Americanisms

[Jimlaad43]

Are you a fan of Americanisms. Are you American and wish you spoke with British words. Do you prefer words to be spelt the way you spell them, or are they better/more logical elsewhere. Share your favourite/pet hate Americanisms here.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

I obviously like to spell things correctly (especially given the AUP!) however I do get annoyed when Firefox underlines words such as tyres or colour because it should be tires or color... That is just because in general it makes me feel like (with all the red lines) I'm writing poorly!

I voted for "mixture" as well, as I didn't know if the poll meant just me personally or everyone? I like using English spellings, but wouldn't want to try to get Americans spelling like us over here (correctly )

 

[Keef]

I like some Britishisms because its funny. Even when it doesn't make sense (which is often) it's still funny because you get what they mean.

Here in Merica, we like to keep things simple. Like that German dude on youtube pondering the phrase "shoot the ****". He took it literally, like we shoot poop. But here, "****" means "stuff" as well. We're Merican, and we just happen to like shooting things. So "shooting the ****" means "shooting stuff" which is akin to hanging out with your buddies, talking, drinking beer or whatever, grilling out, or literally shooting things for fun.

Or "shooting fish in a barrel". The guy who came up with that probably didn't go through the trouble of catching a bunch of fish, putting them in a barrel, and then shooting them. Too complicated. But just imagine a barrel full of fish and hitting it with a few shotgun blasts. I reckon that's a pretty easy way to get you some fish.

Often, our idioms are so simply that if you think too much it doesn't make sense anymore. Merica. We like to keep it simple.

As for spelling, we have a dictionary for a reason. With their accents, British words are all whopperjawed and they don't make sense half the time.

 

[Moglet]

I was once told that the way Americans use the English language is actually closer to 'original' English than how it is spoken anywhere else. Including the UK!

 

[mattythedog]

^ It would be interesting to get your opinion on Britishisms, can you name some?

 

[Camaroyenko]

I prefer normal American language.


One of my gripes is people not using it correctly on the internet though.

 

[Jimlaad43]

I suppose that if you get the original language that some words come from, both versions have different words they spell correctly.
However, my pet hate is the use of the word "Math".
It comes from the word mathematics (notice the plural), and because it talks about a whole range of processes, math is wrong.


Britishisms:
Trousers (Pants)
Biscuits (Cookies)
Pavement (Sidewalk)
Lift (Elevator)


The list can be endless.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

I prefer normal American language.


One of my gripes is people not using it correctly on the internet though.

There is no such language as American.. There is, however, American English.

 

[Camaroyenko]

There is no such language as American.. There is, however, American English.

You know what I meant.

 

[Rykon Zero]

I use American spelling but often British terminology. I say windscreen and indicators and the way I speak is heavily reminiscent of British wit. However, I am constantly trying to spell the word 'realised."

 

[Keef]

It comes from the word mathematics (notice the plural), and because it talks about a whole range of processes, math is wrong.

As an American, I would argue that the word "mathematics" is wrong and annoying. Math refers to the concept and is all-encompassing and universally disliked. But "mathematics" seems to refer to a collection of individual mathematical processes, of which there are many. Which ones is he talking about? Don't know because he didn't specify. But if you say "math" then you know he's not referring to any process in particular and simply generalizing the entire field.

Examples:

Math sucks. (The entire field and everything in it is disliked, which of course is always the case)

Mathematics suck. (Which ones? Which problems is he referring to? What concept is he talking about?)

Therefore, Math should be the proper term to describe the discipline as a whole. Mathematics should be used to describe given processes, theorems, equations, etc.

Britishisms:
Trousers (Pants)
Biscuits (Cookies)
Pavement (Sidewalk)
Lift (Elevator)

The word trousers doesn't bother me. Often the various words for "pants" refer to a specific type or style of pants.

The more annoying thing is why all these words end with an "s" despite being singular. It's not like you can walk around with one leg covered. Both legs are included by default, so the "s" doesn't make sense.

Biscuits are biscuits, cookies are cookies. British fail.

