Americanism

Talk to the hand! ......the face aint listnin`:facepalm:
 
W'eva!
 
There is nothing new under the sun...
George Bernard Shaw said
" England and America are two countries separated by a common language"

And in 1887, Oscar Wilde wrote
"We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language."
☺
 
My personal bug bears being saying " i.e.", "re" and the worst of the lot,
"pecifically / pacifically "
 
Gotten (yes, I know it's an old English word).

Americans like to use alot or allot in place of a lot. But the worst I have seen is prolly instead of probably.


Steve.
 
Last edited:
Surely there's no more difference between any given British and American accent / dialect than there is between cockney and Geordie.
 
simon ess said:
Surely there's no more difference between any given British and American accent / dialect than there is between cockney and Geordie.
Click to expand...
But Geordies and Cockneys are not American, and therein lies the difference.
 
You're not suggesting people don't like aspects of American dialects just because they're American are you?
 
I'm not bothered about accents and dialects. It's the changing of the spelling I don't like. Especially when it shows up over here with people not knowing how things are spelled in their own country.


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
Especially when it shows up over here with people not knowing how things are spelled in their own country.
Click to expand...
I wonder if that's anything to do with the spell checkers, that all seem to default to American "English" ?
 
Ah! two nations divided by one language :)

The lack core knowledge on the part of the Americans (language and global geography) and their apparent education system was well summed up in the single sentence I think was attributed to George W Bush ~ "why don't the French have a word for entrepreneur"
 
simon ess said:
You're not suggesting people don't like aspects of American dialects just because they're American are you?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be surprised. Not me personally, but some people are like that.

Don't get me started on Liverpool accents...
:)
 
Box Brownie said:
Ah! two nations divided by one language :)

The lack core knowledge on the part of the Americans (language and global geography) and their apparent education system was well summed up in the single sentence I think was attributed to George W Bush ~ "why don't the French have a word for entrepreneur"
Click to expand...
Speaking of the French, I always liked this Google result:
View attachment 33736

Speaking of accents, English sounds better, to me, spoken by pretty much anyone from Europe (well, maybe not the Germans!).
 
Cobra said:
Ah yes the Google Bomb :D

View attachment 33743
Click to expand...

:lol: I thought Google had removed the French victories but the Chuck one is a first for me.....especially as his swansong series Walker is showing on Freeview CBS Action channel.

Is there a listing of such Google chuckles?
 
I think 'Americanizms' are tolerable except when British people start using them.
OMF!

An American visitor was telling me about his first visit to a crowded noisy tent at the Oktoberfest. "I walked into the tent, and I'm like Jesus!" Did he grow a beard and wear robes? Did he walk on water? Why was he like Jesus?
 
Last edited:
Box Brownie said:
especially as his swansong series Walker is showing on Freeview CBS Action channel.
Click to expand...
I watched that the other night for the first (And last :D ) time, pretty dire isn't it?
Box Brownie said:
Is there a listing of such Google chuckles?
Click to expand...
I just found that by accident, I don't think there is a list per se.
 
Cobra said:
I watched that the other night for the first (And last :D ) time, pretty dire isn't it?

I just found that by accident, I don't think there is a list per se.
Click to expand...
Re: Chuck and Walker ~ possibly the 'Crossroads' of action adventure series of its day ;)

The current crop of USA detective drama series are in a different league compared to the early period but then again I was a lot younger first time of watching them back then :lol:
 
Box Brownie said:
possibly the 'Crossroads' of action adventure series of its day ;)
Click to expand...
LOL, curiously, I was thinking the same thing as I typed my reply above :D
 
In my experience most Americans I've seen are not very bright. Apart from Lisa. But as I only watch the Simpsons your milage may vary.
 
When I view the US as a country from over here it seems to be a place full of wackos and right wing nutcases. However, I have liked every American I have ever met.


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
When I view the US as a country from over here it seems to be a place full of wackos and right wing nutcases. However, I have liked every American I have ever met.


Steve.
Click to expand...
If you mean the ones who make the effort to travel, yes in the main nice though sometimes quite naïve in the ways of the world. With a goodly number seeing the rest of the world as 'simply' a greater america.

If those that know nothing beyond their town limits let alone the larger USA do make me wonder......especially whether they care what others think about or of them ;)
 
Last edited:
I've lived there.
The everyday Americans I have known have been no different to the people I've known here.
Stereotypes with no real knowledge are deeply misplaced.

Actually I've found those with the means to travel...especially in groups. ..to be the rude ignorant ones.
 
Last edited:
As always, it's a mix of everything.
I can't really say that I've come across an American I haven't liked. You hear stories about loud-mouthed Yanks, I've never met one.
Normally, if you can get to speak to someone from wherever they are fine (unless they are numpties)
 
Most people from anywhere are fine. You only get to hear about exceptional people (both aspects of exceptional).


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
Most people from anywhere are fine. You only get to hear about exceptional people (both aspects of exceptional).


Steve.
Click to expand...

In the same way online reviews (of most things) are negative because most people can only be bothered to comment online when it's negative.
 
viv1969 said:
In the same way online reviews (of most things) are negative because most people can only be bothered to comment online when it's negative.
Click to expand...

Exactly... but this often causes people to become paranoid.


Steve.
 
Last time I was there I accidentally said aluminium when giving a talk.
I hastily corrected myself. But it was too late.
 
Last edited:
ianp5a said:
Last time I was there I accidentally said aluminium when giving a talk.
I hastily corrected myself. But it was too late.
Click to expand...

1. It shouldn't be seen as an accident.
2. You un-corrected yourself!


Steve.
 
ianp5a said:
I think 'Americanizms' are tolerable except when British people start using them.
OMF!

An American visitor was telling me about his first visit to a crowded noisy tent at the Oktoberfest. "I walked into the tent, and I'm like Jesus!" Did he grow a beard and wear robes? Did he walk on water? Why was he like Jesus?
Click to expand...

Perhaps a little something of the intending meaning lost in the punctuation ;)

Was there one along the lines "Panda eats, shoots and leaves" them there commas do land in the wrong places sometimes :lol:
 
My daughter was quoting an American boy at her school. Who frequently said things like "...she said this, and I'm like, woah!" But my youngest daughter, aged 4 or 5 back then, hears us saying "I'm like woah!" and goes round saying "I like woah!" To which we all laugh every time. So she repeats it as it gets such a good laugh. Poor lamb!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top