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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to absolutely hate the how people are speaking English!

539 replies

exse24Londoner · 03/02/2026 16:35

I really hate how we have "suddenly" starting gifting presents rather than giving them as we did only a couple of years ago. Vacations - when did we start having vacations instead of holidays?????? The other day I saw an advert for pants - turned out to be trousers. Apparently when I speak to someone it is now liaising & if I call or text, I am reaching out..... the other day someone was talking about the front end, or as I prefer to call it - the beginning!!🙄

Dont get me wrong, I love the evolution of language & that generations make it their own but this isn't that this is not teenagers or cultures developing own language its...... weird management/pop psychology speak

is it just me??

OP posts:
DuchessofStaffordshire · 03/02/2026 20:33

Perhaps not an Americanism, but 'curated' outside of a museum or artsy context. I have skilfully curated a salad.

Anmbord · 03/02/2026 20:44

Hollyhobbi · 03/02/2026 18:11

Where do you live in Ireland? I'm Irish and have lived in 5 different counties and had a dad from Donegal and mum from Cork and not once have I ever heard pants used for anything except knickers! And trousers are trousers

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I’m from Co Cork and pants mean trousers here.

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 03/02/2026 20:45

Helen1625 · 03/02/2026 20:29

My pet peeve is adding 'a' into sentences like:

"I love a green skirt"
"I really like a nice-fitting jean"

A colleague was talking about how they preferred their burger plain from a certain fast food place and another colleague, who orders with all the trimmings, added
"I love a gherkin."

Why the overuse of 'a' all of a sudden? It sounds so wrong!

I love green skirt?
I really like nice-fitting jean?
I love gherkin?

I’m not sure I’m understanding your objection. Do you think all the nouns you mention should be plural, hence no need for the “a” you dislike so much?

PhaedraWas · 03/02/2026 20:46

Imlyingandthatsthetruth · 03/02/2026 17:46

Yes "Boils my piss", where has this horrible phrase popped up from? Never heard it IRL, first time I ever saw it was on MN, and I hate it. Rant over.

Hate that expression, although never heard it in real life.

FussyFancyDragon · 03/02/2026 20:47

Another one from NW England - no one says trousers round here and instead say pants. I’d never say pants for underpants or knickers.

MaidOfSteel · 03/02/2026 20:48

Our language is being Americanised and I hate it. You’re not alone, OP.

Helen1625 · 03/02/2026 20:50

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 03/02/2026 20:45

I love green skirt?
I really like nice-fitting jean?
I love gherkin?

I’m not sure I’m understanding your objection. Do you think all the nouns you mention should be plural, hence no need for the “a” you dislike so much?

Show quote history

Yes

Helen1625 · 03/02/2026 20:53

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 03/02/2026 20:45

I love green skirt?
I really like nice-fitting jean?
I love gherkin?

I’m not sure I’m understanding your objection. Do you think all the nouns you mention should be plural, hence no need for the “a” you dislike so much?

Show quote history

Yes.

Would you say "a jean" or "jeans"?

Do you like a gherkin? Or do you like gherkins?

Anmbord · 03/02/2026 20:54

Ilovepastafortea · 03/02/2026 17:33

It grates on me when someone in a café or similar asks 'Can I get a....'
I so want to butt in & correct them by saying 'yes, if you have the skills, I'm sure that it's possible for you to make a....but you would have to do that at home; the staff here are paid to make it for you'

The other Americanism is when someone refers to their dog 'using the bathroom' I was walking my dog recently when the wife said to her partner/husband 'darling do you have a poo bag, the dog has just used the bathroom'. DH had to restrain me from asking exactly how did you teach your dog to use a bathroom as mine poos on grass' If I could teach her to use the bathroom I could just flush it & save money on poo bags.

Don't get me started on young people using 'like' every other word eg: 'I was 'like' really tired' Me: 'so how were you feeling that was 'like' really tired?'

Edited

It grates on me when someone in a café or similar asks 'Can I get a....'
I so want to butt in & correct them by saying 'yes, if you have the skills, I'm sure that it's possible for you to make a....but you would have to do that at home; the staff here are paid to make it for you

The verb ‘to get’ has a few different meanings. In this context it means ‘to RECEIVE’. As in, ‘I got a letter in the post’ or ‘I got a lovely present for my birthday’.

If someone in a cafe asks ‘Can I get a coffee please?’ they are in no way suggesting that they vault the counter and help themselves 😅 They’re politely asking if they could receive a coffee.

There is really no need to feel an urge to butt in. You’re just not used to the phrase, but it’s commonly used in parts of the UK and it’s perfectly correct.

AgentPidge · 03/02/2026 20:59

CanadianJohn2 · 03/02/2026 20:31

Some "Americanisms" make more sense than their English equivalents. I think that the paved strip for pedestrians is called a "pavement" in England. The American word is "sidewalk" ... a better term, in my opinion.

When my wife died, and I was spreading the news among my neighbours, the word "died" seemed a bit too harsh, and I switched to using the expression "passed away", which almost seems to imply life after death. Now, years later, I've switched back to using the word "died".