Pavement is a very general term that describes any surface paved smooth with any type of hard, rock-based mixture. But a sidewalk is a very specific type of paved surface, usually placed next to a road (side) and intended to be walked upon by pedestrians (walk). British fail.

Calling an elevator a lift makes sense, because it lifts, except for the fact that it is literally called an elevator. That's the name for it. British fail.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Mathematics suck. (Which ones? Which problems is he referring to? What concept is he talking about?)

We dont say mathematics all the time, it is constantly shortened to Maths (notice the plural)

Biscuits and cookies are different things. A cookie is a circular biscuit with chocolate chips, but a biscuit can encompass so much more. Bourbons, Digestives, Jammie Dodgers etc.
Cookie

Biscuits

 

[Omnis]

... Mitsubooshi.


If you call it Maths here, yew myte be wunna dem queer fawren folks. It's Math. We only say Mathematics when reading off a college degree major. Also, we like to omit "of" as much as possible. And in Murrcka, UK means Kentucky.

I'm pretty curious though... what dialect of American is it and where do the people come from that pronounce Wash as Worsh? It's not Worshington.

 

[Keef]

We dont say mathematics all the time, it is constantly shortened to Maths (notice the plural)

I know, and therefore maths is also wrong unless you're referring to specific problems which need to be identified.

 

[Moglet]

Here's something I've wondered: Since in the US a tap is called a faucet, do you still say that something is available 'on tap', or is it changed to 'on faucet'? Because that just seems awkward to me.

As for right and wrong, I just use a mixture of them both. Neither is right or wrong so why be concerned about it? I've no reason to write an essay any time soon so I don't need to worry about it. Also, some of the trolling in this thread so far is brilliant

 

[mattythedog]

Stop saying Britsh Fail. And always get confused in the US with Chips and fries, and also you call jam jelly, which confused the hell out of me in Wal-Mart.

 

[MTC]

The worst thing about this is the people who insist their spelling is correct and the other is wrong. The second-worst thing is people who use words with multiple different meanings without making it clear which meaning they mean (“football” being the most obvious of those, but “pants” is very annoying too).

Personally, I use a mixed version of English, for any difference between the two I use what I consider is the most logical version, which is usually the American one.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Jelly is slightly correct.
Jam is a bitty sugary mass of fruit, but Jelly has had the bits either blended in or taken out. However, I think both are available as Jelly in the USA.

Football is a game where you only use your feet or head to touch the ball and you try to get it into a net surrounded by an oblong of metal.

 

[Rykon Zero]

Here's something I've wondered: Since in the US a tap is called a faucet, do you still say that something is available 'on tap', or is it changed to 'on faucet'? Because that just seems awkward to me.

As for right and wrong, I just use a mixture of them both. Neither is right or wrong so why be concerned about it? I've no reason to write an essay any time soon so I don't need to worry about it. Also, some of the trolling in this thread so far is brilliant

Erm, I call it a tap. And yes, it's on tap.

Stop saying Britsh Fail. And always get confused in the US with Chips and fries, and also you call jam jelly, which confused the hell out of me in Wal-Mart.

Erm, I call it 'Jam' too. I'm getting really confused here, I don't know what's American anymore. Maybe my proximity to Britain is fiddling with my head.

 

[Omnis]

Stop saying Britsh Fail. And always get confused in the US with Chips and fries, and also you call jam jelly, which confused the hell out of me in Wal-Mart.

On a scale of homogenized to whole fruit, it goes Jelly-Jam-Preserves. That's just how it is. We have all three. CAPITALISM BABY!


Also, nobody says On Faucet. Faucets are only found in your own home. In public, it's a tap. Tap water is never faucet water. And while you're talking about your own home plumbing, you never mention faucet unless it's broken or needs to be cleaned. You say, "The sink is broken."
"Which part?"
"The faucet."

or

"Honey, I cleaned the sink."
"The faucet is still dirty."

We turn on and off the sink, not the faucet.


Also, in America, Bangers and Mash is called, "Why the hell do you have sausage on mashed potatoes?"

