"Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen ..." no longer appropriate

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the Evening Standard

Train conductors warned not use ‘ladies and gentleman’ after complaint from non-binary passenger

London North Eastern Railway (LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about)) has said its conductors will be warned to not use the greeting "ladies and gentlemen" following a complaint from a non-binary passenger.

LNER said train managers should not use the phrase to avoid offending passengers who might identify as neither male nor female.

It comes after a complaint from a passenger on social media, the Telegraph reports.

In a Twitter post directed to LNER, the passenger wrote: “Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls…” As a non-binary person this announcement doesn’t actually apply to me, so I won’t listen.”

LNER replied to the complainant, agreeing that train managers “should not be using language like this”.

Unless I'm mistaken, the picture used to illustrate that article is a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train arriving into Paddington, platform 2

[Ollie]

Unless I'm mistaken, the picture used to illustrate that article is a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train arriving into Paddington, platform 2

Not Paddington, looks a bit like Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context)?

Edited to add: There's a signal part way down the platform, so I'm sure it's Bristol Temple Meads.

[Bmblbzzz]

The same photo is used for this ES story: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/hitachi-chris-heatonharris-government-lner-tickets-b934101.html
So it's clearly a stock photo used by them for anything rail, and I'd agree with Ollie, it's Temple Meads. And I'm 100% sure it's not Melksham!

[Red Squirrel]

It's Temple Meads, or I'm a Dutch person's parent's sibling.

[eightonedee]

In the hyper-sensitive world we live in now - which are you most upset by

- the LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about)'s conductor's language
- the reaction to it, or
- the Evening Standard's use of the wrong company's train in the picture.

[this question was intended to be rhetorical]!

[chuffed]

Perhaps the complainant would have liked the announcement to say ' Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,and the transgender person in seat Y Coach X......
It was a good job that complainant wasn't travelling with Yorkshire airlines !

[Red Squirrel]

Given that the expression 'Good afternoon, everyone' has been available to us for quite some time now, and is unambiguously all-embracing, one can't help wondering why the railway company employee chose the words they did.

I for one feel excluded by the word 'Gentleman'. I identify as male, and use the pronouns he/his, but few people who know me well would refer to me as a gentleman.

[Marlburian]

I've never liked being addressed as "mate" and perhaps less so in the zeitgeist of political correctness and "wokeness".

IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly') NCOs (and presumably commissioned officers) have been told not address junior ranks as "lads".

Must be challenging to remember how individuals in a university or school class like to be referred to (especially if they change their minds).

[grahame]

I've never liked being addressed as "mate" and perhaps less so in the zeitgeist of political correctness and "wokeness".

I was called "love" when I bought a up of coffee from someone I hadn't met before the other week - and have at various times been called "hun", "pet", "duck", "darlin" and "sweetie" ...

From the abc School of English

A part of the process of falling in love is creating our own little universe in which language plays a large part.  However, in Britain you’ll often hear terms of endearment in shops, restaurants, and even in the street, being casually used among strangers.  It can be very confusing for visitors to the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), who are not familiar with these terms used every day in conversations, but if you are aware of their real meaning you can use them in your own conversations, if appropriate, and understand what British people mean when they use them.

Fortunately, Lisa now understand British as well as American English ... gone are the days of her being open-mouthed at the "Free Hardcore" sign on a demolotion site, or wondering if we could pop down into the village we lived in to join the Village Skip that was advertised. When my daughter announced that she had dropped her rubber between the seats it took a bit of explaining, especially as Lisa and I had first met on the road outside the London Rubber Company's factory.

[Bmblbzzz]

Lisa and I had first met on the road outside the London Rubber Company's factory.

As first dates go, that's quite special!

[patch38]

Lisa and I had first met on the road outside the London Rubber Company's factory.

As first dates go, that's quite special!

I hope you're still Mates...

[johnneyw]

It's Temple Meads, or I'm a Dutch person's parent's sibling.

Rood Eekhoorn doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

[bobm]

When I worked in radio I was always taught to imagine you were talking to one person.  So no “everyone”, “all of you” or “folks”. 

Thus “Good afternoon to you” it was.

[johnneyw]

When I worked in radio I was always taught to imagine you were talking to one person.  So no “everyone”, “all of you” or “folks”. 

Thus “Good afternoon to you” it was.

I was told the same when in a temporary job with connections to a local radio station many years ago.  Sadly, that was my only career brush with radio, despite having a face highly suited to the medium!

[TonyK]

From the Evening Standard

In a Twitter post directed to LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about), the passenger wrote: “Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls…” As a non-binary person this announcement doesn’t actually apply to me, so I won’t listen.”

Methinks the non-binary doth protest overmuch, but I suppose I shall have to get used to the reshaping of what was once the English language. Being upset is one thing - telling the whole world that you will sit through announcements with fingers in ears is another. As others point out, language can change around the country - I have been called "Love", "Duck" and "Young man", all of which seem reasonably normal outside of London. If it were done to cause offence, I didn't notice.

(Gosh, this sound like a letter in the Telegraph.)