The tall man.
The green tree.
These are examples of the attributive adjective; a basic and longstanding component of the English language but one – it seems – that has eluded the Labour Party and whichever agency it commissioned for its election strapline.
‘A future fair for all’.
Now, if you were wanting to convey a fair future you would probably have said…er…’a fair future’.
Perhaps if you were wanting to communicate a future that would be fair for all you would probably say…let’s see…’a future that will be fair for all’ or, if you were a bit cash-strapped and paying by the character; ‘a future, fair for all’.
But no, we have a future fair. So that’s a funfair in the future, in the same way that ‘a good fair’ would be a fair that is good or a festive fair would be…OK, you get the picture.
So, after 13 years of national ablation (look it up) we have a strapline that has been written by a) an 8-year old or b) Yoda (“strapline, write I for you will”).
Unless, of course, on May the [date censored] when you walk into the polling station there are dodgems and a coconut shy.
Thanks to mylabourposter.typepad.com for the image; no doubt they’re thinking along the same lines. Have a look at their site for some more, very funny spoof ads…or at least I think they’re spoofs.
Jellyhaus is not politically aligned. This is about basic grammar.