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Hated Americanisms
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Which Americanism(s) that have crept into the English language, do you hate the most?
The one that jangles my nerves the most is when people want to buy something in a shop and say "Can I get a" followed by the product name.
The one that jangles my nerves the most is when people want to buy something in a shop and say "Can I get a" followed by the product name.
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Seems to me, among our valued Brit friends here in the U.S., we have some up with to put as well... Alan Whickers, a reference to knickers... an onomotopaeic anomally in itself (embarassingly, I had to ask what "Y fronts" were and what's this continuing thing with biscuits?)... among the worst an most embarassing is the British fag (cigarette)... believe me when I say it has an entirely different bent (pun only slightly intended) to it here and not stated in mixed company unless one wants to be labeled a bigot, of sorts.
Some of the colloquialisms are quite quaint and amusing though... my favorite is " A face like a bulldog chewing a wasp"... I don't know why, but that has a veddy British charm to it...
Ya'll are welcome here, though... like warm chocolate pudding on a December night!
Some of the colloquialisms are quite quaint and amusing though... my favorite is " A face like a bulldog chewing a wasp"... I don't know why, but that has a veddy British charm to it...
Ya'll are welcome here, though... like warm chocolate pudding on a December night!
In America, sh*g also means to chase or follow after; pursue.
I find it also interesting that what we call fish fingers here are known as fishsticks over there, but I think it's pretty obvious why that name wouldn't go down well here in the UK. Mind you, fish fingers took some getting used to. I remember as a child, wondering where they came from. After all, fish don't have fingers! lol
I find it also interesting that what we call fish fingers here are known as fishsticks over there, but I think it's pretty obvious why that name wouldn't go down well here in the UK. Mind you, fish fingers took some getting used to. I remember as a child, wondering where they came from. After all, fish don't have fingers! lol
One which REALLY irritates me is the use of "regular" to mean "standard" or "normal".
It also irritates me when regular(ly) is used to mean frequent(ly).
Regular has neither of these meanings.
It actually means "according to a rule" or at equal intervals (of space or time).
e.g. Doing something on 1st June once every 24 years is regular (but infrequent).
It also irritates me when regular(ly) is used to mean frequent(ly).
Regular has neither of these meanings.
It actually means "according to a rule" or at equal intervals (of space or time).
e.g. Doing something on 1st June once every 24 years is regular (but infrequent).
Mortartube, Tony Dalton's Maritime Colloquialisms...your source... sounds as if he might just be an ex-sailor who happens to have gathered together a few ideas he's heard on his travels. Michael Quinion's Worldwidewords...TCL's source... on the other hand is the work of a man known to be an etymologist and lexicographer; that is a genuine expert on language and its forms/history.
The Oxford English Dictionary - the 'bible' of English etymology - does not even list the 'tow-rag' form.
As you yourself say, much depends on one's "online source" and there is no doubt at all as to which of the two under consideration here is the more authoritative.
Re the actual question, people need to be sure they know which words/phrases actually are Americanisms. Recently, here on AnswerBank, someone was complaining about all the ise/ize words...such as prioritize...creeping into British English, all of them supposedly 'hated Americanisms'. The problem is, not all such words are! 'Diarise', for example, is British in origin and there are lots of others.
Surely, if a word/phrase fulfils a function, it is worth having wherever it comes from and many American word-coinages are brilliantly creative. Just think what a poverty-stricken language British English would be if we banished all words without roots in Old English! No kiosk...Persian...no telephone...Greek...no sausages...French...and so on.
Let 'em all come and - if you don't like 'em, don't use 'em!
The Oxford English Dictionary - the 'bible' of English etymology - does not even list the 'tow-rag' form.
As you yourself say, much depends on one's "online source" and there is no doubt at all as to which of the two under consideration here is the more authoritative.
Re the actual question, people need to be sure they know which words/phrases actually are Americanisms. Recently, here on AnswerBank, someone was complaining about all the ise/ize words...such as prioritize...creeping into British English, all of them supposedly 'hated Americanisms'. The problem is, not all such words are! 'Diarise', for example, is British in origin and there are lots of others.
Surely, if a word/phrase fulfils a function, it is worth having wherever it comes from and many American word-coinages are brilliantly creative. Just think what a poverty-stricken language British English would be if we banished all words without roots in Old English! No kiosk...Persian...no telephone...Greek...no sausages...French...and so on.
Let 'em all come and - if you don't like 'em, don't use 'em!
Thank you all.
I agree that not all words or phrases that newly appear in modern english can be attributed to the USA. Many can though, because of the huge influence of American television, cinema and products worldwide.
I suppose that I could have asked "Which newer words or phrases in the English language do you dislike"?
Some things just irritate people for no good reason. Many people will dislike a celebrity for no good reason other than saying "Oh I can't stand him/her". The same applies to the phrase that I cited in my original post.
I agree that not all words or phrases that newly appear in modern english can be attributed to the USA. Many can though, because of the huge influence of American television, cinema and products worldwide.
I suppose that I could have asked "Which newer words or phrases in the English language do you dislike"?
Some things just irritate people for no good reason. Many people will dislike a celebrity for no good reason other than saying "Oh I can't stand him/her". The same applies to the phrase that I cited in my original post.
Quite, Montag, but your lot say "back in the day" where we say "formerly". I mean, the furthest you can go back in any given day is 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds...and that's not awfully long ago!
Still, as I said earlier, we Brits should accept everything that comes our way linguistically and then decide whether to use it or not.
Still, as I said earlier, we Brits should accept everything that comes our way linguistically and then decide whether to use it or not.
Quizmonster;
Speaking of, it seems that many people on both sides of the pond have been misusing that phrase, so here is something that might help:
http://www.happyrobot.net/robotchow/backinthed ay.asp
Speaking of, it seems that many people on both sides of the pond have been misusing that phrase, so here is something that might help:
http://www.happyrobot.net/robotchow/backinthed ay.asp
Regarding apathy, Americans say 'I could care less' whereas we in the UK say 'I couldn't care less'.
The US version would appear to be the opposite of what they mean. If they 'could care less' it suggests that they have a level of care above base. The UK version conveys the correct attitude of having no interest.
The US version would appear to be the opposite of what they mean. If they 'could care less' it suggests that they have a level of care above base. The UK version conveys the correct attitude of having no interest.
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