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

p00hsticks

heartbreak_star wrote: »

And "aluminum" instead of "aluminium" makes me want to go gnaw chunks out of something.

I'm English but I prefer 'aluminum' because I think that if you discover something you should get to name it and 'aluminum' was Sir Humphrey Davy's chosen name for it before he later got overridden by people wanting 'aluminium' ....

claire16c

Mojisola wrote: »

People who grew up in the Midlands have for years.

It was probably their ancestors that took the word to America.

that explains why my friends call their brummie Mum, 'Mom.'

lostinrates wrote: »

There are even American schools in the uk, and have been for some time. Some of us have mixed heritage. My parents actually have nicknames particular to them, and if I called them Mum or Dad would flip, though I use those here for 'simplicity'.

It seems to be said on here too often for the odd American poster.

Lucy_Lastic

I'm glad I'm not a waitress (for a number of reasons) because if a customer said "can I get......?" I would just have to say, "no it's OK, I'll get it, it's my job" :rotfl:

Do you think I would get a blank look?

paulineb_2

Even the abbreviation DH for dear husband, I had never heard of that until some American people said it online but its said all the time on here, DH, DD, DS.

LisaLou1982

I too dont like Americanisms!!

Although, my OH calls his mum "mom" but he is from the West Midlands and they all do. Its not an East Midlands thing

lostinrates

ilovelondontown wrote: »

Preface: For the record I haven't got a problem will "Americanisms" being used by Americans in context or anywhere in the world, they absolutely should spell it mom or color...

...but it annoys the hell out of me when I hear or see someone English using American words instead of English, and I know there are bigger worries in the world but the language you use takes you home, it tells others who you are. I also appreciate that language does evolve over time, but I want to keep my "mum" "pushchairs" and "colour".... and I'm never ever going to ask someone to "write me" as it'll always be "write TO me" :rotfl:

But you'd never know.


Dh and I sound totally and resoundingly english. Lots of our dual heritage friends have flawless accents...though truthfully it is less common in dual americabrits, but my nieces are cut glass British to hear but American passport holders!

Georgiegirl256

paulineb wrote: »

None of my friends who say that ridiculous word are from Essex, god knows where they got it from.

Towie seems like the obvious answer. It just makes me cringe.

Yup, from Towie!

pollypenny

'Can I get' annoys the hell out of me, too!

Another one is the increasing use of 'bring', instead of 'take'.

I remember a poster asking 'what shall I bring to university?'

Well , as those you are asking are not there, it should be What shall I take .......'

adouglasmhor

Gillyx wrote: »

Cookies and biscuits are different things though? To me they are anyway

To Americans biscuits are scones you have in a horrible thin white sauce they call gravy, at breakfast time.

A cookie is what they call our biscuits though, but here a cookie is usually an American style of biscuit.

Soubrette

I don't find americanisms irritating as such (I am married to a North American after all) but I do find it a bit sad that our own cultural identity is being slowly eroded. Same thing with Santa Claus (Father Christmas in this country) and Mother's Day (Mothering Sunday).

Some people make a big deal about some things that they claim aren't British but don't really seem to care about the creeping Americanisms.

It seems like the whole world will be speaking Anglish soon