Well, Yes, You Know…Umm…Err… And it is getting worse! The radio/TV interview where the microphone is dominated by someone who, at the time, has no idea what to say. Not so long back, there was a slight pause (maybe one or two seconds) between the question and the begin of a considered reply. I still value this. But today it seems rather old-fashioned – better to grab attention and keep on talking.
English is a fine language but currently served American-style. Fast. Also here in the Netherlands, the start of the reply is umming and ahhing until the ideas appear. This is particularly true for skaters or cyclists who need catch their breath – but that is apparently fatal. This morning a good friend agreed and called it “keeping the conch”, referring to the book by William Golding and the subsequent film (1963) Lord of the Flies. On YouTube you can still watch the entire film, albeit in poor resolution. The central characters are young boys who soon become “wild” on the small desert island until their rescue. Piggy and Ralph are the central characters who fight to retain (keep) the conch, a large seashell which becomes the symbol of power.
In these Brexit times, as well as across the globe where tyrants must keep talking to avoid attack, the conch is what you cannot afford to lose. If you pause, people might start to ask awkward questions. Start talking and keep talking and fill your sound-bite. Dominate is there is someone else being interviewed. Keep the conch!
dickwife 