"It takes a huge amount of courage..."

[Sasaki Kojiro]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...=feeds-newsxml

Rochford, 26, burgled three homes in East Cleveland and tried to burgle another in the space of five days.
...
Passing sentence, Judge Bowers told him: ‘It takes a huge amount of courage as far as I can see for someone to burgle somebody’s house. I wouldn’t have the nerve.
‘Yet somehow, bolstered by drugs and desperation, you were prepared to do that.’
...
Rochford could have been jailed for two-and-a-half years but instead he was given a suspended 12-month jail sentence, a two-year supervision order with drug rehabilitation, 200 hours’ unpaid work and a one-year driving ban. The offence was Rochford’s first burglary conviction, although he was cautioned for burgling a home at the age of ten. He has previously been jailed for three years for arson.
Rochford went on a burglary spree in February. He took a laptop, satnav and money from the first home he raided and drove away the family’s Ford Focus car, which he damaged and abandoned.

The following night he took jewellery, a handbag and electrical items from another home. His girlfriend Amy Kyme, 22, who acted as lookout and helped dispose of the stolen goods, was given a suspended prison sentence. Rochford walked into both unlocked homes while the owners slept.
...
Judge Bowers, 67, is a married father of three who has been a judge for more than 20 years.
He has made contradictory comments about burglary sentencing in recent months. In May, he criticised sentencing guidelines that let first-time burglars escape with a ‘slap across the wrist’.
But weeks later, he allowed a man with almost 80 crimes on his record to walk free for a burglary committed four days after his release from prison, telling the court: ‘I must be getting soft in my old age.’
Judge Bowers then told David Wray, 39: ‘I am quite sure you are capable of a lot better. If you are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, you’ll be all right.’

I blame the wig

[Vladimir]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...=feeds-newsxml


I blame the wig

I think the wig is to hide the signs of syphilis.

[Papewaio]

What is the review process for a judge doing this in the UK?

Here it takes years to do something. We had a magistrate recently letting people off because the magistrate considered police to be racist and unreliable witnesses.

[Kralizec]

To be honest, my first reaction is to doubt the Daily Mail's slant on the whole story. Assuming they got the quotations "right", it could just as easily have been:

It takes a lot of courage to burgle someone's house. The nerve! That said, I don't think anybody ever got out of prison better then they got in. Therefore...

[Fragony]

Courage is always positive in English

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Courage is always positive in English

Not necessarily - it could mean that the individual is extraordinary, or not in his right mind. If you read the quote you'll see the judge makes reference the convicted's drug use, so this can also be read as "but you the drugs you wouldn't have dared".

[Andres]

I blame the wig

He probably put the wrong kind of powder on it.

[SoFarSoGood]

Rob the judge.

[gaelic cowboy]

Courage is always positive in English

not if the judge is being sarcastic or accusatory

[Vladimir]

not if the judge is being sarcastic or accusatory

That's what I'm thinking too. British humor can be so dry and subtle.

[Fragony]

That's what I'm thinking too. British humor can be so dry and subtle.

Doesn't change the meaning of the word though, just the intention.

Few helpful tips on British communication

Very interesting -> you have got to be kidding me
We will look into it -> leave, now
That's a bold proposal -> you are out of your mind

And so forth, the Brittish tend to say exactly what they don't mean

[rory_20_uk]

not if the judge is being sarcastic or accusatory

I don't think that judgements should be sarcastic, especially in such simple cases. Some judgements required nuance, this isn't one.

[rvg]

Doesn't change the meaning of the word though, just the intention.

Few helpful tips on British communication

Very interesting -> you have got to be kidding me
We will look into it -> leave, now
That's a bold proposal -> you are out of your mind

And so forth, the Brittish tend to say exactly what they don't mean

Sounds exactly like American corporatespeak.

[Fragony]

Sounds exactly like American corporatespeak.

