Americanisms...is it just me that finds them irritating?

adouglasmhor

Arachne wrote: »

"Stroller" is one of the worst for me - it's a PUSHCHAIR!! :rotfl:

That's changed in America too, 50 years ago "Stroller" meant Black Lounge as worn at the time by bank workers, lawyers etc. here, Black suit jacket, waistcoat, grey or striped or checked trousers. Only Baristers and Advocates wear it now (and some Masonic Lodges).

adouglasmhor

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I fell into a similar trap once when asking for a chicken salad sandwich. Chicken salad is a rather different thing to chicken and or with salad. i.e. the chicken salad and mayo mixture has no vegetables in it.


Still, that was as nothing compared to trying to get a decent cup of tea. I gave up and took to drinking coffee. Which was far, far worse. It's certainly a hot beverage but nothing like coffee as it is known elsewhere in the civilised world. No wonder they drink so much "soda".

About Americans being a bit "innocent" about the rest of the world: I can't count the number of times I've been asked if we have flushing lavs over here or whether the water is safe to drink. I know it feels like a Third World country here sometimes but I don't enjoy being reminded of it.

Many years ago, I worked in Britoil's Joint Ventures Department, one of our partners on the Brae-A North Sea oil platform was Louisiana Land and Engineering, a phone call one day and an American woman asked in a loud nasal voice "Hello this is LL&E do you have anyone who speaks English there", I replied "Yes -do you?"

Also in the army working with American service personnel, I was told it must have been terrible for me growing up with all the bread queues etc. I think they though Scotland was somewhere in the Eastern Block.

adouglasmhor

Candy53 wrote: »

I hate 'Americanisms' too.

The two phrases that irritate me the most, which we adopted are:

'Being in denial' and 'Needing closure'.

'Awesome', 'kinda' 'gotten',
and now 'sideburns' instead of sideboards. Some people are using the word 'apartment' instead of 'flat' now.

Another one that we took on but has thankfully faded out is 'What's his status?'


Candy

Sideburns are what I have always called them and I am 50, to me sideboards are items of furniture. They used to be called mutton chops.

hellzbellz

Hi all. Long time reader first time poster.
I would say that what annoys me is the arrogance of some of us (with the exception of a few who have rightly identified that some "Americanisms"are actually British in origin) regarding another cultures take on a language which we and our youth still fail to grasp. I would say that before we make judgements we should educate ourselves to ensure our judgements hold validity. Otherwise we deserve the reputation of being as pompous and ill informed as Americans and the French.

ValHaller

hellzbellz wrote: »

Hi all. Long time reader first time poster.
I would say that what annoys me is the arrogance of some of us (with the exception of a few who have rightly identified that some "Americanisms"are actually British in origin) regarding another cultures take on a language which we and our youth still fail to grasp. I would say that before we make judgements we should educate ourselves to ensure our judgements hold validity. Otherwise we deserve the reputation of being as pompous and ill informed as Americans and the French.

So how did you educate yourself to discern that Americans and the French are pompous and ill informed without yourself being arrogant?

hellzbellz

Hi vanhaller thank you for joining the discussion. I am not saying Americans or French are arrogant or pompous so apologise for the confusion.

What I am saying is anyone who makes generalization based on only assumption would benefit from educating themselves on the subject they engage in otherwise sun the risk of coming across as invalid.

I hope i don't come across as arrogant as that is not my intent.

I sometimes view things and comment clinically so apologise for any arrogance

BitterAndTwisted

adouglasmhor wrote: »

Many years ago, I worked in Britoil's Joint Ventures Department, one of our partners on the Brae-A North Sea oil platform was Louisiana Land and Engineering, a phone call one day and an American woman asked in a loud nasal voice "Hello this is LL&E do you have anyone who speaks English there", I replied "Yes -do you?"

Which reminds me of a story an ex-colleague once told me. She worked as a nanny for a very wealthy but not particularly sophisticated family in California. Her employer obviously knew she was English and asked her what language we spoke over here.

Dunroamin

hellzbellz wrote: »

Hi all. Long time reader first time poster.
I would say that what annoys me is the arrogance of some of us (with the exception of a few who have rightly identified that some "Americanisms"are actually British in origin) regarding another cultures take on a language which we and our youth still fail to grasp. I would say that before we make judgements we should educate ourselves to ensure our judgements hold validity. Otherwise we deserve the reputation of being as pompous and ill informed as Americans and the French.

There is nothing wrong with American English when used by Americans. Equally there is nothing wrong with British people disliking the way that these expressions drift thoughtlessly into our own language - surely that's the point of this discussion.

Abbafan1972

adouglasmhor wrote: »

Sideburns are what I have always called them and I am 50, to me sideboards are items of furniture. They used to be called mutton chops.

I think the same. Sideburns are facial hair and a sideboard is an item of furniture!

Abbafan1972

hellzbellz wrote: »

Hi vanhaller thank you for joining the discussion. I am not saying Americans or French are arrogant or pompous so apologise for the confusion.

What I am saying is anyone who makes generalization based on only assumption would benefit from educating themselves on the subject they engage in otherwise sun the risk of coming across as invalid.

I hope i don't come across as arrogant as that is not my intent.

I sometimes view things and comment clinically so apologise for any arrogance

One has crept in there it seems. :rotfl: