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Allow me to chip in - even though (or possibly because) - I am just a poor non-native speaker working in London and do not lay claim to either @mrjamesob ‘s or @GoodwinMJ ‘s mastery of this beautiful language. (Thread)
@mrjamesob @GoodwinMJ As a lawyer we start with the “literal” interpretation. The meaning of the words: Mr. Johnson did indeed (if the news report is to be trusted) of too many people not speaking English as a first language. The consequences of that literal interpretation is that I’d be included.
@mrjamesob @GoodwinMJ But let’s not stop there: the teleological interpretation, which takes into account the purpose of the statement, allows us to doubt that’s what he wanted to say: he speaks of learning English and contributing.
@mrjamesob @GoodwinMJ There is, accordingly, constructive ambiguity in what he said. Deliberate? Or just sloppy? Hard to say, but my suggestion is that a politician should watch his words more carefully.
@mrjamesob @GoodwinMJ And I feel terribly self-conscious that at the end of this tweet I gained a new follower focusing on teaching English grammar.
