British vs. American English

Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by Aprella, Jun 12, 2013.

  1. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Trust me, this side of the pond we feel the same way. In America a mum is a flower, not a family member. ;)
     
  2. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    I have to disagree with this. I think that the value of children's literature is in building imagination, and sharing culture (both new and old), and developing a habit of joy in reading so that they go on reading. Now, if they go on reading, one of the results of that will be that good vocabulary, but that doesn't mean that the books that they read have to have that as a specific goal. If they love reading, they will happen upon plenty of books that will teach them a great deal of their own language.

    Yes, I realize that I'm digressing a bit. :)
     
  3. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Watching an episode of Mongrels just now (love this show) and one of the characters had reason to say, "...give it me..." The context was a bit lurid to post here, but my question is regarding the indirect object having no preposition, modified by the verb give. In AmE, I can't think of any situation where this construction would be used. Is this a common construction in the UK? Is it regional, socioeconomic...?
     
  4. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    I agree with this, and will point out that some of the most popular books for young children use erroneous grammar and vocabulary, with the narrator (a child) coming across as sounding like a child of that age group might, though the author doesn't try to directly mimic it.
     
  5. u.v.ray

    u.v.ray New Member

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    >> but it definitely wouldn't make sense for American characters to be using British word choices, or vice versa. <<


    Actually, they do. In particular, due to being the world's economic superpower and having a monopoly on TV shows, many people around the world - in particular the UK - have adopted Americanisms. They also walk around wearing clothes adorned with American sports teams.

    As the global village becomes smaller with the use of the internet I have also noticed many Americans adopting British terminology.

    There are also differences across the USA itself. In the southern states they use far more British terms than many other places in the country. For instance, many southerners use the term "pop" instead of soda. And my ex-girlfriend from Georgia referred to her "Hand-bag" as opposed to "purse"

    I've also heard a lot of Americans use the old British insult "Wa*ker" in recent years.

    The OP is treading a minefield here! :D
     
  6. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    I wouldn't think of "pop" and "hand-bag" as being specifically British terms, given that they're used in both countries. I would label words shared by both populations as just English words. The fact that the use of these words is regional in the US doesn't change that fact for me.
     
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  7. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    You are correct. The regional use within the greater speaking region simply makes it a facet of that greater speaking region.
     
  8. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Ermmm. I live in Britain, and 'pop' is NOT a word, not unless you mean pop a cork, or pop goes the weasel!

    The beverage in question, here in Britain, is usually referred to as a 'fizzy drink,' or the specific drink is mentioned (a Coke, a Pepsi, etc.) "Soda" is not used unless you mean Schwepps (or another brand) of carbonated, unflavoured water— 'soda water,' as in 'lime and soda,' or 'vodka and soda.'

    Here in the west of Scotland, however, all fizzy drinks are often referred to as 'ginger.' As in: "Gie me twa bottles a' ginger." (Which usually turns out to be Irn Bru, god forbid.) Do not ask. I have no idea why...

    Many of my Stateside friends have been baffled by the term 'lemonade' as applied here in Scotland as well. "Lemonade" is actually what Americans would call Sprite or 7-Up. "Lemonade" as Americans would use the word—lemon juice, water, sugar and ice cubes in a big pitcher, sold by children on their front lawns—doesn't really exist over here. When you find it, in bottles, it's usually called 'still lemonade' (as opposed to fizzy.)

    Oh, there are many traps for the unwary, I can assure you—having fallen into most of them at some stage in my checkered career!
     
  9. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    Oh Jannert, oh my darling Nerty...what have you done?

    'Pop' is the northern English word for lemonade. Current usage I think, but associate with my Pop's generation in the main. Is like 'chap' and 'fella.' It's also a word you might use for a spot of colour in your speech. Anyways, I only drink liquorice water.

    A single blemish in glittering career, I'm sure most would agree. Please, no tears at the bus stop.

    PS

    Oh, lemonade eh? I think WE know what lemonade is, for goodness sake. We call it 'homemade lemonade.' The linguistic slide that twists me is the loss of 'take away' replaced by 'take out.' That hurts. Still not really recovered from 'twennyfourseven.'

    My main bug bear tho' between you and me only is Scottish authors writing in Scotlish. But I'm always a sucker for Nottinghamshire. Lawrence is lush (masculine lush)
     
  10. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    OMG. That's me well and truly "telt," lashed with a wet noodle, having plunged headfirst to the bottom of another trap. I defer to the native. Pop. So would the Northern English call 'coke' pop too? Or just lemonade which we call 7-up except here in Central Belt Scotland, where it's called ginger. Anyway, it rots your teeth...
     
  11. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    Well John,

    Whilst culturally I am proper Yorkshire Viking I've been embedded deep south an entire lifetime, so is difficult to be accurate. 'Pop' think 'Kestral for a Knave.'

    My favourite new youth word is 'long.' As in,

    'daughter, would you like to come swimming?'

    'na, is long, man.'

    Tiring, arduous and dull.

    But don't take this too hard upon yourself. I know you are extremely busy organising the festival and everything. Good luck with the stand-up;)
     
  12. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Ahm away fer a cairry-oot...
     
  13. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Though this goes off course a bit, [MENTION=53222]jannert[/MENTION], but your "lemonade" has other precedent and may have a different etymological source. In Russian, what we think of as soft drinks (fizzies) are all generically referred to as лимонад (limonad). Though this is not the "correct" dictionary word you will find on a word hunt, it is the word most often made use of by The People. ;)
     
  14. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Weoooooo....so wir good old red-blooded hog-tyin, yan-kee 7-UP is really RUSSIAN? Joe McCarthy's body'll be burlin' in the grave, la de da de da de da dee, la de da de da de da ...I swear.:eek:
     
  15. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    LOL :) Well, I'm not saying as much as all that, just that the use of the word lemonade (and cognate variants) to mean a fizzy drink has other linguistic examples within the IE family tree. ;)
     
  16. NickHowlett

    NickHowlett New Member

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    Literally everybody I know says trousers... I second redreversed's question.


    And this was really interesting to read, even if I didn't understand half of it. Yes, I am that uneducated.
     
  17. Justin Ladobruk

    Justin Ladobruk Active Member

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    I'm in a unique position and am trying to figure out which way to go.

    I'm Canadian and so I tend to use British spelling but American words. I just don't like the look of the word 'demon' when compared to 'daemon' and as a grammar and spelling fascist, I can't force myself to write 'color' instead of 'colour'. But I've never called a pair of pants 'trousers'.

    Could this get confusing to a reader? To a Canadian, obviously not, but Canada isn't a very big market if I decide to publish one day.
     
  18. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Knickers. Oooh, don't go there...
     
  19. W.A HAWK

    W.A HAWK New Member

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    No, actually it is "you all". I'm from Tennessee and I use it, so I would know. As in, "You all come over here and look at this here Turtle I done caught."
     
  20. W.A HAWK

    W.A HAWK New Member

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    Or if older Britches works too.
     
  21. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    in many parts of the south, though maybe not your part of tennessee, 'you all' is shortened to 'y'all'...
     

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