"Mistakes were made"

[the captain]

I am so sick of the phrase "mistakes were made" as used by politicians. Any middle school grammar teacher will explain that passive voice is weak, and ought to be avoided (ooh, i just used it), yet every president since Reagan has used it as a way to semi-apologize without apologizing.

OT, I know. But that's what the sandbox is for.

[SloopJohnB]

I personally don't see what's wrong with this sentence... But maybe it's because I'm so used to hearing it: politicians say that all the time...

...And also, as you may (not) know, Philosophy is compulsory in France... Teachers actually encourage us to use passive voice as a rhetorical figure

[the captain]

The issue is that it removes an actor in the mistake. It is a way to avoid admitting fault even while acknowledging there were mistakes. Rather than saying "I made a mistake by..." or "my chief of staff made a mistake by...," they're just saying "there were mistakes." It weakens the alleged apology or explanation.

I actually don't have a problem with the passive voice--it wouldn't exist if it were unnecessary. But I agree with those who believe in using it sparingly.

[SloopJohnB]

The issue is that it removes an actor in the mistake. It is a way to avoid admitting fault even while acknowledging there were mistakes. Rather than saying "I made a mistake by..." or "my chief of staff made a mistake by...," they're just saying "there were mistakes." It weakens the alleged apology or explanation.

I actually don't have a problem with the passive voice--it wouldn't exist if it were unnecessary. But I agree with those who believe in using it sparingly.

...So in the end, the politician reaches his goal - there's been a fault, but he's not said that he was responsible for it. He's seen as a honest person (he acknowledges there's been a mistake made) and at the same time he doesn't "weaken" himself.

In France we talk about politics a lot, and such a sentence can be discussed, analyzed, and printed on first pages just because of the different ways people interpret it... A bit boring sometimes. The same can happen with just a word in the middle of a sentence: we have lots of different words to express the same global idea, but with very subtle meaning differences; if a politician uses the "wrong" word, he'll be flamed for it for the month (or even years!) to come... 


Talking about France/USA differences, this came to my mind: because he/she has learnt philosophy at school, the average French person likes to think of him/herself as a philosopher. It's very common to hear a French person use rhetorical figures (especially rhetorical questions) during a normal conversation, whereas (from what I've seen) Americans usually don't use a lot of rhetorical figures...

Edit: that's something you have to be aware of if you're planning to go to France someday. I have fun stories about my American exchange student who was trying to answer my friends' rethorical questions, because she thought these were real questions! 

[the captain]

You're right that the politician reaches his or her goal, but my way of thinking is that it is a goal of escaping--hardly admirable!

I'd be more than happy to sit around and parse sentences all day, dissecting meanings. I say with pride that I am a geek about such things.

[SloopJohnB]

You're right that the politician reaches his or her goal, but my way of thinking is that it is a goal of escaping--hardly admirable!

I'd be more than happy to sit around and parse sentences all day, dissecting meanings. I say with pride that I am a geek about such things.

I am, too - but the media here take that to another level! 

And I agree totally when you say that it's a way to escape. This obviously isn't admirable, but unfortunately well-known politicians who actually are admirable can be counted on the fingers of a single hand...

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

My objection to its use by the Attorney General is that no mistakes were made in this case.   

[mikee]

I am so sick of the phrase "mistakes were made" as used by politicians. Any middle school grammar teacher will explain that passive voice is weak, and ought to be avoided (ooh, i just used it), yet every president since Reagan has used it as a way to semi-apologize without apologizing.

The phrase is an annoying one, however I'm not convinced that your premise is true.  I recall Bush saying something that approximated this once concerning his efforts in Iraq.  Otherwise can't recall ANY instance of a President making this statement.  I'm thinking that I  don't believe it is common.  I think it's used more as a dramatic device in the movies, by actors playing politicians and corporate executives (typically to emphasize their ill will).  Do you actually know of any other specific instances where Presidents said this?   

[mikee]

...

[the captain]

I'm quite certain: I heard a radio show (on NPR) a while back--around the time I started this thread--in which they brought out the specific quotes. I know there is a website with the text of most presidential addresses. Maybe I'll go back and dig them out.

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

...

[mikee]

I'm quite certain: I heard a radio show (on NPR) a while back--around the time I started this thread--in which they brought out the specific quotes. I know there is a website with the text of most presidential addresses. Maybe I'll go back and dig them out.

Great!  Please post the link to the show if you have it or to the quotes if you find them.  That would be very entertaining.