Don't think 'is this a passive or active clause?' or whatever, but 'is this clearly, naturally and idiomatically expressed?'
November 24, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Ok fair enough - but I would frame it as 'write what sounds natural' obsessing about potential rule infractions mainly leads to hypercorrection and convolution. Don't think 'is this a passive or active clause?' or whatever, but 'is this clearly, naturally and idiomatically expressed?'
Ok, duel* accepted.
'The solar system was formed billions of years ago.'
'The Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911.'
'The building was destroyed by a controlled explosion.'
'The concert was enjoyed by hundreds of people.'
'I was left short of money.'
'The solar system was formed billions of years ago.'
'The Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911.'
'The building was destroyed by a controlled explosion.'
'The concert was enjoyed by hundreds of people.'
'I was left short of money.'
November 24, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Ok, duel* accepted.
'The solar system was formed billions of years ago.'
'The Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911.'
'The building was destroyed by a controlled explosion.'
'The concert was enjoyed by hundreds of people.'
'I was left short of money.'
'The solar system was formed billions of years ago.'
'The Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911.'
'The building was destroyed by a controlled explosion.'
'The concert was enjoyed by hundreds of people.'
'I was left short of money.'
‘Were the flowers given to you by your sister?’
‘No, they were given to me by my wife.’
The issue here is who did the giving, rather than what was given.
‘No, they were given to me by my wife.’
The issue here is who did the giving, rather than what was given.
November 24, 2025 at 2:31 PM
‘Were the flowers given to you by your sister?’
‘No, they were given to me by my wife.’
The issue here is who did the giving, rather than what was given.
‘No, they were given to me by my wife.’
The issue here is who did the giving, rather than what was given.
There are occasions when active is best, and some where passive is. I just wouldn’t reflexively assume active is always better
November 24, 2025 at 2:30 PM
There are occasions when active is best, and some where passive is. I just wouldn’t reflexively assume active is always better
That sounds like a counsel of despair! Write what you want, it will get misunderstood
November 24, 2025 at 11:46 AM
That sounds like a counsel of despair! Write what you want, it will get misunderstood
Are you confident that the passive voice is *never* preferable to the active? I'm not
November 24, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Are you confident that the passive voice is *never* preferable to the active? I'm not
I don't know. I fear that writing as if constantly worried you are breaking some 'rules' is quite constricting.
The best trick I use with students when their writing is unclear, is to say 'tell me what this sentence means'. And when they tell me, I say 'write that.' Rarely fails
The best trick I use with students when their writing is unclear, is to say 'tell me what this sentence means'. And when they tell me, I say 'write that.' Rarely fails
November 24, 2025 at 10:45 AM
I don't know. I fear that writing as if constantly worried you are breaking some 'rules' is quite constricting.
The best trick I use with students when their writing is unclear, is to say 'tell me what this sentence means'. And when they tell me, I say 'write that.' Rarely fails
The best trick I use with students when their writing is unclear, is to say 'tell me what this sentence means'. And when they tell me, I say 'write that.' Rarely fails
Agree that's a lovely line.
I can't be bothered to check right now, but from memory he breaks all of his own rules within that same essay...
I can't be bothered to check right now, but from memory he breaks all of his own rules within that same essay...
November 24, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Agree that's a lovely line.
I can't be bothered to check right now, but from memory he breaks all of his own rules within that same essay...
I can't be bothered to check right now, but from memory he breaks all of his own rules within that same essay...
Don't even agree with that. *Never* use a long word where a short one will do? What if the long word is the *right* word? *Never* use the passive? Almost impossible. *Never* use a familiar figure of speech? Why not? It doesn't add up
November 24, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Don't even agree with that. *Never* use a long word where a short one will do? What if the long word is the *right* word? *Never* use the passive? Almost impossible. *Never* use a familiar figure of speech? Why not? It doesn't add up
Yes.
Kyoto 1997
Copenhagen 2009
Paris 2015
We'd be in a very different place climate-wise without them - and not a better one
Kyoto 1997
Copenhagen 2009
Paris 2015
We'd be in a very different place climate-wise without them - and not a better one
November 24, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Yes.
Kyoto 1997
Copenhagen 2009
Paris 2015
We'd be in a very different place climate-wise without them - and not a better one
Kyoto 1997
Copenhagen 2009
Paris 2015
We'd be in a very different place climate-wise without them - and not a better one
Hmm... I pretty much disagree with each one of his famous 'rules' except the last (and even then: what if the occasion calls for something barbarous?)
November 24, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Hmm... I pretty much disagree with each one of his famous 'rules' except the last (and even then: what if the occasion calls for something barbarous?)