Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate Americanisms...?

768 replies

Groof · 05/01/2025 22:54

I think maybe because it feels like all English-speaking cultures are becoming boring and homogenous.

New ones I've noticed that people in the UK didn't routinely say five years ago but are now EVERYWHERE:

  • birth control (instead of 'contraception' or 'the pill')
  • wait list (instead of waiting list)
  • reach out

Which ones do you hate or AIBU?

OP posts:
MajorCarolDanvers · 06/01/2025 17:23

mathanxiety · 05/01/2025 23:33

Hallowe'en isn't American.

It's Irish and Scottish. Emigrants brought their customs to the new world with them, and the magic of literature and TV brought them all the way back.

Show quote history

Agreed. It’s a common English ignorance of their Celtic neighbours.

Lafee · 06/01/2025 17:21

One I do like, is " I haven't seen (or done) that for the longest time"
First time I heard it was in the lyrics of a Billy Joel song.

moonshinepoursthroughmywindow · 06/01/2025 17:19

I don't hate any of them. I am interested in language and I find it fascinating to notice the differences, but they don't about me except possibly where there is a possibility of a genuine misunderstanding, like the example with "sick" above. To me, to be sick means to throw up. Anything else I'd call being ill or, of it wasn't serious enough for that, not very well. But if an American person said they'd been sick I'd think hang on, they're American, better check what exactly they mean (sorry to hear that, nothing serious I hope?) I think you just have to be aware.

BarbaraHoward · 06/01/2025 17:17

oakleaffy · 06/01/2025 17:14

That’s very interesting- I HAVE heard Irish people use “ Sick” for cold - A lot of Irish Heritage people in USA as well.

I would be specific “I have a stinking cold, let’s postpone”

Edited
Show quote history

Sick is pretty generic here, it doesn't imply vomiting unless you say being/getting sick. As you say, plenty of Irish emigration to the US over the centuries. I think these threads just teach us that the English spoken in England is an outlier. Grin

lazyarse123 · 06/01/2025 17:17

oakleaffy · 06/01/2025 17:12

Terms like “Shop the sale” online.
A red lip.

Are these Americanisms?

See also - a shoe.
I sometimes watch an American lady on the dreaded fb, she is very funny usually taking the mickey out of herself for her Americanisms. But she will insist on saying she likes a red lip or a heeled boot. Just no.

oakleaffy · 06/01/2025 17:14

BarbaraHoward · 06/01/2025 17:09

What would you say, poorly? That's a very English phrase, we'd definitely say sick for a cold here (Ireland).

Show quote history

That’s very interesting- I HAVE heard Irish people use “ Sick” for cold - A lot of Irish Heritage people in USA as well.

I would be specific “I have a stinking cold, let’s postpone”

HoppityBun · 06/01/2025 17:12

BarbaraHoward · 06/01/2025 17:09

What would you say, poorly? That's a very English phrase, we'd definitely say sick for a cold here (Ireland).

Show quote history

Unwell?

oakleaffy · 06/01/2025 17:12

Terms like “Shop the sale” online.
A red lip.

Are these Americanisms?

Lafee · 06/01/2025 17:11

RitaFromThePitCanteen · 05/01/2025 23:44

I dont know when we all simultaneously decided that we now fill out a form, rather than filling in one, but I feel like I'm the only person I know who still defaults to "fill in".

Edited

I've always felt that either sounds wrong.
Surely you complete a form?

BarbaraHoward · 06/01/2025 17:09

oakleaffy · 06/01/2025 17:07

Also “Sick” for having a cold.

An American emailed to say she and her daughter had “been sick today”
I was very sympathetic as assumed vomiting..
But it was simply a cold!

Show quote history

What would you say, poorly? That's a very English phrase, we'd definitely say sick for a cold here (Ireland).

oakleaffy · 06/01/2025 17:09

Lafee · 06/01/2025 17:07

Huh? I haven't picked up any racism...
Are we not all just discussing the appropriate or inappropriateness of the Brits using Americanisms?

