Americanisation (the) of our language

Alegrias1

I'd say we have several AGAA4

Like my mum and most of my family, I grew up speaking a language that is as different from English as Norwegian is from Swedish. When she was young my mum was told that what she was speaking was "bad" English, with the result that she is always nervous about speaking to other people who speak "properly".

Maybe that's one of the reasons I find this mockery of other people and their language so wrong.

I feel the same as this. Each part of the British Isles wishes to conserve its
own identity and language. My way of speaking has been laughed at and joked about all my life, if I speak naturally some people cannot understand me.
When I lived in the east neither parents would come and live with me when elderly because my mother especially was frightened of not being understood.
I have even been asked when talking to a friend if I was a "Scandi" not a nice term.
We can all make ourselves understood and have always laughed and said we were bilingual.
You learn to speak so that people understand you and then speak the way you naturally do at home. You also have the option of rejecting the use of any word or pronunciation that you do not like.
Maybe we should do the same with Americanisms that we do not like. We hear them and reject them as we please.

I think you're right, Alegrias, in saying that Lallans has something to do with Hugh McDiarmid. As it was a synthesis of different dialects, it was doomed to be a short-lived feature of the literary scene in the 50s and 60s. I had university classes from a Greek lecturer who translated Aristophanes' into Lallans and took 'The Puddocks' (Frogs) to the Festival Fringe. It was a language which, as far as I know, was written by a few and spoken by even fewer.

Thanks to the Scottish grans. I didn't realise there were different languages spoken in Scotland.
Welsh is spoken a bit differently in North and South Wales.
Now this is a much better discussion than the previous one.

I'm sorry if any of our American members have been hurt. Some comments have definitely strayed from discussing differences to being impolite and snobby.
Personally, I would love to find out what the Americans think of we Brits, even if they are rude.
I vaguely remember reading, long ago, a handout which was (allegedly) being given to American Servicemen being posted over here. It pointed out some of our quaint ways, so that they could learn, in advance, how to cope with us without causing offence. It was very amusing, and I would love to read it again if anyone has a copy of it.
Threads where people are asked about their 'pet hates' always seem to encourage people to 'let loose' without a thought of who might be reading their comments.

annodomini I doubt my Granny ever heard of Hugh McDiarmid. She just talked in language she'd always spoken. It's not surprising that there is such regional variation given the limited travel opportunities between large and disparate parts of Scotland (and UK) going back centuries.

It seems to be Groundhog Day here as regards Americans and their use of language!

Fwiw, my America dil now uses British swear words. So much more expressive than the American equivalent, she says.

I don’t understand much spoken Doric but it’s wonderful on the ears to hear it and when you read about what the words mean, so expressive. I hear it less and less, though. Young people don’t seem to grow up speaking it now.

I might be guilty of resenting the way we in the uk seem to follow America like the poodle we are, but some of their words are apt and to the point.
Struggle with the ‘can I get a...’ (coffee) etc. I always want to reply ‘ yes, it’s on the top shelf, over there.’
Language develops, we no longer communicate like the Victorians. “Ahoy there rapscallion, whither doth thou wander’” or something similar..

Lovely word " rapscallion" so descriptive silverlining

That is a brilliant word, just added it to my vocabulary list!

TwinLolly

I can't stand Americanisms and I can hardly read an article or a book without wanting to correct the spelling. So I avoid books from America.

Annoying things, to add to what is already on here:

Paycheck instead of salary or salary/wage slip.

"Pay the check" or ask for the 'check' instead of paying the bill or invoice, or asking for the bill or invoice.

Very poor misuse of the language and very lazy spelling. It grates on my nerves!

I hope you also avoid all television and ‘films’ produced in America as well.

Enjoy your isolationist life

AGAA4

Here in Wales there are children still being taught in Welsh. English was forced on the Welsh and children were punished for speaking their own language.
I was taught spelling rigourously at school and some of our words are now being changed to the American way.
I don't agree with those who have been blatantly rude about Americans as that is appalling but putting that aside I prefer our language as it is. It will change. If we went back to the middle ages we wouldn't understand much of what is said but maybe not to copy language in this way.

I remember thread, not so long ago, about how angry people were that signs in Wales actually had the audacity to be welsh first.

GreenGran: I found a copy you can purchase. But I am going to keep looking to see if I can find a free copy somewhere. I am interested in reading it as well.

I did find this list though: www.iwm.org.uk/history/tips-for-american-servicemen-in-britain-during-the-second-world-war

As far as my opinion on British people, I try not to judge an entire population based on a few. Some days that is harder then others. But me judging an entire country based on a few while asking others not to judge my country based on a few would make me a hypocrite.

