Americanisation (the) of our language

grannybuy

Mom and cops!

I have never heard this saying. I have lived in 5 states in 4 regions of this country and have never heard this term.

Are you thinking mom and pop's?

Family owned small business are often called mom and pop stores. Customers usually want to know who the mom and pop stores are because they want to support small locally owned family businesses instead of large corporations like Walmart.

I am interested in learning where the term mom and cop's was used since I have never heard it before.

Jaxie

What about Americans placing an order in a café saying,” I’ll get a coffee.” English people use that construction now.

What do you mean? Vs starting with “may I please have…?” Otherwise I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I’m an American and can’t think of when I’ve heard that phrasing (again, unless you’re referring to the lack of politeness).

Lauren59

*The upward inflection of every sentence*

I’ve heard this called “uptalking” in the U.S. ?

It’s so much fun to make fun of other countries language idiosyncrasies isn’t it?

Uptalk is a real thing, properly linguistically studied and everything.

www.thecut.com/2017/06/the-real-purpose-of-uptalk-is-to-make-you-shut-up-and-listen.html

Mocking it is just another way of mocking women

Mom and cops!

The upward inflection of every sentence

I’ve heard this called “uptalking” in the U.S. ?

I've been out for a few hours, just thought I'd catch up on the day's debate.

Much of this thread is unbelievable.

There was a suggestion somewhere that there should be, basically, a thread making fun of how Queen's-English speaking people speak and pointing out stereotypical faults some people assume they have. Shall we go for it?

No, we'd probably get deleted pdq.

Sorry, I haven’t read all posts so don’t know whether this has already been said. It might not be American but I can’t stand “back in the day”. What day? Just say “years ago” ?

Retired65

I hate the use of the word 'guy' for man and 'guys' when addressing a group of women.

There we are. Another one.

Passed
Cell phone
Homicide
Tomato (Tomate o)

Namsnanny I have read that American children are picking up Englishisms from Peppa Pig!
IMO a very good thing, she is the most sensible pig I’ve come across in a long time.
Personally I quite like outage instead of power cut, does this admission mean I have to stop posting now??

Namsnanny: I am not sure it doesn't imprint. The internet and modern travel have made the world so small. All languages, customs and traditions are imprinting on other languages, customs and traditions. That is how societies have evolved. It just happens much faster now since we aren't having to write letters and wait months to hear back.

Thanks freedom

Since when making fun of somebody is fun?

Freedom of speech has limits

Aveline

Americans are most welcome to have threads making fun of the British way of life and language. This is because they, like us, have freedom of expression.

Just because we have the freedom to do something, doesn't mean we should. It is especially hilarious when the people choosing to make fun of others do so by calling said people uncivilized and crude.

freedomfromthepast

Namsnanny, I agree that discussing the differences in our languages is fun. But that, overall, isn't what has happened here on this thread. Our languages are different, one is not better than the other.

I can understand your embarrassment on the accent. I was in Italy a few years back and tried to learn some of the language. Unfortunately, my American tongue is not made to roll my r's well, so I struggled. I did try and am so glad that the Italians were kind to me about it.

Its a peculiar isn't it, that the idiosyncrasies of American English imprint on the UK language, but the opposite doesn't seem to hold true? Or does it?

Also, as I mentioned earlier on in this thread, I wonder if the use of American words is just a reflection of the fact that the USA is the world leader now and as such has influence?

With regards to speaking another language, my Spanish or French is only basic, but I always found people pleased that I had tried.

Aveline

Americans are most welcome to have threads making fun of the British way of life and language. This is because they, like us, have freedom of expression.

I think that would be very intersesting, Aveline.

O, wad some power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!
It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion.”

Robert Burns.

Summerlove

*Neither are acceptable. ?*

No they aren’t. However the xenophobia on this thread is shocking. Even worse is how proud people are of it

Quite so. Although I stand by my point about muffins. But that's down to UK shops' insistence on describing them wrongly.

(And sorry Summerlove - xenophobia. I forgot the word. I do that a lot nowadays!)

It's just sanctimonious

What people have to say has value, not how they communicate

Americans are most welcome to have threads making fun of the British way of life and language. This is because they, like us, have freedom of expression.

freedomfromthepast, hopefully one day! ?

People don't care if they're rude.
That's the short and long of it.
A few weeks ago it was someone labouring the point that people shouldn't say "passed away" instead of died.
It was explained that some people find it hard to say that, but still people carried on, full of their own importance, totally disregarding that there are bereaved people on here, telling me I'm trying to emotionally blackmail them because I don't always say "dead", about my girl, and their mum always did, blah blah blah....
What the hell difference does it make to anyone else?
Who cares if it makes someone "feel like screaming"?

It wears very thin, being criticised for the "wrong" accent (lazy. Lazy parents. Thickos) and using the "wrong" words, as judged by someone of no great importance to anyone but themself.

Marydoll

When I first joined Gransnet, there were a few members, who were anti Scottish, one was banned for her awful comments.
That is why I can empathise with our posters in the USA.

Thankfully, it doesn't happen much now. Probably because we are quite scary!

Totally off piste: As a pedant, it irritates me that that some cannot differentiate between a thread and a post. Nothing to do with race nor nationality! Is that really rude of me?

My ancestors were Scottish Mary. I can't wait to visit and learn more about the country and my history.

I agree about a thread and a post. They are two different things. I try to keep an open mind though because the internet, and forums are fairly new in the scheme of things and it could be confusing to some people.

I hate the use of the word 'guy' for man and 'guys' when addressing a group of women.

Lucca

Marydoll

Do posters not realise how rude they are being on this thread?

Thank you Marydoll I was beginning to feel like a lone voice crying in the wilderness.
Also thank you Summerlove.

Clearly everyone else thinks it’s fine…..

Some just don't bother reading all the posts, others don't care and do not think they are being xenophobic.

Could you imagine a thread where Americans were making fun of the British?

When I first joined Gransnet, there were a few members, who were anti Scottish, one was banned for her awful comments.
That is why I can empathise with our posters in the USA.

Thankfully, it doesn't happen much now. Probably because we are quite scary!

Totally off piste: As a pedant, it irritates me that that some cannot differentiate between a thread and a post. Nothing to do with race nor nationality! Is that really rude of me?

Jaxie, are you more horrified that we drink coffee and not tea, or that our grammar is not the Queen's English when we ask for one?

We stopped drinking much tea, and using the Queen's English after a little party we through a few years back.