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AMERICANISMS

Started by: mollie m (7870) 

I know this subject has been on before, started by Irene in 2010, but it’s crept deeper and deeper into the English language since then, and has now reached saturation levels.

It’s not so much about changing the language as replacing words that have been commonly used for a very long time, and I know the English language itself has changed radically over the centuries.

The other night on an advert on telly, they were advertising Werther’s Originals and, I noticed on one bag, were the words Werther’s Butter CANDIES! What happened to sweets?

There are many more which I detest and make me cringe. Which are yours?

Plus, they cawn’t talk proper like what wey con i’ Wiggin!

Started: 12th Oct 2024 at 19:49

Posted by: PeterP (11827)

Cider has become Cidre and Centre has become Center.Chips have become Fries

Replied: 12th Oct 2024 at 20:03

Posted by: sonlyme (3398)

They also take the u out of words as in color.

Replied: 12th Oct 2024 at 20:23

Posted by: retep1949 (1317)

Is Cidre an Americanism?

Replied: 12th Oct 2024 at 20:41
Last edited by retep1949: 13th Oct 2024 at 07:56:20

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

Cidre is French, but I would never substitute an American spelling for an English one. Only idiots do that, and I hate the use of Z instead of S, as in Kidz etc.

The things that bother me more are the ones that are blatantly money making activities like Prom Nights where parents are expected to fork out a lot of money for evening wear, which the average kid in this country wouldn't dream of wearing.

Hallowe'en has become trick or treat; fairy cakes are now cup cakes; cookies for biscuits; cheerleaders. How did all that happen?

Replied: 12th Oct 2024 at 21:35

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

I was strolling down the sidewalk in downtown wigan a couple of days ago, Going to meet my broad in the diner at the junction of Mains and high St. two blocks down the street from the chapel, I ordered a bacon on a rye muffin with egg over easy and a side salad with mayo, they asked, " is that to go or ya eatin' in" , I said " I guess we're eatin' in but bring a doggy bag just in case" Sometimes my boss want to , touch base and. its usually ten klicks down the highway but, I can't say I've noticed any Americanisms

Replied: 12th Oct 2024 at 22:03

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

Behave yerself.

Replied: 12th Oct 2024 at 22:27

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

Replied: 12th Oct 2024 at 22:53

Posted by: kathpressey (5667) 

We were driving behind a van the other day for a heating Center. Can't they spell English? one Americanism that annoys me is "First off" instead of first of all.

Replied: 13th Oct 2024 at 08:28

Posted by: tonker (28779) 

"Off of"!

Replied: 13th Oct 2024 at 11:01

Posted by: Anne (4419) 

Anyone being interviewed nowadays, especially on tv always opens with “thanks for having me”. Never a simple “good morning/ afternoon/evening” which has been and is sufficient. More and more often this phrase has crept in.

Replied: 13th Oct 2024 at 12:16

Posted by: hollyH (66)

I don't know if this has been imported from America but it irritates me when people say "up tick" and "down tick" instead of rise and fall. And last year, in the Library of all places, there was a very attractive poster decorated with Autumn leaves advertising books for the " Fall" !! Grrrr. !!

Replied: 13th Oct 2024 at 12:17

Posted by: PeterP (11827)

Even the Daily Mail as gardening content which uses the "Fall" instead of autumn or "Zones" This is a UK paper which should have UK gardening content.

Replied: 13th Oct 2024 at 12:26

Posted by: Brasstoff (553)

Lyrics from the 60s,
I can't get NO satisfaction! And when people say, "that won't be happening, PERIOD" What's happened to full stop?

Replied: 13th Oct 2024 at 13:56

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

All comments made are things that I agree with, most especially "off of" and "fall".

Brasstoff: "I can't get no ....." isn't American per se. It's a double negative which should mean "I can't get any ....." or "I can get no....." Sadly, I hear a lot of English people use this double negative which makes me cringe. The most often of this is used in Police documentaries where the criminal says "I didn't do nothing wrong," which effectively means they did do something wrong.

Replied: 13th Oct 2024 at 21:06

Posted by: PeterP (11827)

When some one says "See you later" to a complete stranger more so in a shop

Replied: 14th Oct 2024 at 06:49

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

People say that to me all the time, Peter, over the phone. People I've never even met. I've often been tempted to reply "Okay, what time and where shall we meet."

Another one that aggravates me is when someone says "I'm going for a coffee", instead of "I'm going for a CUP of coffee!" It doesn't take long to say it correctly.

Replied: 14th Oct 2024 at 21:07

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

Another up coming one you hear more and more is,, " hey Bro",,,,

Replied: 14th Oct 2024 at 21:16

Posted by: First Mate (2765)

Has instead of as

Replied: 14th Oct 2024 at 21:18

Posted by: Big Harold (18) 

When a check-out girl says to me See you later, I say what time do you want to meet up then.

