Are those slang or dialect?

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nhatruc

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Dear all.

I've read/listened these announcements but I havn't understood them.
I think they're dialect of British in London.
I tried to guess what they are meaning but I'm not sure if they're right. If some one has better ideas, please share with me.
I'm expecting for your reply
-----------------
Here they are:

1.
The train now standing at Platform 5 will be the 10.25 to Exeter St David's, calling at Reading, Pewsey, Westbury and Taunton.

My guess is: The train will departs from Platform 5 at 10.25 or wil arrive at Exeter St David's at 10.25?


2.
The train now standing at Platform 3 is the 10.20 Inter-City service to Bristol.

My guess is:
It means that, the train will departs from Platform 3 at 10.20 or will arrive at Bristol at 10.20?


3.
The train now arriving at Platform 2 is the 9.12 from Oxford.
My guess is: The train departed from Oxford at 9.12 or the train will arrive Platform 2 at 9.12?


4
The train now arriving at Platform 12 is the 7.10 from Swansea. Trains from Swansea are running approximately 15 minutes late due to maintenance work between Swansea and Cardiff.
My guess is: the train departed from Swansea at 7.10 or the train will arrive Platform 12 at 7.10?
 

curmudgeon

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They are railway station announcements in English. The time always refers to the departure of the train.

They are neither dialect or slang. To be employed as an announcer it would be necessary for the person to speak clear English. Dialect is a regional or localised way of speaking a language... Cockney is a dialect of London, but of course the announcer may be from another part of the UK or indeed another country. Slang is never used in formal situations such as this. It is a method of communicating between people who understand the usage and can make sense only to people who are familiar with the expressions. A Cockney accent uses common english but the accent makes it sometimes difficult for others to understand. Cockney rhyming slang on the other hand uses the same accent but possibly incomprehensible use of figures of speech, which are perfectly clear to those who know the slang. It is common in different areas of work or the army for example. Rhyming slang is particularly colourful. I suggest you try searching for 'slang' and 'accent'.
 

Anglika

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3.
The train now arriving at Platform 2 is the 9.12 from Oxford.
My guess is: The train departed from Oxford at 9.12 [STRIKE]or the train will arrive Platform 2 at 9.12?[/STRIKE]


4
The train now arriving at Platform 12 is the 7.10 from Swansea. Trains from Swansea are running approximately 15 minutes late due to maintenance work between Swansea and Cardiff.
My guess is: the train departed from Swansea at 7.10 [STRIKE]or the train will arrive Platform 12 at 7.10?[/STRIKE]

..
 

nhatruc

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I am not very familiar with British English but here are some things that may help you -

The train now standing = The train that is there now
calling at = the various towns or cities that the train will stop at
Usually when time is mentioned (the 10.25 to Exter, the 9.12 from Oxford, etc.), that is the time that the train is scheduled to either arrive at or depart from this location.
-------------------------
Thank you very much remote friends. Specially Gillnetter, your answer is in detail and it encourages me keep learning English (which is a difficult language almost without rules, just learn by heart), your answer makes me love this site. It's great to spend my valuable time here.
Your sincerely
 

nhatruc

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First of all, thank your answer. But after reading it and comparing with the answer of Gillnetter I have a little bit confusing thing.

3.
The train now arriving at Platform 2 is the 9.12 from Oxford.

Answer of Gillnetter : The train this is arriving at platform 2 is the train from Oxford that was scheduled to arrive at this location at 9.12

Your answer: The train departed from Oxford at 9.12

The difference between two answers is the time train departed and the time train arrives !


4
The train now arriving at Platform 12 is the 7.10 from Swansea. Trains from Swansea are running approximately 15 minutes late due to maintenance work between Swansea and Cardiff.


Gillnetter's answer: {The train that is now arriving at platform 12 is the train from Swansea that was scheduled to arrive at this location at 7.10. Trains from Swansea will be 15 minutes late due to maintenance work in the area between Seansea and Cardiff}

Your answer: the train departed from Swansea at 7.10.

It's a similar difference with the third sentence.
The time train departed and the time train arrives!
.

Please could you explain these. I'm expecting for your reply.
English is not my mother tongue. It's confusing.
Thanks and regards

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[/FONT]
 

bhaisahab

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Anglika's answer is correct.
 

Linguist__

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It would be clear from the situation too - if the announcement said 'The train now approaching platform 2 is the 9.12 service from Oxford' and it was '9.30' or any other time after 9.12, then it is clear that '9.12' is the departing time from Oxford.

If the train was delayed, the announcer would say 'The train now approaching platform 2 is the delayed 9.12 from Oxford.' or something similar.

Another sentence I hear on the train is 'please mind the gap when alighting from this train', in other words, 'please be aware of the gap when getting off the train'. I've never heard 'alight from' any other time apart from on trains.
 

PodBlog

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It's simply another variety of World English that you may not be used to, apparently British-English.

Slang is unrelated.
 

bhaisahab

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It's simply another variety of World English that you may not be used to, apparently British-English.

Slang is unrelated.
:?::-?
 

mfwills

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They are neither slang nor dialect, unless you can feel you can reasonably use those words to describe basic terminology common within a given industry. Yes, there are many slang terms used in railroading, but the terms in question are not slang: they simply and clearly describe what is happening.

The facts: To be on a departing train, we need to know when it leaves this station, not when it arrives at its destination. Similarly, to meet a train, we don't care when it left the distant station, only when it arrives here. For time given at this station to refer to what's happening at the distant station wouldn't make much sense or be at all useful.

Time used in reference to a train refers to the time of whatever event is occurring at this station:

"The 9:12 to Anytown" is the train departing this station for Anytown at 9:12.

Conversely,

"The 9:12 from Anytown" is the train arriving at this station from Anytown at 9:12.
 
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