Americanisation of the UK

TiggyW

Talking of Hallowe’en - TK Maxx already have a display in our local store. They were promoting it over the speakers last week! And I thought we were in August! It’s two and a half months away. 🙄Mind you, some of the trees are starting to turn brown now and the nights are drawing in… 😂

I can top that, TiggyW. One of our charity shops has put their Christmas cards out on display. Aargh!

It’s doubtful they would celebrate Bonfire night as this is framed in our history not theirs. Instead they celebrate their history with Independence Day with fireworks.
Other things they do, and seems to be crossing the pond, baby gender reveal celebrations.
I firmly resist their twist on our language….unless I visit America.
I have to say….I did wonder if we’d become the 51st state when looking out from my place of work I saw the American flag flying and an UPS van and a FEDex van …….!!

lixy

It would be lovely if we could adopt the American natural good manners, the smiling courtesy, the lack of litter, the care for the space outside your house/apartment, the good road manners and upkeep and the ‘of course we can’ attitude though wouldn’t it?
Travelling around the States, most recently up the East coast, I have rarely heard a swear word in the street, had people help me in so many small ways and admired the clean litter free streets. I’d like to adopt all that please - but maybe that’s how the UK used to be?

I agree. Besides which, we’re a multicultural country and all the better for it - around here we have Melas, carnivals, German Christmas markets, food and drink from every corner of the world, why not a few touches of the best of America as well? We don’t have to take on the bad bits of any other culture!

My DGC look forward to Hallowe’en now as much as they do Christmas, and I can’t say I’m sorry to be going to a pumpkin farm with them and picking out a few to carve rather than joylessly hacking away at a smelly turnip, which I remember doing as a child. Times change, some things for the better. I’m sure I’d have enjoyed a prom as well as my children did in the 90s - it’s up to schools and parents to make sure they’re kept fun and inclusive.

As for the rest of Europe resisting, I had my first Maccie D’s in (ironically) Hamburg, a full year before they opened in the UK.

I wish we would embrace their work ethic over here. I enjoyed the times I've lived in the US and was always impressed by the way people did their jobs to the best of their abilities however menial it might be. OK I know they can be sacked on the spot etc etc BUT the cleanest streets and definitely the cleanest bathroom facilities compared to those in the UK.

Talking of Hallowe’en - TK Maxx already have a display in our local store. They were promoting it over the speakers last week! And I thought we were in August! It’s two and a half months away. 🙄Mind you, some of the trees are starting to turn brown now and the nights are drawing in… 😂

Fleurpepper

Thanks goodness some American words have not replaced English ones.

Like 'fag' and 'fanny'.

I'm glad that the American word John for the toilet has not yet reached British shores. Even though it's said that the term comes from John Harrington, godson of Queen Elizabeth I and poet who invented the first flushing lavatory. Took a couple of hundred years to catch on.

We've always had school janitors (jannies) in Scotland.

Thanks goodness some American words have not replaced English ones.

Like 'fag' and 'fanny'.

We are a multicultural country in both people and media. We have to accept the multicultural norms that creep into our lives, I'm afraid. If you look back at history, this has happened throughout. Some of this is good, (e.g. you are no longer expected to practise the prescribed religion of the state) but I expect throughout people have moaned about the change in language and traditions. That is something that never changes!

I am more concerned that educational establishments appear to be using the wrong words or grammar. Our local secondary sending out literature about fines for non attendance at school told us we should, "Bare in mind" how we take our "holiday's!"

Slacks to me/my mum meant those trousers with a loop to go under the foot otherwise it was always trousers. Was it of UK or US origin though?

Grandma70s: Anyone remember the word ‘slacks’ for women’s trousers? I never hear that now.

When I was growing up in the 50s and 60s, my mother (from Birmingham) referred to any men's casual trousers except jeans as "slacks". My dad (from Cumbria) did also and he also called all women's trousers "slacks".
I suppose it never occurred to either of them that, one day, a woman might wear trousers as a business suit or wedding attire. Indeed, I remember my dad in the 1980s, looking me up and down as I left for some corporate bash in my charcoal grey suit (with padded shoulders, natch!) and crisp white shirt. "Scribbles! You're never going to work in slacks? ", he cried, completely outraged.

Learnt from the USA

We don't want a gun culture here!

👍

I have noticed it for some time and hate it. I hate all the silly rituals which have now become part of our culture and also the sloppy language and spelling. As has been said, other European countries have managed to keep their language and identity.

I saw the beginnings of this decades ago. I used to work for an international news and business information agency which was British founded and based. Its ethos was British/European and it was a civilised place to work but no sinecure. It treated staff well and expected high standards in return. It started to change in the late 80s to early 90s with the arrival and promotion of several highly ambitious Americans who would be at their desks by 6 am and still be there 13 hours later. They didn’t take all of their holiday allowance either, being used to the miserly two weeks norm in the US. Management attitudes changed rapidly, they saw this as great and we soon lost our prized four day week as managers competed with the Americans to be the hardest. It was ‘Lunch is for wimps’ in action. A slippery slope, many workplaces especially in the City are Americanised now.

Grandma70s

I live in NW England, LOUISA1523, and trousers (male or female) are called trousers. Pants are underwear, always have been in my 84 years.

Anyone remember the word ‘slacks’ for women’s trousers? I never hear that now.

Oh yes, I remember that. I believe it was also used for men's more casual trousers, my father always referred to his weekend wear trousers as slacks.

Thank God for American culture sometimes! I was visiting Moscow years ago and needed to use a loo. We found one - woman at top of steps taking the money and handing you a sheet of paper. But as I descended it became a hellish pond of solid floating sewage! Women were just squatting as best they could on the steps and relieving themselves, so you can imagine what it was like. We left and by luck found a Macdonalds! - first one to open in Russia... My husband bought himself a bag of chips and I went into the sparkling clean, all systems working, wonderful loo - Heaven!

Mispronouncing words that are now the norm here

I live in NW England, LOUISA1523, and trousers (male or female) are called trousers. Pants are underwear, always have been in my 84 years.

Anyone remember the word ‘slacks’ for women’s trousers? I never hear that now.

jan1956

Message deleted by GNHQ

Uncalled for.
There is absolutely no grounds for this remark.
Please don’t attempt to hijack a perfectly reasonable thread to suit your agenda.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Mispronunciation of words that we have adopted and don't know they oroginated from the USA:
Clematis: We used to say 'clemertis' which is correct as from Greek word 'clema'. They say 'clemaytis'.
Migraine: We used to say 'meegraine'. They say 'Mygraine'.
There are loads more.

I don’t think the word pants for knickers was an Americanism, I’m 65 and have always called my underwear pants. Americans use the term pants instead of trousers.

I detest the Americanisms. My daughter uses the word pants for her 3 year old. I call them
Knickers lol. Authors have started putting them in as well which REALLY gets to me. Cell phone. Gotten. . Perhaps we can set up a “Ban the Bad use of words” group ? … oh heck that’s a terrible use of grammar, I blame my ageing brain.

Joseann

Interesting discussion- I'll maybe come back later.

Talking of McDonald's outfits, France has more McDos than the UK! Not much resistance there.
Most French people I know use the term le fast-food.

The big US companies have so much money and power.
^“After five-year legal battle
The opening marked the first ever presence of US fast food giant McDonald's on the Île d'Oléron, a small island just off La Rochelle in the ...”^

I hate a lot of it too.
Everything American has to be bigger, louder and more dramatic.
Fast food and bigger portion sizes for instance have been adopted in the UK which is mostly the cause of everything increasing obesity and health problems - just like in America.
That's just one example.