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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:
ErrolTheDragon · 05/01/2025 23:30

dreamingbohemian · 05/01/2025 23:18

Being annoyed by minor Americanisms seems a small price to pay for your language becoming the global language, being able to travel and work and consume most popular culture without ever having to learn another language

Americans have picked up loads of British lingo, it's not a one way thing

Yes, people complaining often just sound like parochial dinosaurs.

Except for 'I could care less', because that doesn't make sense.

mathanxiety · 05/01/2025 23:29

Givemethreerings · 05/01/2025 23:15

Happy holidays instead of Christmas.

It's 'Merry Christmas' in America if you want to express good wishes for this particular holiday.

It's considered a faux pas to assume that everyone celebrates Christmas, however. Many celebrate Kwanzaa or Hannukkah or the winter solstice or Diwali in December/ January so it's 'Happy Holidays' if you want to make sure the person you're talking to understands that regardless of what seasonal holiday they're celebrating, you wish them well.

The word 'holiday' in the US has retained its traditional meaning - a specific day, originally a holy day. What Britons call a holiday is called a vacation in the US.

MerrilyOnhigh · 05/01/2025 23:29

I do think using "reach out" when you mean "talk to" or "contact" should be a criminal offence.

CharlotteCChapel · 05/01/2025 23:28

Flavourful rather than flavoursome. Adjectives being used as adverbs, you do things properly not proper. It took months to get DGS to say sweets rather than candy.

I think a, lot of the problem is that bec a lot of Americans don't understand English words a lot of social media creators use the American version which we also understand leading to people think that American English is the correct version.

mainecooncatonahottinroof · 05/01/2025 23:27

My young adults say "elevator" instead of "lift". I'm sure there's more - that's just off the top of my head.

Hallowe'en. Baby showers.

dreamingbohemian · 05/01/2025 23:27

Annabella92 · 05/01/2025 23:24

It's the death of culture. All distinctions are being eroded. We're all going into the blender now, it's big America globohomo

Show quote history

Ah that very authentic British English word, 'globohomo'

Mittens67 · 05/01/2025 23:27

Detest them all.
Why do people want to copy America? Especially when you consider the state of the place.

Dontlletmedownbruce · 05/01/2025 23:24

What i don't like is that its not the words themselves but the fact that it reflects someone who has spent too much time on YouTube or watching US TV. A lot of kids are using these phrases now and it's from YouTube, my DS sometimes does this too.

I had a colleague who lived in US for years and spoke in her original accent but had lots of litte phrases and I thought that was lovely because it was organic. She would say 'will you come with?' Or 'hurry up already'. But when I hear this from someone who has never crossed the Atlantic it makes me mad!

Annabella92 · 05/01/2025 23:24

dreamingbohemian · 05/01/2025 23:18

Being annoyed by minor Americanisms seems a small price to pay for your language becoming the global language, being able to travel and work and consume most popular culture without ever having to learn another language

Americans have picked up loads of British lingo, it's not a one way thing

It's the death of culture. All distinctions are being eroded. We're all going into the blender now, it's big America globohomo

RuthW · 05/01/2025 23:24

lazyarse123 · 05/01/2025 23:05

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

I often wonder why they are drunk

BarbaraHoward · 05/01/2025 23:23

Another day, another warm welcome for the American users of MN.

Annabella92 · 05/01/2025 23:22

"Movies"

They're films

pikkumyy77 · 05/01/2025 23:22

Annabella92 · 05/01/2025 23:22

I don't think nihilism is making people happy

Show quote history

Thats not nihilism.

Annabella92 · 05/01/2025 23:22

APushbikeNamedReluctance · 05/01/2025 22:58

Best not to bother yourself about things you can't control. Makes for a happier, less frustrating life.

Edited

I don't think nihilism is making people happy

EmeraldRoulette · 05/01/2025 23:22

I really like "gotten" as it makes sense

I also prefer "math"

I don't use them with my colleagues here as it annoys them

but when I was last in the US, I asked a waiter "please may I have..." and it started a whole conversation - apparently he loves people phrasing it that way and not many people do, according to him.

dreamingbohemian · 05/01/2025 23:20

Givemethreerings · 05/01/2025 23:15

Happy holidays instead of Christmas.

That's not an American thing, that's a polite thing when you don't know if everyone celebrates Christmas

Iaminthefly · 05/01/2025 23:20

Mail instead of post.
Candy instead of chocolate.

I have six year old twins and I'm always correcting them. I blame youtube.

dreamingbohemian · 05/01/2025 23:18

Being annoyed by minor Americanisms seems a small price to pay for your language becoming the global language, being able to travel and work and consume most popular culture without ever having to learn another language

Americans have picked up loads of British lingo, it's not a one way thing

mathanxiety · 05/01/2025 23:18

@Kaleidoscopic101

A dump truck is not the same thing as a garbage truck/ bin lorry.

It's the truck (lorry) that carries large amounts of soil, gravel, construction/ demolition debris and can tip it all out at its destination.

HRTQueen · 05/01/2025 23:16

Lego’s 🙄

Where is the S on the Lego marketing

and bangs

Givemethreerings · 05/01/2025 23:15

Happy holidays instead of Christmas.

Paradoes · 05/01/2025 23:13

Cookies and trash (teacher and that’s all I hear)

IdaPrentice · 05/01/2025 23:10

Young colleagues at work write 'gotten'. I find it infuriating.

Also I had to explain to my DD that's it's an americanism to say 'on the weekend' and 'on Christmas'.

Also to protest something, instead of protest about or protest at.

XWKD · 05/01/2025 23:10

Going forward.

Gurney.