Replied: 14th Oct 2024 at 21:26

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

Posted by: First Mate (2699)

Has instead of as

That's not an Americanism either. Not everyone can differentiate has and as, and know and no, and there, their and they're. Where and were, wear and we're. That's something many can't get their heads around and, it's not surprising. English isn't the easiest of languages to learn, even for the English, but this thread isn't meant to be a course in English comprehension.

Replied: 14th Oct 2024 at 21:44

Posted by: First Mate (2765)

It annoys me though mollie. Here we are criticising Americanisms when people cant get their heads round their own language.

Replied: 14th Oct 2024 at 21:52

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

I know what thi meanz mollie I have trouble with gramm ma Two too to 2 , there's know cure for stupid

Replied: 14th Oct 2024 at 22:09

Posted by: kathpressey (5667) 

gotten is another one that has crept in quietly...grr.

Replied: 15th Oct 2024 at 08:31

Posted by: Billinge Biker (2701) 

Another annoying phrase has crept in ...especially at a bar with the younger ones..."Can I Get"......annoys the life out of me....

Replied: 15th Oct 2024 at 14:18

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

Baby shower, where did that come from?

Replied: 15th Oct 2024 at 21:13

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

Aren't they all annoying? English people are adopting these terms, and I've seen/read people posting a particular one on here, and that's "woke." Another Americanism, without them realising it.

Tom: You're not stupid at all.

Posted by: First Mate (2702)
"It annoys me though mollie. Here we are criticising Americanisms when people cant get their heads round their own language."

Aye, alright, but let's just remember one thing. Some people have a disability named dyslexia (word blindness) but, as long as they can communicate, and people can understand them, then nobody should judge them. I'm the only person at work who knows how to use an apostrophe, despite explaining following a request to do so, and they still don't get it.

Replied: 15th Oct 2024 at 21:35

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

The birth of the ' auto spell' made me look unstupid because at Skool the teechers wrote me off as a duffer and I was told to sit at the back, Dyslexia had't been invented back then,

Replied: 15th Oct 2024 at 21:54

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

Well, it hadn't been recognised as a problem back then, so many school kids weren't diagnosed early enough. I have a cousin who could neither read nor write up until he was in his 20s. He just couldn't "see" words and how they were put together. To him it was just a jumble of mixed up scribble. He did learn eventually though, but it was hard work for him.

Any more Americanisms, apart from "have a nice day?"

Replied: 15th Oct 2024 at 22:45

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

Happy holidays instead of happy Christmas!

Replied: 15th Oct 2024 at 23:06

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

Oh yes, Tuddy. That's another one. Also, when they say Happy New Year's, instead of just Happy New Year. New Year's what? Or is it New Years for every year to come in the future? Who knows?

Replied: 15th Oct 2024 at 23:12

Posted by: tonker (28779) 

"are you going to the stadium at the weekend to watch the Warriors game against the Leopards"?

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 11:28

Posted by: riocaroni (776)

Bb can I get as annoyed me for 5 yrs!

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 13:49

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

One of the Best ones ever was


" Hey be careful out there "....

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 15:35

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

Tom, that was from Hill Street Blues, years back.

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 16:27

Posted by: momac (12501) 

I absolutely lived for that programme..

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 16:36

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

Yea it was a good un.

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 17:59

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 21:58
Last edited by tomplum: 16th Oct 2024 at 21:59:32

Posted by: PeterP (11827)

I am going to the shopping mall and I want a ball park figure for a job that needs doing

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 22:44

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

I heard something entirely new when watching The Chase tonight. A contestant was being questioned about what she did for a living and she said she used to be a teacher, but had "now decided to take a Segway and do something else!"

Eh? No, she wasn't American, but Segways were invented there. I nearly spit out my cup of tea hearing this.

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 22:44

Posted by: tonker (28779) 

Mollie, she probably said she'd "done a segue" when changing jobs!

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 22:58

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

So what's a Segway? are they better than Galloway's?

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 22:59

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

Tonker:

No, she definitely said Segway. Made me laugh.

Tuddy:

A Segway is a two-wheeled personal transporter, wheels side by side with a platform in the middle to stand on, and handle bars to hold on to.

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 23:13

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

Just looked what they are Mollie, I should have known, I had a go on one on holiday once.

