Americanisms

Imploding Turtle · Post by **Imploding Turtle** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:35 pm

Dazzler wrote:Fair points I suppose.
There is no F in Lieutenant.

Or phenomenon.

Bin Ont Turf · Post by **Bin Ont Turf** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:49 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LQYMil8D04" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Quicknick · Post by **Quicknick** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 12:04 pm

normandeeley wrote:Just a few - even writing them out annoys me;
gotten
off of
get-go
train station (rather than railway station)
start over (rather than start again)

Gotten is logical. Forget, forgot, forgotten, so why not get, got, gotten?

normandeeley · Post by **normandeeley** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 12:11 pm

Quicknick wrote:Gotten is logical. Forget, forgot, forgotten, so why not get, got, gotten?

You're quite right gotten is logical except there's nothing logical about the English language. Common usage in this country for the past participle of get is got and has been for a good 200 years.

welsbyswife · Post by **welsbyswife** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 12:17 pm

Please will someone forward the contents of this thread to Lewis Hamilton and tell him to start talking properly instead of that weird half English half American nonsense!

Eddiebfc · Post by **Eddiebfc** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 12:40 pm

Cellphone!

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 12:50 pm

"The who the hell the what the hell the who the hell the what?" (John Wayne)

grapidianclaret · Post by **grapidianclaret** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 1:29 pm

In the past, the Germans,the French and the Lats had this very discussion about how us Brits were misusing their words and phrases and bastardizing their languages.

On a side note , here in Michigan, people say "on accident", instead of "by accident" , it sends me into a purple faced spitting rage, which is why I do not own any guns.

Paul Waine · Post by **Paul Waine** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 1:31 pm

ecc wrote:Living abroad you notice just how many American expressions have crossed the Atlantic and are no embedded in the English of the UK. I should state straight away that some of my favourite writers are American so I have no "agenda" per se about Americans and their variant of English.

They have a much more pragmatic and flexible attitude towards language. For instance, if there is a noun they use a lot but no verb then they'll invent one.

English - wherever it's spoken - is not a phonetic language but they have tried to make some common words "phonetic".

They don't see why we spell "colour" in that way. To them, the "u" isn't heard so out comes the knife and it becomes "color".

Most people would say "Who cares?". Well, a British child who spells the word "color" will (or should) be told it's wrong. Conversely, an American child who throws a "u" in the word will be marked down.

Where the American influence is leading to problems is younger people making spelling mistakes like this:

"program" - again their concern for a more phonetic version of spelling leads them to lop off the second "m" and the "e".

The only instance when this spelling is now deemed acceptable by the leading British dictionaries is when it's used in the computing field;

But I see people write "I saw a great program on TV last night".

Awesome, isn't it?

Hi ecc, some good points there.

Thinking about these things, the English language in England developed over many centuries - and spread, by population movements, across the Celtic speaking regions (Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Cornwall). The English we use today has also gained words from the period of British Empire, including a number of words from India (and I expect other geographies). North America was settled by many European nations (displacing the native Americans), each with their own languages: Spanish, French, Dutch, German and English in the first stages and many more including Italian and Polish. (Chinese and Japanese also emigrated across the Pacific). Politics resulted in the dominance of English - but there should be no surprise that the Americans (USA) chose to "simplify" the language/spelling of England as they sought to integrate all these separate nationalities and different languages into a new nation.

I'm certain we will continue to see developments in the future, again driven by the broader communications that we all experience. Personally, I struggle a little with the spellings of some words - because I've seen them so often in their "American English" version - and spell checker often seems to default to "US English."

FCBurnley · Post by **FCBurnley** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 3:29 pm

Our kids were 9 and 11 when we moved to America and they had to learn how to spell American. Fortunately my computer corrects my English to American which is good for emails here but not in UK. Many words are different Bonnet-Hood, Boot-Trunk, Pavement- Sidewalk etc but the worst is the renaming of Cordon Bleu to Cordon Blue.........It just sounds stupid. A great word to use in USA is W**ker............the Americans dont have any idea what it means nor do they have an equivalent word. They also say `on the job` in place of `At work`.......this becomes really funny when the insurance ads ask `If you`ve been injured on the job ? ` Also the person who mixes a salad is a `tosser`. I am surprised they dont rename their language America because it sure aint English ya`all

BleedingClaret · Post by **BleedingClaret** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 9:49 pm

You guys

HuncoatClaret · Post by **HuncoatClaret** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 10:50 pm

Locker rooms

HuncoatClaret · Post by **HuncoatClaret** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 10:55 pm

[quote="FCBurnley"]Our kids were 9 and 11 when we moved to America and they had to learn how to spell American. Fortunately my computer corrects my English to American which is good for emails here but not in UK.

