|
Source: (consider it)
|
Thread: Is English really swimming both ways?
|
Mama Thomas
Shipmate
# 10170
|
Posted
Britishisms and the Britishisation of American English
Well, Brits love to freak out at any perceived Americanisms and would never have American voice overs for products. Americans always have British people of various accents to make something sound classy. Aussies and Kiwis often seem proud to use new slang from either side of the Atlantic. Canadian accents sound educated and fair.
Formerly, Americans using any other kind of English was thought pretentious, now we're all queuing up for the lift.
Lasting trend? Temporary blip? Your experience?
[ETA tidy code, DT Host]
[ 27. September 2012, 19:51: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
--------------------
All hearts are open, all desires known
Posts: 3742 | From: Somewhere far away | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
no prophet's flag is set so...
Proceed to see sea
# 15560
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
There is some push-back though.
"We're sorry, currently out video library can only be streamed within the United States...."
--------------------
Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.
\_(ツ)_/
Posts: 11498 | From: Treaty 6 territory in the nonexistant Province of Buffalo, Canada ↄ⃝' | Registered: Mar 2010
| IP: Logged
|
|
Og, King of Bashan
Ship's giant Amorite
# 9562
|
Posted
I think the pretension reaction still exists. I have heard at least one blogger go off on Americans who say they went to "University" rather than "College," although that one is probably acceptable in cross-pond discussions like this one.
--------------------
"I like to eat crawfish and drink beer. That's despair?" ― Walker Percy
Posts: 3259 | From: Denver, Colorado, USA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Zach82
Shipmate
# 3208
|
Posted
Botheration. This here has a link to the video at the NBC site, though that is likely to have the same problems.
It's a trailer for a fake British movie where the actors' accents are so cockneyfied as to be completely incomprehensible.
--------------------
Don't give up yet, no, don't ever quit/ There's always a chance of a critical hit. Ghost Mice
Posts: 9148 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
hilaryg
Shipmate
# 11690
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
It's a trailer for a fake British movie where the actors' accents are so cockneyfied as to be completely incomprehensible.
Mary Poppins?!
Posts: 261 | From: back home in England | Registered: Jul 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
Zach82
Shipmate
# 3208
|
Posted
Newp, 'nother one.
True fact: the first time I hear the term "ginger" in reference to a red haired person was on Dr. Who.
--------------------
Don't give up yet, no, don't ever quit/ There's always a chance of a critical hit. Ghost Mice
Posts: 9148 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Mama Thomas
Shipmate
# 10170
|
Posted
Well, the British have had a lot of American television and films but the reverse hasn't been true to same extent.
Americans usually Yankify any English television hit instead of simply importing it. But with BBC America, a lot of British TV shows are getting exposure.
They Yankified Harry Potter, but many purists found a way to get the original JK Rowling version (wonder if her new book will be in the original Queen's English or translated for Americans who don't know "colour" is "color."
I've lived so long in worlds that aim for the Queen's Speech I still say "Isaiah" with an Eye-a and reach for a "torch" but am looking forward to the day that we all speak and spell like the Canadians, who seem to have the best of both worlds.
--------------------
All hearts are open, all desires known
Posts: 3742 | From: Somewhere far away | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
|
Posted
I once compared two versions of a book by Diana Wynne Jones, called, over here, "Wilkin's Tooth", and in the States "Witch's Business" which rather gave the game away about a central character.
Part of the USAing of the text was the way that the swearing of the nastier children was represented. In the British books, colour words such as blue, purple orange were used. In the States, these dangerous words were replaced by internal organs, such as liver, spleen, intestines. This made the comment about the air turning blue as the gang came down the road rather obscure.
Her book "Archer's Goon" was released over here with sidewalks, fenders, tires, trunks and so on, in what appeared to be a British town.
I'll be glad if that stops.
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
| IP: Logged
|
|
Zach82
Shipmate
# 3208
|
Posted
You Brits might as well know that Americans find your accents unbearably sexy, and believe absolutely anything you say is Shakespeare. It's alarming that you find our accent so classless, but that's the way of things.
--------------------
Don't give up yet, no, don't ever quit/ There's always a chance of a critical hit. Ghost Mice
Posts: 9148 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Mama Thomas:
They Yankified Harry Potter, but many purists found a way to get the original JK Rowling version...
I bought all of mine from W.H.Smith or amazon.co.uk.
(The American publisher even changed the title of the first book.)