 

[Pupik]

Here's something I've wondered: Since in the US a tap is called a faucet, do you still say that something is available 'on tap', or is it changed to 'on faucet'? Because that just seems awkward to me.

With the exception of the physical object that allows water to pour, we use the phrase "tap" (relating to liquids) for:

1) "Tap water" - water right from the faucet
2) "On tap" - beer delivered in a similar fashion, or something coming up next

The exception is the lever which dispenses alcoholic libations, it's generally still called a tap in bar parlance.

I use words and phrases in British English very rarely, although in the context of this forum, I'll use it on occasion to emphasize a point, or provide clarity. Usually, I wind up distorting both grammar conventions.

When Famine visited Florida, we were discussing the term GPS versus sat-nav; how Americans are fond of using acronyms instead of a simplified word, even if it takes longer to say, or more syllables...after all, Gee-Pee-Ess does take longer to say, despite being composed of just three letters. And he hit the nail right on the head: I responded, ...I think we Americans are very fond of acronyms, we're surrounded by them in play, business, government, and our day-to-day activities.

Interesting observation, I must admit.

 

[mattythedog]

But here jelly is all wobbly, nothing like jam, which you put on toast.

 

[Jimlaad43]

But here jelly is all wobbly, nothing like jam, which you put on toast.

That comes from gelatine, still sounds better than Jell-o.

 

[Moglet]

With the exception of the physical object that allows water to pour, we use the phrase "tap" (relating to liquids) for:

1) "Tap water" - water right from the faucet
2) "On tap" - beer delivered in a similar fashion, or something coming up next

The exception is the lever which dispenses alcoholic libations, it's generally still called a tap in bar parlance.

That's interesting, thanks for the reply!

Here's another that I experienced while in the US that might have changed but I'm not sure: Toilet becoming Bathroom. To us, a bathroom has a shower or a bath in it, in the US it seems to refer to anywhere where you can relieve yourself!

 

[mattythedog]

^ toilet is 'restroom' I believe.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Trunk, boot.. Bonnet, hood.. I'm in for fun times once I get to Cali.

 

[Omnis]

Ah, how could I forget...

THIS is a PORTERHOUSE:

THIS is a RIBEYE:

And, yeah, Pupik, that explains why we say AC as opposed to Air-Con. Air-Con is a bad movie starring Cage Nicolas.

 

[Pupik]

Here's another that I experienced while in the US that might have changed but I'm not sure: Toilet becoming Bathroom. To us, a bathroom has a shower or a bath in it, in the US it seems to refer to anywhere where you can relieve yourself!

That's because despite our occasional secret fascination with bathroom humor, it's in our tendencies to abhor that type of discussion as low-class, unless you're talking to a plumber. (Just kidding.)

Rest room, lavatory (that's a very uptight technical term; it just means "hand washing place"), and then about ten dozen more slang terms...bathroom is the generic default term that doesn't imply anything dirty, but at a bare minimum, a place to relieve oneself. If you're at someone's home, you're more likely to encounter a bath inside...

Then again, some people have individual fetishes and emotional problems with things like bathrooms, so some people are so ridiculously discrete as to be annoying.

I admit the first time I heard someone say "Maths", I thought they were just being stupid. We say Math, like "math class" or "do the math". It's similar to the usage of the word "fish", it's both singular and plural.

 

[shmogt]

I really don't care, but I wish people would just pick one side. Calling pants or trousers is nothing everyone knows what your talking about but words that are the same and yet spelt different pisses me off. Color and colour. Basically anything with a "u" in it is considered wrong in computers since they're all American. I'm in Canada and was taught to add this extra "u" but I'm thinking who cares now. If I don't put it I'm technically not wrong since Americans spell it that way plus the computer will tell me I'm right so I don't have to see the red underline. I should go down to a occupy movement and fight for this to be changed lol

 

[Keef]

Also, in America, Bangers and Mash is called, "Why the hell do you have sausage on mashed potatoes?"

I'd much rather have my sausage in gravy on biscuits. Actual biscuits, not cookies.