• Hildegarde@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    18 days ago

    Stop using the word “tables.” I shouldn’t have to know the layout of the council chambers to understand if this legislation is or is not being considered.

    • Dirac@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      10 days ago

      I’m probably responding seriously to a joke, but I’d just note that “tables” almost always means “put on the back burner” or “cancelled lite” afaik

      • Hildegarde@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        10 days ago

        No. It mean the literally opposite depending on context.

        Parliament houses usually have a big table in the middle of the room. When legislation is brought fourth for discussion it is placed on the table in the middle of the room. In this case tabling legislation means discussing it.

        In other assembly buildings legislators sit at personal tables, so tabling the legislation means removing it from discussion at the front of the room and placing it on the private table, removing it from discussion.

        If you read the news and it said that kier starmer tabled some legislation, and another article said that Pramila Jayapal tabled legislation that would mean the literal opposite.

        Its an bad word that should be replaced with something more clear.