Why do exiles always refer to England as the UK? and don't say that it's quicker to type.

Juan Tanamera · Post by **Juan Tanamera** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:13 pm

Mom.
Hun.

Spiral · Post by **Spiral** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:16 pm

HuncoatClaret wrote:Why do exiles always refer to England as the UK? and don't say that it's quicker to type.

These days you get arrested and thrown in jail if you say you're English.

cricketfield73 · Post by **cricketfield73** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:37 pm

The Americanisms only become annoying when British people first start using them. I think some people just like to be the first to use fashionable language but then it seeps into regular usage and becomes accepted/able. '24/7', 'Can I get...?', 'I'm good' etc.
A reporter on LBC last week stated that Theresa May was "likely to have 'a whole bunch' of ideas...." about something or other. The first time I've heard it used this side of the water. And hopefully the last, though I doubt it.

Wile E Coyote · Post by **Wile E Coyote** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:39 pm

sorry, havent read through all the posts, but Americans say "Meer"

They are trying to say MIRROR !

Not that difficult is it, mirror, but no. ..bloody meer indeed. idiots.

RammyClaret61 · Post by **RammyClaret61** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:05 am

Not read all the posts, but two that get me

My bad.. Bad what???

Also here in Australia they start every answer to a question, and even just some random sentences with..

Yeh Nah..

Did you enjoy the game? Yeh, nah it was good!

Spiral · Post by **Spiral** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:17 am

Liar. In Australia they start every answer to a question by swatting away a tarantula.

Wile E Coyote · Post by **Wile E Coyote** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:18 am

the gits that start speaking with "So" not certain it was the americans, but i suspect as much.
Also A "bunch of" meaning a lot, or a few. Yes, it has crept in over here for quite a while now.
As above, the people who say GUYS, i choose to ignore anyone who says that.

Spiral · Post by **Spiral** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:26 am

To me, beginning a sentence with "so" elicits a sense of continuity; a sort of bridge between two interlocutors. It's engaging, as though to say "I hear what you have said, and this is my response". It sounds polite.

Spiral · Post by **Spiral** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:48 am

If anyone is genuinely interested in this sort of thing, the principle of linguistic relativity is worth exploring. Granted this thread is, strictly speaking, discussing phrasing and not language; nevertheless linguistic relativity is a concept explored in Denis Villeneuve's masterpiece 'Arrival', a film I'd highly recommend if you have two hours to spare tonight. Here's a link if you're cheap like me. https://hdonline.to/watch/arrival-17894?ep=552661" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

South West Claret. · Post by **South West Claret.** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:55 am

People who say how "cool" things are, I then answer actually I'm just right.

AshevilleNCClaret · Post by **AshevilleNCClaret** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 2:39 am

We've never truly forgiven you for unleashing the spice girls on us...

But thanks for thomas's English muffins!

South West Claret. · Post by **South West Claret.** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:35 am

People who write dunno instead of don't know on message boards, probably just slang rather then an Americanism.

SammyBoy · Post by **SammyBoy** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:22 am

When I started at Uni I remember 'Hey guys!' driving me crazy, I just got used to it though and I say it all the time now.

South West Claret. · Post by **South West Claret.** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:54 am

Baaaaar

mikeS · Post by **mikeS** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:55 am

Aluminum instead of Aluminium.
Nucear instead of nuclear
Bigly. I still don't know what Trump meant by that.

Quicknick · Post by **Quicknick** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:00 pm

Nucear? Are you sure?

Sarum · Post by **Sarum** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:02 pm

On the BBC etc "research" is nowadays routinely pronounced, North American style, as Reesearch, instead of rersearch.

And maybe something else to "look forward to" one day: hearing all about Burnley's Deefence.

BFCmaj · Post by **BFCmaj** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:23 pm

Wile E Coyote wrote:sorry, havent read through all the posts, but Americans say "Meer"

They are trying to say MIRROR !

Not that difficult is it, mirror, but no. ..bloody meer indeed. idiots.

