Anyone but England

Kilt shop owner warned by police for selling anti-England World Cup T-shirts

 A KILT shop got a police warning for selling World Cup T-shirts with "Anyone But England" on the front.

 An officer told staff at Slanj of Scotland's Aberdeen branch that the slogan could spark racial unrest.

 And he gave the same warning over another of the store's T-shirts, with the slogan "Algeria, USA and Slovenia Supporters Club".

 The three countries will be England's group opponents at the World Cup in June.

 The shop's assistant manager, Jamie Wilkinson, 23, insisted yesterday that the T-shirts in their window were just "harmless football banter".

 He added: "It has nothing to do with hating the English. It's just about winding them up.

"I'm really surprised they are making such an issue about this, and I think they need to get a sense of humour about it."

 Slanj owner Brian Halley vowed that the £20 T-shirts would stay on sale.

 "The ABE t-shirts are our best sellers at the moment," he said.

 "This is the first complaint I'm aware of. It's supposed to be a bit of satire, a bit of fun.

 "It's been claimed the T-shirts might incite race riots, which I find *quite ridiculous.

 "My brother-in-law is English and he just thinks it's a laugh."

 The police took no formal action against Slanj and stressed there was "no criminal investigation".
They admitted no member of the public had complained to them about the T-shirts.

 But they insisted they would have been "failing in their duty" if they had not warned Slanj "of the potential for disturbance such a window display could cause".

Source: Daily Record

I am *absolutely sure that these t-shirts will be sold out tomorrow after this free publicity the shop has received.

I bought a similar t-shirt some years ago which says "I support two teams - Scotland and anyone who plays England". And it's true. I would never support England, no matter who they played.

I bought a t-shirt with Portugal across the front of it when England played them in the quarter finals of the European Championships. Portugal won the match on penalties and I was *absolutely delighted.

At the last World Cup, the Scots tennis player Andy Murray said that he would be supporting anyone but England. Read the story here (watch the video and check out the links too). Ever since then, he has been hated by many English. See the story from Wimbledon 2009. The English media will call him British when he reaches a final but they revert to calling him Scottish as soon as he loses it.

* Intensifiers:

There are two kinds of adjectives - gradable and non-gradable / extreme adjectives.

Cold is a gradable adjective while freezing is an extreme adjective. Freezing is at the top of the scale. You can't use extreme adjectives in comparative or superlative forms.

It's the coldest winter in 20 years. RIGHT
It's the most freezing winter in 20 years. WRONG

We can use intensifiers to describe the degree of the adjective. Some intensifiers are used with gradable adjectives, others are used with extreme adjectives only and one or two with both adjectives.

It has been very cold this winter.
It has been absolutely freezing this winter.
It's been really cold/freezing this winter.

So very is used with gradables only, absolutely with extremes only and really can be used with both.

What is the extreme adjective that means the same as
  1. very funny
  2. very bad
  3. very hungry
  4. very tired
  5. very loud
  6. very old
  7. very surprising
  8. very beautiful
  9. very big
  10. very hot
  11. very frightened
  12. very angry
  13. very quiet
  14. very sad
  15. very happy
  16. very dirty
  17. very good
Choose from the following (the vowels are missing): s*l*nt / *st*n*sh*ng / f*r***s / h*l*r***s / h*g* / d*pr*ss*d / *nc**nt / g*rg***s / b**l*ng /d**f*n*ng / d*l*ght*d / f*lthy / dr**df*l / t*rr*f**d / *xh**st*d / gr**t / st*rv*ng

Intensifiers used with gradable adjectives only: very, a bit (inf), reasonably, slightly, rather (f), extremely, fairly (inf), immensely...
Intensifiers used with extreme adjectives only: totally, absolutely, completely, utterly...

Intensifiers used with both gradable and extreme adjectives: really and quite.
  • The film was quite good. (not very good, OK)
  • The film was quite superb. (absolutely superb)
Complete the following sentences
  1. ... makes me (intensifier) furious.
  2. I was (intensifier) overjoyed when ...
  3. I think it is (intensifier) wrong that ...
  4. I thought  the book "..." was (intensifier) brilliant because ...
  5. I was (intensifier) disappointed with the film "..." because ...
  6. If I were (intensifier) rich, I'd ...
  7. I am (intensifier) proud of ... because ...
  8. I would eat ... only if I were (intensifier) hungry.

Comments

Unknown said…
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CRISTINA said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Miriam said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Miriam said…
Hi Graham:

Terrorism makes me really furious.

I was absolutely overjoyed when I won the best actress´ Oscar.

I think is absolutely wrong our comments appear in the first page of your blog. I don,t like it. I didn´t advertise it.

I thought the book " The city of Happiness" because after reading it you understand better the life in India.

I was totally disappointed with the film "The ghosts of my ex-girlfriends" because I thought it was funny,and it was really boring.

If I were reasonably rich, I´d try not to have to do the housework.

I´m very proud of giving up smoking because isn´t easy.

I would eat insects only if I were so extremely hungry that my life was in dangerous.

Good weekend¡
Graham said…
Hi Inma,

I don't support any particular football club so I usually support the underdog in an important match.

Without a doubt, I will support Spain if they meet England in the World Cup this summer. I will be cheering on whichever country England plays.

You could also use "sold out" to say that you can't buy a t-shirt because they have sold every single one of them.
eg The tickets for the concert were sold out in just one hour.

I HAVEN'T GOT/DON'T HAVE A similar t-shirt.


I will be absolutely depressed if England wins the World Cup. I haven't made up my mind who I want to win it.
Graham said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Graham said…
I was absolutely overjoyed when I won the best actress´ Oscar.
Did you really win an Oscar? For what role?

