Friday grumble - "Americanisms"

[Perry Milkins]

TomAYtoes - NO It's just tomatoes.

Check - Cheque

Route pronounced ROUT.....WHY?:thud:

Not in the CB classic Root 66 not Rout 66...?

 

[bhaexpress]

Not in the CB classic Root 66 not Rout 66...?

That's a very good point. Route 66 runs through Oklahoma and to give you some idea of just how dull the place is Okies quite often take you to that road just so that you have stood on 'ROUTE 66'. They always call it 'Route 66'.

 

[Superphil]

I read somewhere that apparently Americans use "Can I get" as opposed to "Can I have" because they take "Can I have" to mean for nothing, as in free.

Surely it should be "May I Get" or "May I Have"

Anyone "Can" As in "Can I get a Ham Salad Sandwich" (really Al). The answer is probably yes you can.

The same as I can fart in a meeting, whether I will or not is another matter. However, If I ask "May I fart during this meeting?" Then the answer will advise me whether I should fart or not.

So remember chaps, it's "May I Get a Double Whopper Big Mac Zinger with Large Fries" not "Can I get...."

 

[Brovion]

...
PS. I think you'll find that Dickens travelled extensively in America. If Brovian thinks that he traveled extensively in the US, that's up to him. I guess.

When there is a difference between British and American spellings you should ALWAYS use the American spelling. That's just common sense.

*Dusts hands and walks away from the thread whistling*

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

I read somewhere that apparently Americans use "Can I get" as opposed to "Can I have" because they take "Can I have" to mean for nothing, as in free.

The "Can I have/ can I get" question to me is lost on the Americans, they are using it in the wrong context, for example if you said "Can I get a pint of Harveys please?" to me that means you are asking the person serving whether you can actually get the pint yourself. Does this make sense?
When I was at primary school and I asked my teacher, "Sir can I go to the toilet please?" his reply was "I don't know can you?". I was always told that correct way to ask was" Sir may I go to the toilet please?"
Am I correct?

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

I have just seen Superphil's post and he seems to agree with me.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

When there is a difference between British and American spellings you should ALWAYS use the American spelling. That's just common sense.

*Dusts hands and walks away from the thread whistling*

Why should we? We are English, we invented the bloody language, why should we use the American spelling when are supposed to be taught the British way to spell English words?

 

[Jahooli]

It annoys me beyond reason when I am asked to fill OUT a form.
I thought the only meaning of filling out was getting fatter.
I lay all the blame on the U.S.A. for that one.

Going back to TLO's earlier comment about tautology, one that really rankles is sufficient enough as in you haven't given me sufficient enough money.
For goodness sake! Sufficient is sufficient and enough IS ENOUGH!
I think that one is just general everyday ignorance.
Have I just been tautological then? And then?

 

[bhaexpress]

Why should we? We are English, we invented the bloody language, why should we use the American spelling when are supposed to be taught the British way to spell English words?

When you say we invented the language you forget that we nicked large chunks of it from other people,

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

When you say we invented the language you forget that we nicked large chunks of it from other people,

We invented the language by nicking bits from other languages all over the world!
Happy now?!!!

 

[British Bulldog]

Why should we? We are English, we invented the bloody language, why should we use the American spelling when are supposed to be taught the British way to spell English words?

Because this is now multi-cultural Britain so we have to learn to embrace other language's as well as culture's.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Because this is now multi-cultural Britain so we have to learn to embrace other language's as well as culture's.

But American English is the same language as British English, except they can't spell words correctly!
I will keep trying to use British English for as long as possible, although it is hard today with so much American culture around us.

 

[Superphil]

I have just seen Superphil's post and he seems to agree with me.

I do indeed.

When you say we invented the language you forget that we nicked large chunks of it from other people,

English is a huge bastardisation of many languages. Much as it pains me to mention this, apparently, tradtional and true English is closer to the Welsh language

So, Mlly I Gllet a Hllam Sandwyllch is probably more suitable

 

[Nibble]

Am I right in saying that our language is based less on Latin and more on Germanic/Nordic languages?

 

[bhaexpress]

But American English is the same language as British English, except they can't spell words correctly!
I will keep trying to use British English for as long as possible, although it is hard today with so much American culture around us.

I know from my time there I used to make a point of being as English as possible using words like 'mate' and 'bloke' as the Americans used to love it.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Am I right in saying that our language is based less on Latin and more on Germanic/Nordic languages?

Taken off Wikipedia with the American spelling of organisations:

English is an Indo-European, West Germanic language originating in England, and is the first language for most people in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the Anglophone Caribbean. It is used extensively as a second language and as an official language throughout the world, especially in Commonwealth countries and in many international organizations.

 

[Nibble]

Taken off Wikipedia with the American spelling of organisations:

English is an Indo-European, West Germanic language originating in England, and is the first language for most people in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the Anglophone Caribbean. It is used extensively as a second language and as an official language throughout the world, especially in Commonwealth countries and in many international organizations.

thanks

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

I know from my time there I used to make a point of being as English as possible using words like 'mate' and 'bloke' as the Americans used to love it.

When talking about a group of males instead of staying guys I try to say chaps, lads or blokes.

 

[Wozza]

But EVERYONE in this thread uses Americanisms, such as:

everyday
blackmail
hijacking
(go on a) bender
cool
weed [tobacco]
back out
come clean
boost
the thick of it
no odds
disc jockey
bulldoze
get the hang of
under the weather

 

[Nibble]

It's not really expressions that bother me it is when something is just inaccurate.