And squirl instead of squirrel.

mikeS · Post by **mikeS** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:46 pm

Nucear was George W Bush's take on it.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:21 pm

when anyone says things like: "...and I'm like 'wow', and he's like 'I know', so I'm like 'that's gross', and he's like 'your so fragile', and I'm like....."
Also the phrases Trump Tower and Trump Pence.

claret3561 · Post by **claret3561** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:42 pm

Don't know if it's an Americanism or not but I really hate it when all the mini gangsters say axe instead of ask

ClaretEngineer · Post by **ClaretEngineer** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:53 pm

claret3561 wrote:Don't know if it's an Americanism or not but I really hate it when all the mini gangsters say axe instead of ask

Now that really is stupid and one really does annoy me.

FCBurnley · Post by **FCBurnley** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 4:59 pm

Lot of the `Americanisms` are just accent, probably no different to North ans Sauf of England. My accent is definitely Burnley but Americans think I am from Australia !

Top Claret · Post by **Top Claret** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 7:20 pm

No different than hearing Lancastrians saying Manc terms like mithered and bobbins.

ontario claret · Post by **ontario claret** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:32 pm

The "going up" at the end of a sentence is actually a Canadianism, because it's almost always followed by "eh?", which is actually an invitation to respond to what the speaker has just said. That, and the way we pronounce "out", is how you recognize a Canadian, apparently. I wouldn't know, myself, eh?

ontario claret · Post by **ontario claret** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:35 pm

Actually, I find Burnley pronunciations to be very close to Canadian pronunciations because of their "flatness". I think that is because so many of the original settlers around here came from the north of England.

ontario claret · Post by **ontario claret** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:54 pm

It's not just English that has been "modernized". In 1947, Danish was re-invented, with silent "gg"s at the end of words being dropped. I think this is where all of those silent "ugh"s, like Scarborough, Middlesbrough, and Loughborough come from. It's no coincidence that most of them are in the Danelaw.

Imploding Turtle · Post by **Imploding Turtle** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:26 am

ontario claret wrote:Actually, I find Burnley pronunciations to be very close to Canadian pronunciations because of their "flatness". I think that is because so many of the original settlers around here came from the north of England.

So you're saying they're aboot the same?

Darnhill Claret · Post by **Darnhill Claret** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:48 am

I like the English phrase of four words that is shortened by us both. They use the first two words, we use the last two words.

'(A) Good job, well done'.

Quicknick · Post by **Quicknick** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:04 am

Darnhill Claret wrote:I like the English phrase of four words that is shortened by us both. They use the first two words, we use the last two words.

'(A) Good job, well done'.

You couldn't explain what the hell you are on about, would you?

Darnhill Claret · Post by **Darnhill Claret** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 3:05 am

Quicknick, I'm hoping you've heard the expression, 'good job, well done'.

Over here, if we wish to congratulate a person on an achievment, we often say 'well done'.

Over there, if they wish to congratulate a person on an achievment, they say, 'good job'.

Claretforshaw · Post by **Claretforshaw** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:38 am

Up coming rather than up and coming. I ask my Grandson how he is and he says "Good".The worst though, as mentioned a couple of times already is "Can I get".

the_fat_shearer · Post by **the_fat_shearer** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:51 am

It doesn't bother me so much but many English people now say "skedule" instead of the British "shedule" for schedule.

Claret above has it right though with like all the likes and I was like and he was like and like you know like...

Darnhill Claret · Post by **Darnhill Claret** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:08 am

I thought all the 'likes' were just scouse.

Imploding Turtle · Post by **Imploding Turtle** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:55 am

There's some anti-Americanism going on in this thread. If bfcjg had his way we'd all be in Guantanamo by now.

No Ney Never · Post by **No Ney Never** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:27 am

So this is where the guys from Burnley soccer club hang out. Y'all know you dudes need to get on board with this American sh*t, it's a taken over the world. Aint no maaaan give a daaaam what you speak so long as it's American, know what I'm saying!

KateR · Post by **KateR** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:43 am

you guys all need to get a life (except FCBurnley)
it's a language, and the majority of you do not speak English really, some kind of derivative of the English language maybe, but go 20 miles (conservative) and most people laugh, accent and words you use, but of course much easier to pick on a whole nation I suppose.

You must surely recognize you are all in the minority regarding the use of the English language and the words you use in everyday conversation.

As in England there are numerous ways American is spoken, plus states that are laughed at, much in the way Yorkshire & Lancashire are laughed at by many other parts of the UK.

And as in regard to using UK to describe where you come from only Scots use Scotland, Welsh use Wales and you can guess the NI response, but English tend to use the correct term of the UK, while GB is much better known it is never referred to.

Ya'all have a good day now