To hate Americanisms...?

[Groof]

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?

What else would you call Halloween if not Halloween? 🤔

But "I couldn't care less" is a lot less wordy and confusing.

It's fascinating to me how we all find some varied aspects of speech ok and some awful.

I say pr-eye-vacy because it matches pri-vate. Rather than privet which is a shrub used to cultivate a hedge.

But I dislike "can I get" and have been known to say "when I've finished in the kitchen feel free to get whatever you'd like" (to friends, I don't work in a kitchen).

Gifted. Wtf?

Parking lot for car park
Pissed for pissed off
Diapers for nappies
Missing out "and" like come visit, go see,

I don't care if Americans say these, but British people saying them make me cringe

I’m hearing a lot of “anyways” from young people these days.

Along with “oftentimes” as someone else previously mentioned.

Birth control was commonly used in 70s and 80s UK, as the above poster says, mainly referring to the pill.

Contraception generally had a wider meaning, including condoms, the coil and injections

What?!

"Couldn't care less" means "I care so little about this, it is impossible for me to care any less".

"Could care less" implies "I do care a little bit about this, as it is possible for me to care less".

The phrase is supposed to mean "I don't care" so surely the first phrasing is the only one that makes sense?

@TheYoungestSibling "Can I get" isn't an Americanism. It's the most common way of asking for something in Scotland.

Maybe but in this case the saying was shortened not “correct” in the first case.

The saying is “I could care less but I don”t.

Take off you hoser?

Language evolves. It's not worth getting stressed or annoyed about tbh.

Shakespeare used the word diapers, though it had a slightly different meaning back then.

It’s actually a branded meal Kraft Mac and Cheese.

It’s like saying hoover here.

All Hallows Eve.

But it incorporates New Year too. Been around in the UK since Bing Crosby sang it.

But doesn’t that mean you do actually care a little bit?🤔

Givemethreerings
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

I've found myself (and today stopped myself because I realise I sound ridiculous and contrived) for ages writing on work emails around Christmas time "I hope you have a great festive period" - my version of "happy holidays" because I can't bring myself to write something so American but equally want to be polite in case the recipient of my email doesn't celebrate Christmas. "Festive period" eurgh (albeit I don't have a better alternative).

The Americanisms I hate which I have particularly noticed more and more on MN:

Movie instead of film
Meds for medicine / prescription

Agatha Christie wrote about Halloween so that's nothing new.

Whenever instead of when.

"When I was in year 3 we went on a school trip to the museum" becomes "whenever I was in year 3 we went on a school trip to the museum"

It really grates on me.

My daughter has 8 prescription medications every month. She can call them what she likes tbf. She'd rather not need them.

Appreciate it's because I'm British not American but to my ear "can I get" sounds so impolite compared to "please may I have" - maybe because Americans don't say please as much as British people (maybe other nationalities don't either? - I think the British are mocked by other nations for being "overly" polite with the please thank yous and definitely sorry)..

Oftentimes

So reading these posts I think this is what I have deduced.

1. Some phrases people don’t like aren’t actually Americanisms but a evolution of the English language they don’t like so blame American English.
2. Some words (gotten) for which they blame Americans are actually old English words.
3. There are a lot of British phases/sayings that are equally confusing or strange but it’s only the American ones that seem to be an issue. Taking the piss is a good example.
4. That English snobbery has crept into the post in a few places about it being ‘our language’.
5. Some words pointed out are actually American in origin (cell phone rather than mobile home) so aren’t wrong and it would suggest the British have invented their own word (perfectly fine).
6. Some phrases claimed to be American are words or sayings a number of North Americans have never heard or don’t agree with.

Sure there are some sayings or words I dislike but there is also an undertone of discrimination which I think is best avoided.

Hearing British people say ‘movie’ instead of film really sets my teeth on edge.

Everyone on here seems to say movie too, rather than film. When did saying film become such a crime?!

Math instead of maths is another one!