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 23:17

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

Its a musical term meaning, Switching channels , So trying something new but still on the same radio

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 23:20

Posted by: First Mate (2765)

She was a primary school teacher. She made a segue into adult education.
Hope this helps

Replied: 16th Oct 2024 at 23:28

Posted by: PeterP (11827)

Who thought up the titles for school years? When I was at school you where in primary school 1st to 4th year then secondary school 1st year to 4th/5th year now its years eg. year 6 year 9 etc Did this come from America

Replied: 17th Oct 2024 at 06:16

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

We did't need the yanks to confuse our system, When i went to the same skool as you the classes were, A- being the cleverest then, B being less clever then. C being lesser cleverer and, remedial being fic,
Although I was undiagnosed Dyslexic and non numeral. I manged to score enough points to be in , 1A in the first year,
The second year now changed the goal posts and made the communial classes to be girls and Boys and, they changed the ABC+ remedial to Girls went to G 2 and boys went to B2, the idea was for the fis to learn from the clever and reach a better standard for the skool BUT, On my skool record it shows me slipping from. 1A to 2B and to the unknowing did me no favours, It spoiled my chance of getting to Oxford

Replied: 17th Oct 2024 at 21:48

Posted by: PeterP (11827)

We now have Highways which is a North American saying

Replied: 17th Oct 2024 at 22:17

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

Tom, It's probably as well that you didn't go to Oxford, you could have ended up as Professor Plum!!!!

Replied: 17th Oct 2024 at 22:19

Posted by: tonker (28779) 

Peter, we had 'highwaymen' in England before America was invented! And don't forget, Americans speak English, so who do they copy their words from?

Replied: 17th Oct 2024 at 22:36

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 


Thats a good point Tonker because the American's we're talking about were English, The Native Americans speak Injunisums and did't like the pale face invaders who stole their land and killed the buffalo

Replied: 18th Oct 2024 at 08:37

Posted by: Helen MH (7)

Going for a drive in a car has become ‘going on a road trip’. What’s that about?

Replied: 18th Oct 2024 at 21:58

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

Shopping mall is another, we used to have shopping centres.

Replied: 18th Oct 2024 at 22:06

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

a situation in a cafe or bar and there's yourself with wife and kids and the waitress comes up and say's, " hey are you guys ready to order today ?"

Replied: 18th Oct 2024 at 22:22

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

another is they never say, Its there, or now, Its always got to be,
right there and right now which, puts an urgency about it,,,,

Replied: 18th Oct 2024 at 22:26

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

And, going to the movies, instead of the pictures.

You see how they're infiltrating?

Tonker:

They don’t speak English. They speak American. Americans say doos, not dues, dook instead of duke, and I recently heard a Buddha temple being pronounced Boodha temple, but, let’s face it, when they had a president like George W Bush who said “Is our children being educated” and “There is no word in French for entrepreneur” then what else can you expect? Being pedantic though, there's no true English language either, is there.

The only true Americans are the Native Americans who spoke/speak their own tribal languages.

Replied: 18th Oct 2024 at 22:28
Last edited by mollie m: 18th Oct 2024 at 22:30:47

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

I remember my very first trip to America and we arrived in our hotel at 10.20pm and, i was gasping for a pint but the bar had shut so, I asked,
" hey where can I get a beer nearby, is there a pub ? " The receptionist said,
" there's a nine eleven two blocks down the street " I went to bed thirsty that night because, I was jet lagged and it took me 10 hours to figure what it meant

Replied: 18th Oct 2024 at 22:33

Posted by: PeterP (11827)

BOUY We say BOY the Yanks say BOOWY

Replied: 18th Oct 2024 at 22:35

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

Another one that I've noticed, but it's not a word. Most of the new Barber's shops that are springing up on every corner, have red, white, and blue poles, the American style. Traditional British Barber's poles are red and white. they represent blood and bandages, as Barbers were also surgeons originally. So you could nip in for a trim and have a knee replacement at the same time.

Replied: 23rd Oct 2024 at 20:42

Posted by: mollie m (7870) 

Never seen those Tuddy, and never knew the significance of the red and white poles before, but that makes sense.

It's surprising how many things come into mind well after they arrive here. It's so subtle that nobody really notices until we've been brainwashed into accepting them.

Whatever next?

Replied: 23rd Oct 2024 at 21:08

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

I have noticed all the new barbers are turkish

Replied: 23rd Oct 2024 at 21:44

Posted by: tonker (28779) 

"hafta sonu icin bir sey, efendim"?

Replied: 23rd Oct 2024 at 21:53

Posted by: tomplum (13673) 

ore yed....

Replied: 23rd Oct 2024 at 21:57

Posted by: tuddy (1355)

There must be a dozen Barbers in Wigan town centre, and another dozen within ten minuets walk of the town centre. what's going on, there's so many of them they can't all be profitable.

Replied: 23rd Oct 2024 at 22:11

 

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