Could be I wouldn't know, but the Brittish can be incredibly sarcastic about just about anything. I don't think this judge was being sarcastic by the way as the burglar got off with a lighter punishment

[gaelic cowboy]

Doesn't change the meaning of the word though, just the intention.

Few helpful tips on British communication

Very interesting -> you have got to be kidding me
We will look into it -> leave, now
That's a bold proposal -> you are out of your mind

And so forth, the Brittish tend to say exactly what they don't mean

Hmm didnt you just explain in this post how the meaning of words can be changed through context.

[Hax]

It's also great that we have a native British speaker explain us the subtleties of usage of the English language in England.

[Fragony]

Hmm didnt you just explain in this post how the meaning of words can be changed through context.

He got a lighter punishment, how is that for context

[gaelic cowboy]

He got a lighter punishment, how is that for context

Daily mail = I wouldnt believe a word of it

[Fragony]

Daily mail = I wouldnt believe a word of it

Feel free to not take my word for it

[Vladimir]

Sounds exactly like American corporatespeak.

No, it sounds like a link someone posted here some time ago about what the British say and what they really mean.

[Fragony]

No, it sounds like a link someone posted here some time ago about what the British say and what they really mean.

Yes to be honest I must have gotten them from that.

[Vladimir]

Yes to be honest I must have gotten them from that.

Love BBCA: http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglopheni...y-really-mean/

[Fragony]

Love BBCA: http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglopheni...y-really-mean/

oh lollipopz such a handy site. Such a difference with Americans who invite you to come over when you are in the neighbourhood as long as you don't. HI how are you oh teeheee

I prefer Dutch communication

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Doesn't change the meaning of the word though, just the intention.

Few helpful tips on British communication

Very interesting -> you have got to be kidding me
We will look into it -> leave, now
That's a bold proposal -> you are out of your mind

And so forth, the Brittish tend to say exactly what they don't mean

Um, no.

"That's very intersting means" - I can see you've thought very hard about this, but you don't actually know enough about the subject at hand. I.e. I don't think you're a fool, but I think your opinion is foolish.

Thereby demonstrating that we, the English, are misunderstood because foriegners mistake understament for inuendo and assume that because our language has so many words we lack the ability to communicate complex ideas using nuance and simple wording.

[rvg]

Um, no.

"That's very intersting means" - I can see you've thought very hard about this, but you don't actually know enough about the subject at hand. I.e. I don't think you're a fool, but I think your opinion is foolish.

Thereby demonstrating that we, the English, are misunderstood because foriegners mistake understament for inuendo and assume that because our language has so many words we lack the ability to communicate complex ideas using nuance and simple wording.

We Americans know the art of euphemism just as well.

[Major Robert Dump]

What does it mean when a British guy tells me to "Quit blowing that horn you bloody tit?"

[Fragony]

Um, no.

"That's very intersting means" - I can see you've thought very hard about this, but you don't actually know enough about the subject at hand. I.e. I don't think you're a fool, but I think your opinion is foolish.

Thereby demonstrating that we, the English, are misunderstood because foriegners mistake understament for inuendo and assume that because our language has so many words we lack the ability to communicate complex ideas using nuance and simple wording.

Ha, the BBC site Vladimer posted is on my side. Sun Tzu would say you loose because you don't know yourself nor your enemy.

[Beskar]

I prefer Dutch communication

For those who don't know - Dutch Directness!

You will feel like you know Fragony a lot better.

[InsaneApache]

What does it mean when a British guy tells me to "Quit blowing that horn you bloody tit?"

It means quit blowing that horn you bloody tit.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Ha, the BBC site Vladimer posted is on my side. Sun Tzu would say you loose because you don't know yourself nor your enemy.

BBC America, actually. The fact that a staffer at BBC America found that list online and posted it up for the amusement of American readers does not make it accurate.

It means quit blowing that horn you bloody tit.

With a subtext of - I may become violent if you don't, but probably not.