--------------------
"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Cara
Shipmate
# 16966
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Penny S:
I once compared two versions of a book by Diana Wynne Jones, called, over here, "Wilkin's Tooth", and in the States "Witch's Business" which rather gave the game away about a central character.
Part of the USAing of the text was the way that the swearing of the nastier children was represented. In the British books, colour words such as blue, purple orange were used. In the States, these dangerous words were replaced by internal organs, such as liver, spleen, intestines. This made the comment about the air turning blue as the gang came down the road rather obscure.
Her book "Archer's Goon" was released over here with sidewalks, fenders, tires, trunks and so on, in what appeared to be a British town.
I'll be glad if that stops.
Yes yes yes, oh my God this drives me nuts!!!! Lived in the US for many years and would find myself reading stories supposedly set in England where there was a mailbox, etc etc
Oh dear, hobby horse alert, don't get me started.
Cara
--------------------
Pondering.
Posts: 898 | Registered: Feb 2012
| IP: Logged
|
|
mousethief
Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953
|
Posted
I wondered about the first Harry Potter book: If they were afraid Americans weren't going to get the Briticisms why not put a small glossary at the back?
--------------------
This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...
Posts: 63536 | From: Washington | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Zach82
Shipmate
# 3208
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
I wondered about the first Harry Potter book: If they were afraid Americans weren't going to get the Briticisms why not put a small glossary at the back?
Because the American media always and everywhere assume that the American public is unfathomably stupid.
'least that's my guess.
[ 27. September 2012, 19:26: Message edited by: Zach82 ]
--------------------
Don't give up yet, no, don't ever quit/ There's always a chance of a critical hit. Ghost Mice
Posts: 9148 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Cara
Shipmate
# 16966
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
You Brits might as well know that Americans find your accents unbearably sexy, and believe absolutely anything you say is Shakespeare. It's alarming that you find our accent so classless, but that's the way of things.
Nice of you to say so--but I don't know how Americans continue to find British accents attractive, since Disney and other filmmakers have done their very best to associate the British accent with evil!
Jungle book--Shere Khan, evil--British accent.
Mowgli, Baloo etc etc--good--American accents.
That's just one example--as is well-known, there are many many more.
Anyway, if Britishisms are finally crossing the pond after years of one-way traffic in the other direction, great!
Cara
--------------------
Pondering.
Posts: 898 | Registered: Feb 2012
| IP: Logged
|
|
hilaryg
Shipmate
# 11690
|
Posted
As a Brit currently working in the US, I am doing my bit to introduce words and phrases such as "spot on", "brilliant", "job's a good'un" and "fortnight" into the general vocabulary of the office. I am having less luck with general phrases like "what's that got to do with the price of fish", "don't keep us in suspenders" and "they know the square root of ****-all".
I am having an unconscious effect on some of my colleagues - one started pronouncing a couple of words the British way. Can't remember which they were now - might be something like controversy or advertisement or schedule. Though I do remember the frustrated "goshdarnit" from the other side of the cubicle when they realised. ![[Devil]](graemlins/devil.gif)
Being someone who usually picks up the local accent wherever I live, I am ensuring a daily diet of The Archers and Radcliffe and Maconie on Radio 6 in an attempt to stave off a Lloyd Grossman style mid-Atlantic drawl....
Posts: 261 | From: back home in England | Registered: Jul 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
monkeylizard
Ship's scurvy
# 952
|
Posted
Too much Mike and Edd from "Wheeler Dealer" have me getting things "sorted", though I don't think I'll ever call the light-weight metal "al-u-min-i-um"
[ 27. September 2012, 20:51: Message edited by: monkeylizard ]
--------------------
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. ~ Herbert Spencer (1820 - 1903)
Posts: 2201 | From: Music City, USA | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Banner Lady
Ship's Ensign
# 10505
|
Posted
And I will never fathom why anyone would leave the 'i' out of aluminium when it's clearly not aluminum in the periodic table.
The only thing I am envious about is the way the Americans have held on to using imperial measurements. I still use both metric and imperial when sewing, but will never be able to estimate length entirely accurately in metric terms. In yards and inches however, I am still spot on. Or full stop on. Period. ![[Ultra confused]](graemlins/confused2.gif)
--------------------
Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.
Posts: 7080 | From: Canberra Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Ariston
Insane Unicorn
# 10894
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Cara:
quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
You Brits might as well know that Americans find your accents unbearably sexy, and believe absolutely anything you say is Shakespeare. It's alarming that you find our accent so classless, but that's the way of things.
