Americanisation (the) of our language

Variations have always existed across the Uk .I know in my part of Scotland it was always Santa ,Uni and Leash ,well for the almost 70 years I've been around .Its very bad manner s ,my granny would have said, to be so pass remarkable about other folk,their looks or their language and its usually carnaptious old folks who do it .She may have been right!

Not sure how we "lowly" uncivilized American's can be considered both crude and prissy.

In the US, we use American English. In the UK, you use Queen's English. Two different countries and two different languages. Do you all make fun of all other countries that speak different languages?

I don't see anything making fun of Canadian English. How about Australian English? Those both came from Queen's English but have also been changed over time. Or do you not make fun of those countries because they are Commonwealth Countries? They must very well still be civilized since they are Commonwealth Countries. Us poor uncivilized American's don't know any better do we?

I am surprised you don't look down more on Australia. All those British criminals in their pedigree.

If you do not want to adopt language nuances from other countries, you need to look inside your own borders as to who is making those decisions and connect with them. Is it your media? School systems? It certainly is not any American who came to your country and forced it.

The majority of American's say Merry Christmas. We do also recognize that within our 300+ million person population, we have various religions who celebrate major religious holidays from the first part of November until January.

We wouldn't want to leave out all the people we have welcomed to our shore, like the Jewish refugees during World War 2, Buddhist refugees in the 70's and 80's, and the Muslim refugees in the last 20-30 years.

Here is what is funny, it has been my experience in the US that Christians will say Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish Friends and vice versa. That happens across all religions here.

That doesn't make us woke, it makes us respectful to our fellow humans.

Well said sodapop. My pet hate is pedants.

GagaJo

My pet peeve is gotten. I know it's archaic English and they still use it, but I hear it everytime I read it and it irritates me!

...and it still exists in whichever part of the country Ambridge is in, although it may have died out with Bert Fry. And of course in the associated forget/forgotten, beget/begotten..

And talking about bathrooms, we lived in a flat in the US which had a small toilet (i.e. only toilet/washbasin) and the agent referred to it as a 'half bathroom'

“My bad” - just awful ?

Working on the ‘live and let live, they can have their own words if they won’t to’ principle, why do we have to adopt their changes. For example, I always understood that the overweight Edward V11 experienced a lot of discomfort when eating vast dinners wearing the traditional white tie and tails. His tailor thoughtfully constructed a dinner jacket. This was adopted by the USA and renamed a tuxedo. This has now filtered back and seems to be referred to more and more by the Americanism.

I’m no thrilled about mules being called slides either.

Note to self: you are turning into your mother

Sorry - doubling up again!

Settlers crossed the Atlantic in the 17th Century, taking with them English as it was spoken at that time. The two branches inevitably diverged; we have no right to call it 'our' language. To take 'gotten' as an example. It survives in 'forgotten', 'begotten' and 'misbegotten'. American English has acquired many more 'borrowings', so has ours. What does it matter so long as we can understand one another?

Settlers crossed the Atlantic in the 17th Century, taking with them English as it was spoken at that time. The two branches inevitably diverged; we have no right to call it 'our' language. To take 'gotten' as an example. It survives in 'forgotten', 'begotten' and 'misbegotten'. American English has acquired many more 'borrowings', so has ours. What does it matter so long as we can understand one another?

e. g. 19th December (as heard on the BBC as well) for
19th of December

Indeed instead of yes!

Another generalisation about Americans being crude MollyF are there no crude British people?
I'm sure a lot of British language has found its way into America as it has here in France.
There are American expressions I don't like either so I don't use them. It seems to be popular on here to mock all things American

Last time I was in the US visiting ds, I came across a young boy called Awesome. I later mentioned it to ds1 and he said ‘Mum, I think you’ll find his name is Orson.’

My ds’s children sometimes have ‘British weeks’, when they say things like bin lorry, car boot, pavement and so on instead of the usual American terms.

Anyone else remember the ladies loos in Jenner’s, Edinburgh? It was called the powder room - very 1950’s.

DD has been married to an American for nearly 25 years but we've got him nearly civilised now. Crisps and Chips was the biggest problem. once we got those sorted he was nearly one of us.

When I worked in various cafes "Can I get?" used to get me close to murder. My big hate at the moment is turning nouns into verbs as in "To Gift" "To Medal" and so on.

Sago

Lucca I have heard “happy holidays” a lot here in the UK.
It’s popular among woke types who don’t wish to offend anyone by mentioning a Christian Festival.

I’m happy for Americans to use what ever language they wish….even fanny pack!
It just never seems to sound right here said in a British accent.

Oh sorry, I didnt realise,

Woke.

Lucca I have heard “happy holidays” a lot here in the UK.
It’s popular among woke types who don’t wish to offend anyone by mentioning a Christian Festival.

I’m happy for Americans to use what ever language they wish….even fanny pack!
It just never seems to sound right here said in a British accent.

I can't bear 'Happy Holidays'. I celebrate Christmas.

Deplane
You guys
Can I get?
My bad
Anaesthesiologist
Soda
Slumber party
Play date
Me time
Shower parties
My truth

cringe!!!

I say Father Christmas, but I don’t mind Santa Claus. It’s when it’s shortened to Santa I start to rant. Saint Nicholas is fine, but calling him just Saint (as in Santa) just doesn’t make sense.

Actually no Canadians say Happy Christmas, it's Merry Christmas.

I understand that language is always evolving, and love to hear regional differences. We seem to be in the zone where traditionally we use British language and spelling, but all our media and software is American, so I constantly have to ignore errors such as labour, centre, neighbour. (t is highlighted here as an error)

It made me cringe when I heard a young lady spell a word with zee instead of zed, but I managed to stop myself from correcting her.

Globalism ensures you can have fruit from tropical places, a goods from all over the world, and enjoy the multicultural society that is modern Britain or Canada, but it also involves some change that not all agree with.

Bathroom is ok, but restroom is the one that gets me, we all know what a lavatory/toilet is and why we go there and it isn't for a rest!. Ridiculous euphemism for those who can't get their heads around bodily functions.

It was a while ago when out with our own kids and the grown up grandchildren we cottoned on to the fact that they are all into the "can I get?" when ordering food, coffees whatever. I would love whoever is serving to say "I dunno?" or even "do you mean could I have" Still we are all of our time and such expressions are pretty universal amongst their age group and we are both used to being referred collectively to as "you guys" which really doesn't bother me at all.

I personally don't like the word "awesome" used in the wrong context which many waiters appear to use in the US when you order something. No! awesome is a blue whale, big cats, even dare I say it little cats, Michelangelo's "David", The Iguazu Falls, The Valley of the Kings, The Colosseum etc. etc. ....not an order for a flat white or cappuccino I also don't like "do the math" as used by a British person.......we say MATHS don't lose the S.

God forbid we adopt all the habits that float over the pond, the number of women that drive around with "I'm a hockey/football/whatever mom" sticker in their car.........what does it even? mean, you live your life vicariously though whatever activity your kid is into!

I still don't know what a "homecoming queen" is. Pretty sure it's nothing to do with The Queen returning to Windsor though.

Germanshepherdsmum

Father Christmas for me too Yammy.

Good to hear someone likes the old things as well as me.

Americans say Happy Holiday to include all religions and ethnicity. As it is a short public holiday they all have.

Perhaps I am a dinosaur but I always say "uinversity" never "uni"

I also say "television" never "tv" or "telly"