I THINK IT is absolutely wrong our comments appear in the first page of your blog. I don't like it. I didn´t advertise it.
Well, I think it is extremely helpful to read the comments of others. You can learn from each other's mistakes.

I thought the book " The city of Happiness" WAS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT because after reading it, you HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE in India.
Have you ever been to India? I think it would be an absoultely fascinating destination.

I was totally disappointed with the film "The ghosts of my ex-girlfriends" because I thought it WOULD HAVE BEEN funny BUT it was really boring.

If I were reasonably rich, I´d try not to have to do the housework.

I´m very proud of giving up smoking BECAUSE IT isn´t easy.
I imagine it was even more difficult because you were on two packets a day.

I would eat insects only if I were SO hungry that my life was IN DANGER.


You have impressed me once again, Miriam. You seem to pick thinks up really quickly.
Miriam said…
Hi Graham:

How are you?

I´m really embarrassed about my comment. You are right. It´s better you put the last comments at the first of your blog. I don´t know how I could say that.

Thank you. See you tomorrow¡
Graham said…
There is no reason to be embarrassed about others reading your comments. What I would love is for people to communicate with each other and not just with me.

It´s better THAT you put the LATEST comments at the START of your blog.

I am not always able to see the latest comments. I don't know why!
Marta said…
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Marta said…
1. Loud noise makes me absolutely furious.
2. I was really overjoyed when my sister passed the "competitive examination" (I'm not sure about this word. I looked it up in the dictionary. I mean an exam you have to pass to work for a Ministry in Spain, for instance)
3. I think it is completely wrong that you allow your children get any whim they want.
4. I thought the book "Harry Potter" (English version) was really brilliant because I could learn English and keep amused at the same time.
5. I was completely disappointed with the Cohen's film "A serious man" because it shows a short of humour which is away from my culture. It belongs to north-american culture and it's not so funny for me, it could be just a little comical.
6. If I were absolutely rich, I'd travel much more.
7. I am really proud of my nephew because he's very clever.
8. I would eat some pork only if I were quite hungry.
Graham said…
I looked up the same word and found this definition: OPOSICIONES These are public examinations held to fill vacancies in the public sector on a national, provincial or local basis. The positions attained through these exams normally imply a job for life (with a working day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.), and they are much sought after in a country with a tradition of high unemployment. There are usually far too many candidates for every job advertised, so the requirements listed can be extremely rigorous: if you apply to be a mailman or a clerk you may have to show an in-depth knowledge of the Constitution. This is why many people spend years preparing for these examinations, especially for posts with more responsibility.

I had never heard of such exams until I came to Spain.

I would be overjoyed too - it'd mean a cushy job for life. -:)

I read the first Harry Potter in Spanish when I arrived here - it was good for my Spanish but I am astonished at the success the books have had.

"Disappointed" and "rich" are gradable adjectives so you can't use "completely" or "absolutely" with them.

Yu could say "incredibly disappointed". You can say "filthy" or "stinking rich" to suggest you have so much money that it's outrageous.
Marta said…
It's a cushy job because it's a relative guarantee of labor stability.
Salaries are not very high but that isn't a disadvantage for me.
Graham said…
I think work in the public sector is often cushy here in Spain. They aren't hard worked but yet complain the whole time. In these times of crisis, tehy should count themselves luck to have a stable job.
Graham said…
I've just noticed a typo. I should have said "they should count themselves LUCKY to have a stable job."
Sir Joseph said…
Hi Graham,



I don´t know if the case of Scotland is the same that the case of Cataluña. I respect everyone, but I don´t agree with the recurrent way of this unrest. If it´s harmless why they are sparking with that banter? Are not there other issues to speak? Are not there other issues to make jokes? Why don´t we look for things that they can join together? Therefore, we are going to resolve all problems among the human beings and we are going to avoid situations that can injure others. I´m tired about it. Sorry.



Extreme adjective:



1. Very funny hilarious

2. Very bad dreadful

3. Very hungry starving

4. Very tired exhausted

5. Very loud deafening

6. Very old ancient

7. Very surprising astonishing

8. Very beautiful gorgeous

9. Very big high

10. Very hot boiling

11. Very frightened terrified

12. Very angry furious

13. Very quiet silent

14. Very sad depressed

15. Very happy delighted

16. Very dirty filthy

17. Very good great



Sentences:



1. Ignorance makes me totally furious.

2. I was reasonably overjoyed when I got this job.

3. I think it is a bit wrong that we say yes to everything.

4. I though the book was very brilliant because it does a lot of hopes.

5. I was slightly disappointed with this film because it was slow.

6. If I were very rich, I´d buy a spacecraft.

7. I am utterly proud of my children because they work a lot.

8. I would eat insects only if I were extremely hungry.



See you.
Graham said…
Hello José,

I seem to remember you saying that Catalonia and Brexit were out of bounds.

I do understand how tiring these topics can be.

In this case, ABE is a reaction to years of listening to talk in the media about how England is a footballing great.

I thought they were calming down but this World Cup they are doing it again. They score 6 goals against a weak side and already they are talking about reaching the final.

And Scots are supposed to sit back and agree. Well, no.




I don´t know if the case of Scotland is the same as the case of Cataluña. I respect everyone, but I don´t agree with the recurrent way of this unrest. If it´s harmless why they are sparking controversy with such banter? Are there no other issues to speak about? And no other issues to joke about? Why don´t we look for things that everyone can join in? Therefore, we are going to resolve all problems among the human beings and we are going to avoid situations that can harm others. I´m tired of it. Sorry. (I'm not sure what you mean here)


Sentences:


2. I was absolutely overjoyed when I got this job.

3. I think it is quite wrong that we say yes to everything.

4. I though the book was absolutely brilliant because it is ???.