Nice of you to say so--but I don't know how Americans continue to find British accents attractive, since Disney and other filmmakers have done their very best to associate the British accent with evil!
Jungle book--Shere Khan, evil--British accent.
Mowgli, Baloo etc etc--good--American accents.
Evil is sexy. That's all you need to know.
--------------------
“Therefore, let it be explained that nowhere are the proprieties quite so strictly enforced as in men’s colleges that invite young women guests, especially over-night visitors in the fraternity houses.” Emily Post, 1937.
Posts: 6849 | From: The People's Republic of Balcones | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
Zach82
Shipmate
# 3208
|
Posted
quote:
Evil is sexy. That's all you need to know.
English people yelling at Americans is a whole genre of American television these days.
quote:
And I will never fathom why anyone would leave the 'i' out of aluminium when it's clearly not aluminum in the periodic table.
I was curious about it enough to look it up. If the Wikipedia entry for aluminum is to be believed, both spellings become common because of completely stupid reasons.
--------------------
Don't give up yet, no, don't ever quit/ There's always a chance of a critical hit. Ghost Mice
Posts: 9148 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Sober Preacher's Kid
Presbymethegationalist
# 12699
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
Something has to contain the dreaded "Northern Cities Vowel Shift."
There is some push-back though.
That would be the Canadian border; linguists have searched for any trace of it up here but can't find any.
quote:
Canadian accents sound educated and fair.
That's what drives the call-centre industry here. Such centres often service American calls exclusively.
--------------------
NDP Federal Convention Ottawa 2018: A random assortment of Prots and Trots.
Posts: 7646 | From: Peterborough, Upper Canada | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
Og, King of Bashan
Ship's giant Amorite
# 9562
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Banner Lady:
And I will never fathom why anyone would leave the 'i' out of aluminium when it's clearly not aluminum in the periodic table.
The only thing I am envious about is the way the Americans have held on to using imperial measurements. I still use both metric and imperial when sewing, but will never be able to estimate length entirely accurately in metric terms. In yards and inches however, I am still spot on. Or full stop on. Period.
That is an entire tangent, but when you aren't making precise mathematical calculations with your measurements, but rather estimating, imperial measurements make sense. I can gesture an inch, a foot, and a yard easily, and describe a mile quite easily. I use metric units in my brewing, especially when adding hops, which you tend to add in fractions of ounces, making grams much easier to work with. But for general estimation, you can't beat a system that was based on everyday experiences, ease of calculation be damned.
--------------------
"I like to eat crawfish and drink beer. That's despair?" ― Walker Percy
Posts: 3259 | From: Denver, Colorado, USA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Jahlove
Tied to the mast
# 10290
|
Posted
I love the ebb-and-flow assimilation of words and phrases especially (since I've never met an Aussie I didn't like), the wonderfully-colourful stuff from the world's biggest island. I think that anyone who says they don't understand *American English* is either (i) lying (ii) has no TV/internet (iii) a pompous asshole. Doesn't really work the other way, though; imo, Americans who affect what they imagine to be Genuwyne Englishisms (which are usually quaint at best, archaic at worst and which absolutely no UK native would ever use except ironically or unless quoting P G Wodehouse), presumably to impress those of their countrymen who think it denotes some sort of Superior Intellect, just show themselves to be ludicrous twats. ![[Disappointed]](graemlins/disappointed.gif)
What annoys me is true ignorance of spleling & grammer - you can has only play wif these if you actually understand da rules innit.
--------------------
“Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.” - Mark Twain
Posts: 6477 | From: Alice's Restaurant (UK Franchise) | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Sober Preacher's Kid
Presbymethegationalist
# 12699
|
Posted
Canada always got the full British version of Harry Potter. We always got the British covers to the Aubrey/Maturin series too, the Americans had different ones.
I only live a run and a swim north of the United States too, close enough to pick up American radio stations in my car.
--------------------
NDP Federal Convention Ottawa 2018: A random assortment of Prots and Trots.
Posts: 7646 | From: Peterborough, Upper Canada | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
no prophet's flag is set so...
Proceed to see sea
# 15560
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sober Preacher's Kid:
Canada always got the full British version of Harry Potter. We always got the British covers to the Aubrey/Maturin series too, the Americans had different ones.
I only live a run and a swim north of the United States too, close enough to pick up American radio stations in my car.
