A slon ga syo uunderstan dwha ti tmean sdoe si treall ymatter? A language is a form of communication, to express what you want others to know. As long as they can figure what you said out, I don't think it matters.
50 Americanisms That Brits Apparently Hate
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But we use it as short-hand for "You do the math [problem]."Sprong said:
"You do the maths problem." doesn't seem to be grammatically correct. You have a plural noun and a singular noun combining to make a singular noun.
But if you can't successfully state your thoughts in an easily understood form, then what is the point of sharing your thoughts?Jeffrey Crall said:
@british people: with half of these, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US?
It seems like so many of these are just little nitpicks, and don't even offer the "correct" version. I completely agree on the horribly stupid ones (like 50. And that'll learn ya) but those are the ones usually most people don't use, or use in a joking manner. Stuff like fortnightly... I doubt most people I talk to would know what the hell that means. Fortnight.. so like four... nights... so once every 4 days? Which is almost twice a week!
It seems like so many of these are just little nitpicks, and don't even offer the "correct" version. I completely agree on the horribly stupid ones (like 50. And that'll learn ya) but those are the ones usually most people don't use, or use in a joking manner. Stuff like fortnightly... I doubt most people I talk to would know what the hell that means. Fortnight.. so like four... nights... so once every 4 days? Which is almost twice a week!
Where is your reasoning behind this? Is it not spelled "off-Ten"? It's little things like this that I just don't understand. I mean, some stuff does make since, pronunciation wise. Vit-a-min instead of Vite-a-min for example, but the people that actually agree with the majority of the list have to remember that WE find the way YOU pronounce things sounds weird as well. In fact, I sometimes find a few of your pronunciations/rules pompous and pretentious in nature, with absolutely no justification for them other than they haven't been weened out of what is essentially a very inefficient language. For example, do people really say "fortnightly"? Do you have any idea how retarded that sounds to me? Really? Do people really have a problem with bi-weekly? As if fortnight makes more sense than bi-week anyway (no one says bi-week, by the way). Bi=two, week=... week. Simple.C.G.B.S said:
Also, a few of these are NEVER said. Some of them are actually words (like gotten), but WE rarely say them as well. Others we actually say both for (like normalcy and normality, although usually normality). It's like this entire list was made by people who just have nothing else to be mad or upset about. They're fucking words. Get over it.
A good number of these are Americans speaking correctly and the British people are just complaining that we're not using their Britishisms.
For instance...
For instance...
Yes, you cannot do one mathematic... which is why math is the abbreviated form of mathematics, not mathematic. It's already plural. Adding an 's' at the end is redundant, like saying PIN Number.Sprong said:
The only diference is how it interacts with E. Americans use Z to turn an E in a long ee, while English don't. The 'd' in Zed only exists to provide the rule of pronunciation since 'Ze' alone is an incomplete sound.Bags159 said:
There's only one English word I can think of where the long ee is used with Z. That word's 'zeal', but here the ea overrides the ze. There's 'zero' as well, but I think (not sure about this) that while in the England dictionary it's an American invention ('nought' being the traditional English).
Im curious how American's pronounce 'zest' though without using the English Zed. Do you pronounce it zeest to rhyme with geese, or does the est take precidence over the zee? If the latter, it's a real anomaly because vowel sounds should always take precidence.
I wonder if anyone else has mentioned this fact (22 pages is too much for even me to read) - language is a living thing. It moves, mutates, evolves, devolves, is added to and subtracted from. Language belongs to everyone who speaks it, no matter how they speak it. You are aware that the OED adds new words to their dictionary annually, aren't you?
And to the next person that wishes me a happy berfday instead of birthday, you just shut your mouth!
And to the next person that wishes me a happy berfday instead of birthday, you just shut your mouth!
That's not how it works. Pronunciation is a matter of which syllables receive emphasis, not how one pronounces an individual letter.Djinn8 said:
"B" is pronounced "Bee", that doesn't mean "Bed" is pronounced like "Bead".
We say "zee-bra" because emphasis is on the first syllable.
I hope these people realize that they are just playing into the American stereotype of the British. :/
and this is (part of) the reason that I didnt like my visit to the UK, and would never want to go again.
But meh. I like the sense of entitlement the mentioned British people seem to hold, since they want to get on our (the US) case about how we have different words then them, and different phrases. way too much overreaction to little things that dnt matter and could easily have the tables turned on.
But then again, I could care less. X3
But meh. I like the sense of entitlement the mentioned British people seem to hold, since they want to get on our (the US) case about how we have different words then them, and different phrases. way too much overreaction to little things that dnt matter and could easily have the tables turned on.
But then again, I could care less. X3
Charlie Sheen I'm sure at one point in his life or another.chromewarriorXIII said:
While almost all of those are absurd and nitpicky, I can kind of see their point. American media is everywhere, and often takes prevalence over native media. This leads to Americanisms overriding Britishisms, and since language is such an important part of culture, it can lead to problems with that as well. I think you'd be annoyed too if a culture you disliked was being forced upon your country. Yes, in this instance, these people are just whiny (for the most part), but you do have to look at it from the other point of view. Let them vent, there's no need to get defensive.
I do agree with the last one though. "I could care less" makes me incredibly confused, and I always make sure to change it to "couldn't" whenever I say it.
(And, uh, is "math" really a plural, not an abbreviation? I don't have an English degree, but I'm pretty sure it's the latter, in which case, they're kind of right: saying "I did math homework" is like saying "I did mathematic homework", which is silly. I could be wrong, of course. Regardless, actually pronouncing "maths" is definitely a tongue-twister.)
I do agree with the last one though. "I could care less" makes me incredibly confused, and I always make sure to change it to "couldn't" whenever I say it.
(And, uh, is "math" really a plural, not an abbreviation? I don't have an English degree, but I'm pretty sure it's the latter, in which case, they're kind of right: saying "I did math homework" is like saying "I did mathematic homework", which is silly. I could be wrong, of course. Regardless, actually pronouncing "maths" is definitely a tongue-twister.)
I completely agree with people saying some Brits are just intolerant. Like the take-out vs takeaway. Your taking it out or your taking it away. They both make as much sense as each other. Also 24/7, it makes sense and it's convenient.
I understand the ones that are just plain bad grammar though. Particularly the "I could care less". That just makes no sense for how it's used.
I understand the ones that are just plain bad grammar though. Particularly the "I could care less". That just makes no sense for how it's used.
How is this thread still relevant? Oh right...nit-picky British Trolls...
Anyhow, I feel your pain but don't jump on Americans for saying something different (like Shopping cart instead of shopping trolley). Come on! It's a dialect thing. You can't expect two countries that are separated by an ocean to have the exact same language structure. I mean, even within our respective countries we have different ways of saying things.
I understand why you would hate it when someone says a word in the wrong context but other then that there really isn't an excuse.
Miffed American is slightly miffed.
Anyhow, I feel your pain but don't jump on Americans for saying something different (like Shopping cart instead of shopping trolley). Come on! It's a dialect thing. You can't expect two countries that are separated by an ocean to have the exact same language structure. I mean, even within our respective countries we have different ways of saying things.
I understand why you would hate it when someone says a word in the wrong context but other then that there really isn't an excuse.
Miffed American is slightly miffed.
Yeah, guys, by making this mammoth thread, you are only perpetuating the British stereotype of Americans. Simmer down and don't feed the trolls.