Page 3 | To hate Americanisms...?

Groof · 2025-01-05T22:54:40+00:00

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 wait*ing* list) - reach out Which ones do you hate or AIBU?

poetryandwine · 17/01/2025 15:24

The above was for @BeAzureAnt

poetryandwine · 17/01/2025 15:23

I never heard that before, anywhere. I like it!

RaraRachael · 17/01/2025 15:04

I think a lot of things like using myself for me are when people think it makes them sound more intelligent

BeAzureAnt · 17/01/2025 14:56

poetryandwine · 17/01/2025 14:52

I first noticed this use of ‘myself’ after moving to the UK from America. I don’t think it is an Americanism. It sounds very wrong to my ear, also.

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Me too. Another thing I've notice is the increasing use of invite for an invitation.

The one phrase I have not heard in the UK...he/she's not all that and a bag of potato chips which is certainly colourful/colorful. I've been in the UK for twenty years. That one must have developed when I was not living in the States anymore.

poetryandwine · 17/01/2025 14:52

Lorelielee · 17/01/2025 14:26

A whole bunch of....
My kids text me 'imma' as in 'I'm going to'
They use it as slang.

What I find more irritating is using
'brought' instead of 'bought' .
The use of 'myself' as in 'Myself and hubbie..'

At least American expressions are a result of cultural shifts. Myself and brought is just horrendous English.

I first noticed this use of ‘myself’ after moving to the UK from America. I don’t think it is an Americanism. It sounds very wrong to my ear, also.

ErrolTheDragon · 17/01/2025 14:28

RaraRachael · 17/01/2025 13:45

Everything is a "journey" or has a "narrative" - don't know if these are Americanisms

These are metaphors which have been widely used for many years. Nowadays they tend to be somewhat overused for quite trivial things.

Lorelielee · 17/01/2025 14:26

A whole bunch of....
My kids text me 'imma' as in 'I'm going to'
They use it as slang.

What I find more irritating is using
'brought' instead of 'bought' .
The use of 'myself' as in 'Myself and hubbie..'

At least American expressions are a result of cultural shifts. Myself and brought is just horrendous English.

BeAzureAnt · 17/01/2025 14:23

RaraRachael · 17/01/2025 13:45

Everything is a "journey" or has a "narrative" - don't know if these are Americanisms

This trope was used a lot on the BBC...particularly the documentaries on BBC Four

RaraRachael · 17/01/2025 13:45

Everything is a "journey" or has a "narrative" - don't know if these are Americanisms

Words · 17/01/2025 13:43

Over use of 'impacted' rather than ' affected'
Hear it so often now.

Words · 17/01/2025 13:41

'Sick to my stomach'
'Threw up in my mouth'

You vomit from your stomach ( anti peristaltic action) and it arrives in your mouth. It doesn't originate there.

Why not just say 'I felt sick' or ' I was so distressed I vomited?'

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 15/01/2025 18:00

‘Obligated’ (instead of ‘obliged’) is sneaking in everywhere. When I’m a dictator, using that word on this side of the pond will be just one of the many offences that will land an unwary Brit in a rat-infested dungeon for a fortnight.

Any waiter/waitress addressing a mixed group of obvious retirees as ‘you guys’ had better watch out, too. 😈

pinkstripeycat · 15/01/2025 17:53

Good thanks instead of fine thank you or someone asks “Would you like so and so.” Person replies “No I’m good.”

Also date night

BeAzureAnt · 15/01/2025 17:51

knitnerd90 · 15/01/2025 10:34

It's not more correct, though. It's equally correct. That's the issue: assuming one dialectal variation is the true and correct one. The British regularly use the "original" argument as a defence in any case, but my point is that you can't complain about Americans "changing the language" and "getting it wrong" when all they're doing is preserving an older usage.

Yes.

StarlightLady · 15/01/2025 11:47

Can l get, may l have, can l have, all OK by me. Just don’t say panties ⛔️🙉

BarbaraHoward · 15/01/2025 11:45

RaraRachael · 15/01/2025 11:41

Santa Claus- Father Christmas(this is important!)

It's always been Santa Claus in Scotland (and always will be)

Same in Ireland, or Santy.

RaraRachael · 15/01/2025 11:41

Santa Claus- Father Christmas(this is important!)

It's always been Santa Claus in Scotland (and always will be)

Dutchhouse14 · 15/01/2025 11:19

Flashlight - it's a torch!
Backpack - rucksack
Santa Claus- Father Christmas(this is important!)
No doubt loads more - I should not have let DC watch Dora the explorer!
I think DC are influenced by American TV/media

BarbaraHoward · 15/01/2025 11:13

Yes many posters on here seem to struggle with the notion that two or more things can be equally correct.

RaraRachael · 15/01/2025 11:12

don’t think it’s a question of being ‘more correct’, just that these words are not incorrect. The word gotten as used in Ireland is not incorrect, for example. It never died out there, but it receives so much hate on MN because people don’t understand that.
If you use ‘gotten’ in a post some people will look down on you and some will even correct you. It’s those attitudes that are incorrect, not the word.

It's exactly the same with "Can I get?" I'm fed up being looked down upon like I'm the village idiot or some sort of peasant when I dare to point out that this is very much the norm in a lot of Scotland.

I wish people would realise that just because it's a regional variation doesn't make it wrong, just different.

Dreamingoftheunknown · 15/01/2025 10:48

SemperIdem · 15/01/2025 10:18

Québécois use a similar argument for why their version of French is more correct than actual French.

Personally I think “it hasn’t evolved therefore is more correct” is a specious argument.

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I agree with @knitnerd90.

I don’t think it’s a question of being ‘more correct’, just that these words are not incorrect. The word gotten as used in Ireland is not incorrect, for example. It never died out there, but it receives so much hate on MN because people don’t understand that.

If you use ‘gotten’ in a post some people will look down on you and some will even correct you. It’s those attitudes that are incorrect, not the word.

knitnerd90 · 15/01/2025 10:34

It's not more correct, though. It's equally correct. That's the issue: assuming one dialectal variation is the true and correct one. The British regularly use the "original" argument as a defence in any case, but my point is that you can't complain about Americans "changing the language" and "getting it wrong" when all they're doing is preserving an older usage.

SemperIdem · 15/01/2025 10:18

knitnerd90 · 15/01/2025 10:16

They are. It was the correct pronunciation in Britain until the 19th century, because it comes from French. In the 19th century someone decided to "correct" the pronunciation. It's not clear if it was to make it sound less French, or because people thought a silent h shouldn't exist in English.

it's yet another case of Americans preserving an older usage because Britain changed after the dialects diverged.

Québécois use a similar argument for why their version of French is more correct than actual French.

Personally I think “it hasn’t evolved therefore is more correct” is a specious argument.

knitnerd90 · 15/01/2025 10:16

They are. It was the correct pronunciation in Britain until the 19th century, because it comes from French. In the 19th century someone decided to "correct" the pronunciation. It's not clear if it was to make it sound less French, or because people thought a silent h shouldn't exist in English.

it's yet another case of Americans preserving an older usage because Britain changed after the dialects diverged.

Cabinqueen · 15/01/2025 09:47

Tumblingthrough · 05/01/2025 23:06

(H)Erbs

Oh my god, this drives me unnecessarily crazy. Just say it properly FFS!!!