Harry Potter was published by Raincoast Books here. A Canadian publisher - managed to fend off Scholastic. Not sure about Patrick O'Brien's books, as all of mine are second hand bookshop set of the UK publishers. I couldn't locate the name of his Cdn publisher but suspect it is either a sub of the UK one, or specifically Canuck.
I'm sorry you like so close to the border and have to swim and run over it. They have made travel so much more difficult haven't they these days! ![[Biased]](wink.gif)
Posts: 11498 | From: Treaty 6 territory in the nonexistant Province of Buffalo, Canada ↄ⃝' | Registered: Mar 2010
| IP: Logged
|
|
Zach82
Shipmate
# 3208
|
Posted
I don't know how much difference the Americanisms make, but the American covers of Harry Potter are better. Just sayin'.
--------------------
Don't give up yet, no, don't ever quit/ There's always a chance of a critical hit. Ghost Mice
Posts: 9148 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Piglet
Islander
# 11803
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Mama Thomas:
... Americans always have British people of various accents to make something sound classy ...
Quite right too.
--------------------
I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
Mama Thomas
Shipmate
# 10170
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
I don't know how much difference the Americanisms make, but the American covers of Harry Potter are better. Just sayin'.
I really beg to differ!!!
--------------------
All hearts are open, all desires known
Posts: 3742 | From: Somewhere far away | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Sober Preacher's Kid
Presbymethegationalist
# 12699
|
Posted
There was a movie about the X-Craft midget submarine attempt to sink the Tirpitz, they had a big-name American actor. It was an entirely British event. They cast the actor as a Canadian and so stuck a "Canada" scroll on his shoulder to turn his Royal Naval Reserve uniform in to a Royal Canadian Naval Reserve uniform.
Cheap, eh?
--------------------
NDP Federal Convention Ottawa 2018: A random assortment of Prots and Trots.
Posts: 7646 | From: Peterborough, Upper Canada | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
Lyda*Rose
Ship's broken porthole
# 4544
|
Posted
For my own "English Invasion", I blame the Ship and Bookworm. Sure Bookworm uses American spelling, but you wouldn't believe the number of British-isms I've had to look up.
Some of the British-isms I've heard all my life (close to 60 years ![[Frown]](frown.gif) ): - "Called Joe"- a phrasology I've used since elementary school
- "sell by date"- the food packages say "sell by" so it's "sell by date", natch
- ""Will do"- must have come into the US from WWII. Veterans use it.
Love the words "trendy" and "one off" and "Pond".
I just consider us following the great English tradition of collecting words from hither and yon and having fun with them. Words from anywhere don't need no stinking referees to enter the English language on the streets. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
--------------------
"Dear God, whose name I do not know - thank you for my life. I forgot how BIG... thank you. Thank you for my life." ~from Joe Vs the Volcano
Posts: 21377 | From: CA | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged
|
|
Timothy the Obscure
Mostly Friendly
# 292
|
Posted
Yes indeed--the last thing we want is some Anglo/American version of the Academie Francaise (I don't know how to do accents in UBB) ruling words in or out. English is the world's great pirate language--we'll steal from anybody. Even ourselves. No apologies.
--------------------
When you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion.
- C. P. Snow
Posts: 6114 | From: PDX | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Sober Preacher's Kid
Presbymethegationalist
# 12699
|
Posted
"English does not borrow words from other languages; it corners other languages in dark alleys, beats them senseless and rifles their pockets for loose bits of vocabulary."
I forget who said that but it's true.
--------------------
NDP Federal Convention Ottawa 2018: A random assortment of Prots and Trots.
Posts: 7646 | From: Peterborough, Upper Canada | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sober Preacher's Kid:
Canada always got the full British version of Harry Potter. We always got the British covers to the Aubrey/Maturin series too, the Americans had different ones.
Back when I worked for a publishing company, if a book originated in the U.S. and the rights were sold to a U.K. publisher, the U.S. publisher kept the Canadian rights. If the U.K. publisher sold it to a U.S. publisher, then the U.K. publisher kept the Canadian rights.
(FWIW, I also prefer the British covers on the Harry Potter books.)
--------------------
"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
|
Posted
I've noticed the affected glottal stop in pop songs.
Katie Perry's current "I'm wide awake" has a line "on the concre'e".
--------------------
Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Lyda*Rose
Ship's broken porthole
# 4544
|
Posted
I blame Madonna.
