To ask why some Mumsnetters find the use of American English suspicious?

[MonaLisaDoesntSmile]

Some while back I wrote a thread under another username, and was accused by a few members to have written a fake story because I used words that are much more commonly used in the US. For the record, I learned English as a second language and my secondary school teacher was from the US, I also spent my teens watching American shows and films. 15+ years in the UK and I still use flashlight, trashcan, gas, fall, intersection and a number of other words that got stuck in my head.
I have it happen since a few times to other people- today someone decided a thread posted by a user was done by chat GTP because it sounded 'American'.
Why are people so baffled by the fact that there may be American users on the site, or people educated in the US/international American schools, or just people who have learned English with the help of American media rather than BBC?

I'd agree with this, so much of social media is dominated by American attitudes and language.

Quite. I think Brits often forget that people using apparent Americanisms are often neither Americans nor Brits horribly polluted by the insious influence of US media, but just people who have learned English somewhere other than the UK.

You may be right - I’ve personally only seen it from Americans but if you are right, that’s even worse as it means it’ll become even more pervasive!

Snobbery about Americanisms far, far pre-dates the internet though.

I don't think it's snobbery. It's just wanting to speak English without perfectly servicable words being replaced by words from another country that dominates so many other areas of our lives. Language gives identity. That's perfectly reasonable (and of course personal choice).

Interestingly, many non English languages now use a significant amount of English words (presumably influenced by the US rather than us) but just pronounce them in their own accent rather than using up their own words in their own language. I've noticed a marked increase in my second language over the last few years.

The influence is generally from the US though. At the moment. Though this will change as demographics in the UK change.

English is a minority dialect of English. In fact so is American, but most of those people aren't as online yet. But as data is data, the sheer weight of numbers will overpower even the Americans with time. Indian English is the most widely spoken dialect of English, then American, then Nigerian. England English is a long way down the list. AI will eventually speak less like Americans, too, I suppose.

I don't mind a bit of gentle gatekeeping and norm setting. If we like our culture, we have to look after it. Otherwise we will dissolve into the majority, as so many local cultures and dialects have dissolved into us. And if we don't like it very much and think theirs is better, it will win. And that's fine! But it's not the case that we can live entirely in a world where the assumptions and preoccupations and conversations are all set by America and still remain as we are. We can't have our cake and eat it.

I spend about 1/4 of my time in the US and I am not against Americans (obviously!). But I like my country better. It's actually ok to like your own country best. It's not xenophobic. Just like preferring your own mum above all mums is not somehow racist against others! 😂It's ok to love your culture. It's ok to want your culture to survive. To survive it must grow and change, of course, but how it changes matters.

There is a tendency for people on MN to assume expressions they don’t use themselves are Americanisms, even when they’re not.

If I wrote ’It’s gotten very cold. Can I get a coffee please?’ some would assume I’m American even though that is perfectly normal speech where I live (Ireland). It’s not influenced by TV either!

Asking for coffee rather than tea is the only bit that’s new 😁

My initial point was not about bots, but that some members automatically assume that the content of what you wrote didn't happen because you did not use the 'correct' terminology. I was told by someone that because I used a word 'flashlight' it seemed my post was fishy 😂and surely that it was a made up story.
I get the link between AI/Chat GPT and flowery posts full of fantasy details.

But I think someone suggested foreign people are more likely to write dodgy stories because of the language aspect. It's almost like incorrect phrasing resulting from imperfect English was equivalent to suspicious character of the OP.

I doubt people really give it that much thought. I have no idea how Irish people say things and don't watch Irish tv so it wouldn't occur to me.

Often makes me think troll or bot to be honest. I think everyone is suspicious of AI posts and whether they are now giving out information to scams online as it is a public forum. Also very annoying to type out advice then have the OP go "Oh sorry I forgot to mention DC go to school in Alabama" or something that renders it all useless.

That’s part of the issue isn’t it? People automatically think American (bot or person) or dumbed down English person. Nevermind the world, The UK is not limited to England, particularly not the south of England.

That is exactly why I am on here trying to raise awareness! 😁

People in Scotland and NI are often accused of using ‘Americanisms’ too, so you don’t even have to go outside the UK to see this happening.
It’s not good enough tbh.

I don't think it's "dumbed down" to not know how the average Irish person speaks colloquially or be interested in knowing. Or indeed any other nationality outside the UK. I doubt anyone does particularly of any nationality?

Deleted original wording so as to avoid being accused of being rude..

Are you the made up cute waffle place man?

I think you’ve missed the point I’m trying to make @Thoughtsonstuff.

Could you explain your point another way?

My point is that I speak 4 languages but colloquial Irish will not be something that I'd be interested in and few English people would even think of the Irish word.for something as being relevant (to them personally). I don't know why an Irish person would give two hoots what an English person thinks or worry if they are.mistaken for an American?

I meant that the assumption is that anyone British who uses what they perceive as americanisms , is dumbed down.

Oh I see!

Since you live in the UK and not the USA, perhaps it's time you applied the good old phrase: 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.'
Stop using those grating barbarisms and use proper English.

@Thoughtsonstuffprime example.

Okay…say a Scottish person uses the word ‘gotten’ in a post they write.

Some others then perceive them as American/a bot/a dumb lower class person who watches too much TV.
Take your pick.
Most will say nothing, just think it quietly.
Some will be vocal in their disapproval (‘YABU for using the word gotten’ etc)

Of course that upsets people, both Scottish and American! Of course it does. It often derails posts for a start.
It is also very distressing to have your speech interpreted as ‘dumb’ just because it is a type of speech somewhat unfamiliar to the listener.

There is more than one type of standard English in the UK. Scotland has Scottish Standard English. Hiberno-English is spoken on the island of Ireland, which includes Northern Ireland. You see them as colloquial, but in fact they are equally correct ways of speaking and, yes, it upsets people when they are seen as inferior, as they too often are on here.

That’s exactly it.

Mumsnet was created in, and is based, in the UK, but it doesn’t purport or intend to be UK exclusive. The .com domain is a deliberate choice to not tie the website geographically.