In coffee shops, I switch between "can I get" and "can I have". To my ears, "can I have a slice of cake" sounds like a child asking Mummy.

"I'd like a slice of the lemon drizzle cake, please," or "I'll have..." and pointing to it.

Mithral · 03/02/2026 21:01

It's a very silly idea that the verb "to get" has a built in reflexive. "To get" does not mean the same as "to get myself". It makes me squirm when people pompously say that it does.

I assume these people are confused by being asked what they got for Christmas.

Edited to add that the idea it means you make the item yourself is a new one though - normally people just wrongly think it means to fetch the item. The over correction is clearly evolving.

nevernotmaybe · 03/02/2026 21:04

Astra53 · 03/02/2026 16:47

The use of the word 'homicide' has crept in. I thought we had 'murders' in the UK!

Homicide used to mean murder in the UK, predates the US existing by many centuries.

Anmbord · 03/02/2026 21:08

HopeJacob · 03/02/2026 17:36

I am usually a very tolerant individual who has ample loving kindness to dust on those I meet, but I properly bristle when people in the queue in front of me say 'can I get.....?' This is not standard British English!

If I worked in Starbucks and was on the receiving end of that all day, I doubt I'd last the shift.

There is more than one form of standard English within the UK. There’s Scottish Standard English, for example.
Hiberno-English is spoken in Northern Ireland (as well as in the rest of the island of Ireland).

AgentPidge · 03/02/2026 21:08

There's another thread where everyone is talking about "wedding invites". Horrible. No one seems to be saying invitations. I hate it.

HoppityBun · 03/02/2026 21:12

AgentPidge · 03/02/2026 21:08

There's another thread where everyone is talking about "wedding invites". Horrible. No one seems to be saying invitations. I hate it.

I have begun to think that there are some people who literally have never heard the word “invitation”. I always think of a 1920s char lady when I hear the word

BeaRightThere · 03/02/2026 21:12

OchonAgusOchonOh · 03/02/2026 18:30

What part of ireland is that? I do accept trousers is replacing pants in a lot of ireland but the only person I know who uses pants for knickers is from NI.

Show quote history

South-east.

nevernotmaybe · 03/02/2026 21:13

Mithral · 03/02/2026 21:01

It's a very silly idea that the verb "to get" has a built in reflexive. "To get" does not mean the same as "to get myself". It makes me squirm when people pompously say that it does.

I assume these people are confused by being asked what they got for Christmas.

Edited to add that the idea it means you make the item yourself is a new one though - normally people just wrongly think it means to fetch the item. The over correction is clearly evolving.

Edited

Historically "get" specifically meant to "To obtain possession of property, as the result of effort or (esp.) contrivance." in the UK. This wasnt historically ever the case in the US.

This is why it was in the past strange to say "can I get" in the UK, people probably didnt even know why but evolved from a time when it did very much always mean to get it yourself.

ERthree · 03/02/2026 21:13

Astra53 · 03/02/2026 16:47

The use of the word 'homicide' has crept in. I thought we had 'murders' in the UK!

Culpable homicide is a Scottish legal term and Scotland is part of the UK

Helen1625 · 03/02/2026 21:14

Yarboosucks · 03/02/2026 18:40

Gifting/gifted and overuse of myself are Mrs Bucket affectations. Trying too hard and failing

Gifting. Usually seen on local Facebook pages "Is anyone gifting an...."

In other words,
"I'm on the scrounge for a freebie."

Hollyhobbi · 03/02/2026 21:18

Covidwoes · 03/02/2026 20:20

As well as various Americanisms, I hate “We was doing” and “I done”, which seem to be becoming more prevalent everywhere!

I done and I seen are heard a good bit in Ireland now. Drives me batty!

HoppityBun · 03/02/2026 21:18

Hellohelga · 03/02/2026 18:31

Actually I quite like bathroom instead of toilet - it sounds genteel. I might be going to do a giant poo but it sounds like I’m going to touch up my lipstick.

Oh genteel! Phone for the fish knives, Norman.

Helen1625 · 03/02/2026 21:27

Wellthisisdifficult · 03/02/2026 17:55

Especially if it’s teamed with a heel (what just the one -are they suggesting people hop?). They usually tell you what products give you a nice lip as well.

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I agree! I've said the same. Everything that should be plural i.e. jeans becomes 'a jean'.

The excessive use of 'a' followed by a singular noun that should be plural drives me mad!

CheshireCat1 · 03/02/2026 21:34

marilyntaylor · 03/02/2026 19:50

I’m 65 and from Lancashire. It’s always been pants here meaning trousers.

My DH puts his undercrackers on and then his pants, he’s a Lancashire lad.

IsItWickedNotToCare · 03/02/2026 21:56

Adulting...

Butteredtoast55 · 03/02/2026 22:27

HoppityBun · 03/02/2026 21:18

Oh genteel! Phone for the fish knives, Norman.

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For cook is a little unnerved! 😀