--------------------
"Dear God, whose name I do not know - thank you for my life. I forgot how BIG... thank you. Thank you for my life." ~from Joe Vs the Volcano
Posts: 21377 | From: CA | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged
|
|
Morlader
Shipmate
# 16040
|
Posted
One has to be so careful when one criticises someone else's English, doesn't one?
quote:
Originally posted by Jahlove:
clip.. I think that anyone who says they don't understand *American English* is either (i) lying (ii) has no TV/internet (iii) a pompous asshole. clip..
What annoys me is true ignorance of spleling & grammer - you can has only play wif these if you actually understand da rules innit.
"Either" of three alternatives is bad grammar. And "..can has.."?
[ 28. September 2012, 07:16: Message edited by: Morlader ]
--------------------
.. to utmost west.
Posts: 858 | From: Not England | Registered: Nov 2010
| IP: Logged
|
|
Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Morlader:
And "..can has.."?
This is not a proper sentence. Besides, my primary school teacher Miss Cahill's advice to me was "Never start a sentence with 'but', 'and', or 'because'."
--------------------
Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
The Great Gumby
Ship's Brain Surgeon
# 10989
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Eutychus:
quote:
Originally posted by Morlader:
And "..can has.."?
This is not a proper sentence. Besides, my primary school teacher Miss Cahill's advice to me was "Never start a sentence with 'but', 'and', or 'because'."
But why not?
Seriously, this is one of those things that gets taught to people at a certain age for some unspecified reason, and then becomes fossilised in their minds as The Rules with no understanding of what the reasoning was (if there ever was a good reason), so that they don't know when it's acceptable to break it. (Declaration of interest: I do all of these, pretty much all the time). I bet she also taught you never to split an infinitive, didn't she?
English is a mongrel language, which is one of its greatest assets, but that doesn't mean I'm going to like it when people use it in what I consider the "wrong" way. I'm inconsistent. So sue me.
--------------------
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. - Richard Feynman
A letter to my son about death
Posts: 5382 | From: Home for shot clergy spouses | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
LeRoc
Famous Dutch pirate
# 3216
|
Posted
quote:
Eutychus: This is not a proper sentence. Besides, my primary school teacher Miss Cahill's advice to me was "Never start a sentence with 'but', 'and', or 'because'."
I start a lot of sentences with 'and' on the Ship. When I do I always wonder: is this right?
--------------------
I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)
Posts: 9474 | From: Brazil / Africa | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Pre-cambrian
Shipmate
# 2055
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by The Great Gumby:
But why not?
Seriously, this is one of those things that gets taught to people at a certain age for some unspecified reason, and then becomes fossilised in their minds as The Rules with no understanding of what the reasoning was (if there ever was a good reason), so that they don't know when it's acceptable to break it. (Declaration of interest: I do all of these, pretty much all the time). I bet she also taught you never to split an infinitive, didn't she?
A missive came down from our Secretary of State's office a few weeks ago with the new Secretary of State's instructions on how to write English. Teaching civil servants to suck eggs basically. Not starting sentences with an "and" or "but" was on the list.
--------------------
"We cannot leave the appointment of Bishops to the Holy Ghost, because no one is confident that the Holy Ghost would understand what makes a good Church of England bishop."
Posts: 2314 | From: Croydon | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Morlader
Shipmate
# 16040
|
Posted
"And, but, because"
It depends on who you are writing for - or for whom you are writing . Major newspapers and the BBC have style guides which cover this sort of thing. A book by Bill Bryson "Troublesome Words" even bridges the pond.
Personally, I wouldn't start a sentence with "because" because "because" usually starts a subordinate clause. But (!) it is possible to construct a perfectly acceptable (to me) sentence starting with "because", e.g.
Because word order in English is variable, this is a 'good' sentence.
But either of more than two is always wrong.
--------------------
.. to utmost west.
Posts: 858 | From: Not England | Registered: Nov 2010
| IP: Logged
|
|
Jahlove
Tied to the mast
# 10290
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Morlader:
One has to be so careful when one criticises someone else's English, doesn't one?
quote:
Originally posted by Jahlove:
clip.. I think that anyone who says they don't understand *American English* is either (i) lying (ii) has no TV/internet (iii) a pompous asshole. clip..
What annoys me is true ignorance of spleling & grammer - you can has only play wif these if you actually understand da rules innit.
"Either" of three alternatives is bad grammar. And "..can has.."?
U does not win cheezburger
--------------------
“Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.” - Mark Twain
Posts: 6477 | From: Alice's Restaurant (UK Franchise) | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
quote:
Eutychus: This is not a proper sentence. Besides, my primary school teacher Miss Cahill's advice to me was "Never start a sentence with 'but', 'and', or 'because'."
