Americanisation of the UK

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.

Mispronouncing words that are now the norm here

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!

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.

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.

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.

Learnt from the USA

We don't want a gun culture here!

👍

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.

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?

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!"

Thanks goodness some American words have not replaced English ones.

Like 'fag' and 'fanny'.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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 …….!!

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!

I hate the Americanisation of our language, they love to verbalise nouns, and say geneology even though they spell it right, genealogy. And why do somany say 'hotting up' when they mean 'heating up? To name but a few.

Yes,there are a lot of franchised US fast food shops here but so they are in France. We travel a lot to Europe and the French have embraced pizza. In fact small individual family run restaurants are hard to find,but the pizza van comes to even the small villages. America loves fish and chips. Why aren't there any in America? Because they are no good at cooking f&c. Can you imagine Mahi Mahi and fries ?

A lot of Italians will be a bit put out to hear that pizza is American.

Siope

A lot of Italians will be a bit put out to hear that pizza is American.

Particularly those who saw the Roman fresco unearthed at Pompeii.
I just think all cultures constantly evolve, taking bits that suit them from others, discarding thing they did before that didn’t. Younger people generally embrace cultural change, but nostalgia for the past grows as we get older and change is harder to accept. I don’t think you can turn the clock back.

Wyllow3

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?

We called the ones with loops under the foot ‘ski pants’. But we didn’t go ski-ing! They were just casual trousers made of jersey material and not very flattering.

Fleurpepper

Thanks goodness some American words have not replaced English ones.

Like 'fag' and 'fanny'.

Yes indeed.
I can’t keep my face straight when someone mentions their fannypack.

I have no problem with FedEx and UPS doing business in the UK.
Aren't Unilever, ASOS and Diageo all UK companies?
They are in America.

Plenty of known retailers (like Paul Smith) as well.