Lucca

grannybuy

Mom and cops!

I’m absolutely certain we played cops and robbers as children ….in England.

There are parts of the UK where “mom” is used.

Mom is not used in the US though, so I was surprised that someone would find the term offensive as an American term when it is not, in fact, an American term.

Summerlove 14:57

Exactly

Copper was originally someone who captures - viz. 'It's a fair cop'. Thus a police officer became known as a copper/cop. Not American in origin, though adopted into their vocabulary.

Doodledog

I think it might be Australian rather than American, but I cringe at Uni ?. It sounds even worse when older people use it, too.

I have lived in the US almost 50 years. Uni is not an American word at all. We usually refer to university as 'college' even when it is a university.

freedomfromthepast

Lucca

grannybuy

Mom and cops!

I’m absolutely certain we played cops and robbers as children ….in England.

There are parts of the UK where “mom” is used.

Mom is not used in the US though, so I was surprised that someone would find the term offensive as an American term when it is not, in fact, an American term.

'Mom' has been used all over the US for many decades NEVER mum. I am really surprised and disappointed the word mom has crept into the UK. My American son's, - the oldest being 47 knew better than to ever call me 'mom' here in the US. I'd tell them, "I'm not an American - call me mum". Then I discover some Brits think it's a British word!

Most young people say Uni here too. Not a big deal really ?

When I arrived in the US from England almost 50 years ago I heard a lot of terms that were only used in the black community. One of them was, "Bad mouthing" for when you speak badly of or to someone. I was watching a documentary about the British police and heard it being used there now.

There are many black American terms that are now being used in the UK - more so than in American white communities. I live in a rural western part of the US now.

Also, I notice that some American traditions are taking place in the UK now, which weren't when I emigrated in the early 70's. Baby showers, high school proms, trick or treating - all very American.

It can go the other way though. Here vaccines were either called vaccines or shots, now since the pandemic started the word 'jab' is being used.

Boogaloo

Doodledog

I think it might be Australian rather than American, but I cringe at Uni ?. It sounds even worse when older people use it, too.

I have lived in the US almost 50 years. Uni is not an American word at all. We usually refer to university as 'college' even when it is a university.

I think (but I'm not sure) that it started when 'Neighbours' was popular in the UK - the 80s?

It's not because it's an 'import' that I dislike it - it's that it reeks of trying to be 'cool' when said by older people, and feels sheep-like in younger ones (although it's probably been in common use since before they were born!).

These things don't have a logic to them, though. Another one I roll my eyes at, for no obvious reason, is 'purchase' instead of 'buy'. I can't explain why, other than that it sounds so pompous when used as a verb - it's fine as a noun. It's probably perfectly correct English, but as I say, logic doesn't come into it.

Candy.

Boogaloo

freedomfromthepast

Lucca

grannybuy

Mom and cops!

I’m absolutely certain we played cops and robbers as children ….in England.

There are parts of the UK where “mom” is used.

Mom is not used in the US though, so I was surprised that someone would find the term offensive as an American term when it is not, in fact, an American term.

'Mom' has been used all over the US for many decades NEVER mum. I am really surprised and disappointed the word mom has crept into the UK. My American son's, - the oldest being 47 knew better than to ever call me 'mom' here in the US. I'd tell them, "I'm not an American - call me mum". Then I discover some Brits think it's a British word!

Ok I get it now. I was trying to figure out how mom and cops went together. Now I am seeing that she is referring to the two different words separately.

Yes, we use mom and we use cops. But not together.

I am sometimes irritated when I am writing at work and the PC settings are accidentally on ‘American English’ and therefore ‘corrects’ my spelling. Otherwise, I actually enjoy the way our language evolves.

When I think of the way I speak (and this is probably true of most of us) my language is a mixture of Queen’s English with a hefty dollop of regional words. Personally I love the richness that this brings to language. I am from North Nottinghamshire, when at university my friends from the South were perplexed and highly amused at my use of the word ‘mardy’. Once they understood the beautiful precision of the word they started using it. It also became much more used when the song ‘Mardy Bum’ exploded into the charts in the 90s (?) Anyway, my point being that;

1. No-one speaks the Queen’s English.
2. Language constantly evolves and always has.
3. I apologise to our American cousins, we’re not all rude.
4. Vive la difference ?

??????
Succinctly put, Mamma

HillyN

Candy.

What about it ?