I start a lot of sentences with 'and' on the Ship. When I do I always wonder: is this right?
Does it sound wrong to you as a native English speaker? Then no, it isn't. Language is defined by the linguistic community, not rules in a book.
--------------------
Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Paul.
Shipmate
# 37
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
I don't know how much difference the Americanisms make, but the American covers of Harry Potter are better. Just sayin'.
And when the ebooks finally came out they retained the illustrations that had been in the print versions and had a different font which many found more pleasing.
Some enterprising souls went to the trouble of trying to combine the UK text with the US fonts/illustrations.
Posts: 3690 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged
|
|
Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
|
Posted
Back to aluminium - I had understood that there was once a conference on standardising (zing?) spelling of scientific terms, and some Britishisms (e.g. sulphur, foetus) were switched to American (sulfur, fetus) and some Americanisms (e.g. aluminum) were switched to British (aluminium), which is why British journals refer to sulfur and fetuses, but does not explain why American journals still refer to aluminum.
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
| IP: Logged
|
|
Jonah the Whale
Ship's pet cetacean
# 1244
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
I start a lot of sentences with 'and' on the Ship. When I do I always wonder: is this right?
Does it sound wrong to you as a native English speaker? Then no, it isn't. Language is defined by the linguistic community, not rules in a book.
But LeRoc is Dutch, although you can't tell he's not a native speaker from his posts. Still, I agree with your point.
Posts: 2799 | From: Nether Regions | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
LeRoc
Famous Dutch pirate
# 3216
|
Posted
quote:
Jonah the Whale: But LeRoc is Dutch, although you can't tell he's not a native speaker from his posts.
Thanks ![[Hot and Hormonal]](icon_redface.gif) I guess I still make some errors.
(And extra points for starting your sentence with 'but' )
--------------------
I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)
Posts: 9474 | From: Brazil / Africa | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Zach82
Shipmate
# 3208
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Penny S:
Back to aluminium - I had understood that there was once a conference on standardising (zing?) spelling of scientific terms, and some Britishisms (e.g. sulphur, foetus) were switched to American (sulfur, fetus) and some Americanisms (e.g. aluminum) were switched to British (aluminium), which is why British journals refer to sulfur and fetuses, but does not explain why American journals still refer to aluminum.
Both endings are used for different elements. Ex: potassium, calcium/ molybdenum, tantalum, platinum. Basically, the British went with ~ium because it sounded fancier (really), and the Americans with with ~um because the guy who first sold it thought it was easier to say (really).
--------------------
Don't give up yet, no, don't ever quit/ There's always a chance of a critical hit. Ghost Mice
Posts: 9148 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
snowgoose
Silly goose
# 4394
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Lyda*Rose:
Some of the British-isms I've heard all my life (close to 60 years ): - "Called Joe"- a phrasology I've used since elementary school
- "sell by date"- the food packages say "sell by" so it's "sell by date", natch
- ""Will do"- must have come into the US from WWII. Veterans use it.
"Called Joe"? I don't know that one. How is it used? As for the other two, I had no idea that they were originally British.
There are words/phrases that are just so useful it is hard not to adopt them; for example, "one off" (as LR notes) and the indispensable "y'all." I can't think of any American word that works as well for the job as "Blimey." ("Holy cow" sounds old-fashioned and a bit forced.) "Queue up" and "lift" are, in my opinion, less clumsy sounding than "stand in line" and "elevator." On the other hand, I am not likely to replace "crosswalk" with "zebra crossing."
There does seem to more of this back-and-forth word (and culture) exchange, and there will be even more as time goes by. The world is a lot smaller than it was before Facebook and websites like the Ship. As we share our culture, we share our words. With any luck both culture and language will be enriched.
--------------------
Lord, what can the harvest hope for, if not for the care of the Reaper Man? --Terry Pratchett
Save a Siamese!
Posts: 3868 | From: Tidewater Virginia | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged
|
|
jbohn
Shipmate
# 8753
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Lyda*Rose:
For my own "English Invasion", I blame the Ship and Bookworm.
I blame PBS running old Britcoms for mine. And Snatch. Particularly the last- something/one being worth "****-all" has become ingrained...
--------------------
We are punished by our sins, not for them.
--Elbert Hubbard
Posts: 989 | From: East of Eden, west of St. Paul | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
Printer-friendly view