Show quote history

Geez, some people want to bring “Race” into everything!
In America race seems to be a much bigger deal than in U.K.
Here, “class” is the division.

BarbaraHoward · 06/01/2025 17:08

JohnTheRevelator · 06/01/2025 17:07

I hate it when people on here say 'gotten' instead of 'got'.

Gosh. I wonder if anyone's ever felt the same.

JohnTheRevelator · 06/01/2025 17:07

I hate it when people on here say 'gotten' instead of 'got'.

oakleaffy · 06/01/2025 17:07

lazyarse123 · 05/01/2025 23:05

Pissed instead of pissed off. Happens on here all the time and I struggle to not correct it.

Also “Sick” for having a cold.

An American emailed to say she and her daughter had “been sick today”
I was very sympathetic as assumed vomiting..
But it was simply a cold!

Lafee · 06/01/2025 17:07

RawBloomers · 05/01/2025 23:39

Lots of Americanisms are uses that were common in Britain when Brits first moved over there but then fell out of favour here. This thread is just poorly disguised racism.

Huh? I haven't picked up any racism...
Are we not all just discussing the appropriate or inappropriateness of the Brits using Americanisms?

Deedee248 · 06/01/2025 17:06

gotmyknickersinatwist · 06/01/2025 12:58

Obligated, whilst not incorrect, really seems to have taken over. When I say obliged it almost feels arcaic. 😔

Show quote history

Yes I think you’re right about that. Unbelievably I heard a journalist recently referring to when the King was coronated!!! I’m not saying this is an Americanism. I was just gobsmacked to hear someone using such an expression!

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 06/01/2025 17:05

Lafee · 06/01/2025 17:02

"I can't be arsed"...
Not sure WHERE that came from.
When I first heard it (not read it) it sounded to me like
"I can't be asked"... which to me makes more sense, coz if I didn't want to do something, I'd rather someone didn't ask me to do that something...

Arsed means bothered in this context. It's got nothing to do with being askedvto do something.

WiddlinDiddlin · 06/01/2025 17:05

I really don't understand why this is so difficult.

A sarcastic:

'like I could care less'

means 'it is not possible for me to care less about this.

However drop the sarcasm and the 'like' from this and just the statement 'I could care less' alters the meaning to 'it is possible for me to care less'.

Adding to it, to make 'I could care less but I don't' still means 'it is possible for me to care less, but I don't, therefore I do care a little bit'.

Either use the full american 'like I could care less' with the sarcasm turned up full or the english 'I couldn't care less' flat statement.

ErrolTheDragon · 06/01/2025 17:03

Adopting words from other languages and countries has been the norm for hundreds, probably thousands of years though.

Adopting words and inventing new ones... language evolves!

Lafee · 06/01/2025 17:02

"I can't be arsed"...
Not sure WHERE that came from.
When I first heard it (not read it) it sounded to me like
"I can't be asked"... which to me makes more sense, coz if I didn't want to do something, I'd rather someone didn't ask me to do that something...

BarbaraHoward · 06/01/2025 17:01

ErrolTheDragon · 06/01/2025 17:00

What about 'begotten'?

Show quote history

Or ill-gotten (gains).

Or just accepting that there is more than one correct way to speak the bloody language, that would be good too.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 06/01/2025 17:01

YANBU to find it a bit irritating. Adopting words from other languages and countries has been the norm for hundreds, probably thousands of years though. There's really no point in getting worked up about it.

ErrolTheDragon · 06/01/2025 17:00

Beautyfadesdumbisforever · 06/01/2025 16:55

GOTTEN. just awful it’s got or forgotten.

What about 'begotten'?

Words · 06/01/2025 17:00

This thread has helped me feel less alone.Smile

BarbaraHoward · 06/01/2025 16:58

Beautyfadesdumbisforever · 06/01/2025 16:55

GOTTEN. just awful it’s got or forgotten.

I think I'm actually losing my mind.