American 'English'

I just wish that the inhabitants of the USA would acknowledge that the language they use is American, and that most of us over here speak English. They are two different languages, although I also notice that I have no problem understanding American, but they do seem to have a problem undestanding me when I speak English. Who says we are useless at languages?!

And as for 'fanny'!!!!!!

picking a fight !

Are what nonu ?

I think you are jess

Pilgrim Fathers would have said "gotten" before they even got on the Mayflower. It's English English that changed it.

With you all the way, Jess.

Hehe! Bang on, jess

I've noticed from the films I watch all the time that a lot of words I "knew" weren't used in the US are definitely used in films. Fortnight, car, trousers, heard in the last couple of days. Also Americans (usually) say such nice things about our accents! JessM, you are absolutely right.

Got caught out a few times over t'pond.

We were skiing with friends and I fell 'Ouch, our host said, does your fanny hurt'. I couldn't believe my ears. Same when he said 'do you want to borrow a fanny pack for your stuff"?

In a downtown bar my cousin had taken us after my birthday party in New York- I called my daughter over 'I'm dying for a fag' (I still have the odd one on special celebrations days) - that turned a few heads I can tell you.

At the airport, the announcement said 'your luggage will be momentarily available at number 10' - I panicked - what if we miss it?

And watch out in restaurants, the Entrée (clearly a starter when translated) is actually the main course. Duh!

Oh and as G. Bush said 'the French haven't got a word for 'entrepreneur' lol.

I have heard it argued that US English is closer to English as spoken in England a few centuries back. The only ones that really grate on my nerves, do so because they remind me of the Bush administration - nucaler being the prime example.
I might put the argument that you English are a bit precious about your standard usage and pronunciation. The English stormed around the world, with bows and arrows and then guns, trying to appropriate as much territory as possible. Everyone living in the UK today has benefitted indirectly from this history in terms of the wealth created. In the process you exported your language - first to Scotland, Wales and Ireland and then - well - tally ho! In some case the language was forcibly imposed (ask any Welsh speaker)
In the last 2 or 3 centuries these other countries have taken the language and made it their own, enriching it in the process.
Are the far flung corners of the former empire supposed to toe the line in terms of standard BBC English and grammar for ever more? Is that it?
(I'ts Ok - I'm not picking a fight folks, - but putting forward a debating point )

We go to the States frequently, too, and I have had some interesting conversations with Americans about language. We were staying in a hotel in LA and the waiter at our breakfast table had some beautiful brightly coloured braces - so I complimented him on them. As soon as I had said braces, though, I remembered that I should have called them suspenders! (And, of course, suspenders are different things here, too!).

A word that I have found most Americans don't understand is "fortnight" which, I suppose, was shortened from fourteen nights?

Yes, Americans tend to be warm and welcoming people, and I have spent some happy times exchanging funny anecdotes with them about the strange way we respectively pronounce or change many words (split infinitive was deliberate there...because I can)

They don't have the hang-ups we do about evolving language, but I do like discussing the way we play around with words

All historical, and all fascinating

Oh dear! Two Greek words in there, as well as a couple derived from Old English (by way of Anglian, aka German).

How shocking!

'gotten' survives in British English as 'forgotten', 'begotten' and 'misbegotten'. The language divided when the first migrants left for America. Some usage survived there and died out here. It's all historical.

lilygran and bags re evolving and ownership! No wonder people are confused with pronunciation, when 'Magdalen' is 'Maudlin' and 'Holborn' (perfectly straightforward) is something that sounds like Hoeburn.

I prefer good old fashioned 'power cut'. It'll do for my humble abode

Think power outage is okay, whats wrong with it

Usually people who haven"t been there , I find them kind , polite and friendly, ILIKE their speech patterns not though not to say we get our lines crossed a bit , which causes amusement on both sides . As I say , it is a pleasant learning curve for all concerned . Long may it continue ! all the way

Power outages are certainly annoying. We've had a lot in the last six years. I don't give a toss what they're called so long as I understand what is being talked about.

Round here people tend to say "I've no electric" or "Have youngot your electric back?"

On the whole, purely on superficial and personal aesthetic grounds, I think I prefer the phrase 'power outage' to 'no electric'

Language is for clear communication. If it does that, good. If it does it elegantly as well, very good.

'Power outage' is a regular term in the nuclear power industry, merlot. (OH used to work in it)

Well said, lilygran! We don't own the English language. It's stupid to expect a country as diverse as the States not to have modified the language with all the rich input from native American, European, African and Asian cultures that make up its population. (Sorry if I've forgotten any).

English speakers here used to say gotten too, so if there's any 'corruption' it could well be here!

But I don't think it is corruption. Language evolves. All the time.

Besides, I'm getting a bit tired of America-bashing on gransnet.

If language didn't evolve we would all still be grunting like cave dwellers!

Well said, Anno.

When I last visited America (which I do frequently because of family), I spent a delightful evening swapping 'jargon' with an engaging young man. I taught him cockney rhyming slang, and he taught me the various differences we had in normal, everyday things - which we all know really - cookies for biscuits etc. It was fun.

I don't see Americans as ruining our language. It has just evolved into something else and is what it is. It jars sometimes, but on the whole ...............

I could go on, but I won't.

We don't own the English language. We mother-tongue monoglots are quite happy (I imagine) with being able to swan around the world without ever having to learn any other language and the other aspect of that is that the other nations who use English develop new versions. Makes the language richer! .

As well as the silliness of 'dove', shouldn't it be "I, who dove etc..." anyway?
The whole title is painful.