50 Americanisms That Brits Apparently Hate

[Dr Snakeman]

What, exactly, is wrong with calling a train station a train station? What the hell else are you supposed to call it? Same with transportation.

Also, I'm fairly certain that the last person to use "that'll learn you" in conversation died in Mississippi in the late 19th century. Seriously, who the hell has "Tabitha from London" been talking to that she'd have actually heard that phrase from?

 

[NinjaMan1001]

Granted Americans butcher grammar on a daily basis I guarantee there are many British phrases that stump me

A Fortnight? Unless you know what it is before hand it makes no sense: A fort is a structure not a unit of measure!

Though "I could care less" does sound kind of dumb when you think about it...

 

[A Free Man]

snip.

I just feel that you should not be allowed to change the definition of a word through ignorance, its that simple. If your going to say something then say what you mean. Dont say something else and expect everybody to understand what you actually meant. Just because in your circles people understand the meaning of what you were trying to say does not mean that the definition of the word should change.

But these people aren't actually forcing the definition on others. The phrases that they use are only used by them, so the only reason you would here them is if you go over to their country (or I suppose you could argue on T.V shows and in movies but I haven't seen the majority of these sayings so from what I can tell I expect most of them come from the country itself). So basically they aren't forcibly changing the definition they have just evolved their own phrases which have meaning specific to that country or place. So if you want to go to that country or place it is on you to learn the language there, it is not their job to edit their phrases and colloquialism to suit you. Furthermore these phrases aren't created out of ignorance, they are just born over time because they suit the situation better for some people. Even if I know the proper way of saying a phrase I will still prefer to use the slang version that others are accustomed to if it makes it easier for others to understand.

 

[ultrachicken]

A lot of these are ridiculous complaints. "Shopping cart" vs. "Shopping trolley?" Come on.

 

[Revolution -X-]

All we need to do now is make up a list of the fifty worst Britishisms.

 

[Revolution -X-]

"I got it for free" is a pet hate. You got it "free" not "for free". You don't get something cheap and say you got it "for cheap" do you? Mark Jones, Plymouth

I got it for $2.50

See? It works.

The last one on the list is used sarcastically, or at least I use it in such a way.

Yup.
Like, it's not "I got it $2.50".

 

[Jyggalag]

All we need to do now is make up a list of the fifty worst Britishisms.

I'll start:

"We're going to stop that American rebellion"

It's pronounced: "We surrender"

 

[Hawk eye1466]

A few I can understand like deplane who says that? But halfhour or train station I never thought thoes were weird. I know the British use different names for things like flat for apartment or boot for the trunk, but didn't think these would piss off many British people.

 

[Dekkaz]

This is amusing? I see various people complaining about the British use of English and I don't really see how this is much different.

You see; the English invented English. "British" is just a word Americans use because they can not tell the difference between a Scot or Pom.

The Americans tried to hang onto the English language with the hatred of apostrophes and what not but when an adaption of a far easier English language arose, it was passed by Americans.

 

[rsvp42]

It's MATH. THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE.

 

[DEATHROAD]

Speaking as a brit, number 4 is just silly.. who honestly cares?.. We're not all that bad trust me lol

Although 36 i do agree with, maths, but ive heard loads of british say math and ive scolded them for it too, id hardly call it a american thing

 

[Raesvelg]

I fail to see how this is a problem that Americans caused. Nobody calls coffee "Americano" in America

If I recall correctly, the term is rooted in the experiences of American GI's in Europe during the Second World War. Basically, they didn't much care for espresso, so they had it watered down; hence the expression "Americano".

Not an "Americanism", technically.

 

[connormcan]

Gawd, many of these, if you bother to look them up, are grammatically acceptable. Many others aren't Americanisms, but they don't make sense. I agree with some (maths, for example), but I've never heard anyone use 'winningest' or 'least worst.' Seriously. Is it a regional thing, or do the Brits just blame us for every blemish they hear in their language that they've refused to evolve for 200 years?

 

[SodaDew]

The Brits created it, America perfected it >

 

[kinapuffar]

They missed the worst one of all.

"I'm sick." when they mean "I'm ill."
Sick means sick in the head, twisted, mentally disturbed. As in the sentence: "You kill kittens for fun?! You're a sick person!"

No exceptions. Ever.

37. I hate the fact I now have to order a "regular Americano". What ever happened to a medium sized coffee? Marcus Edwards, Hurst Green
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14201796

I fail to see how this is a problem that Americans caused. Nobody calls coffee "Americano" in America

I work for Starbucks, a global company, and an Americano is a shot of espresso diluted with water, not bean coffee.

Yes, because as everyone knows espresso is made from the coffee fruit.

 

[jacobgr43]

Im English and I would have to say I agree with around 60% of these phrases being irritating the others are actually quite common in our county.

22. is just stupid the correct term is train station and has always been train station in England

50. if you use this phrase you should head back to school and pay close attention in your English lessons

 

[KoalaKid]

I like some British television shows like Doctor Who or the IT crowd, but I still have a hard time listening to the characters speak or taking the characters seriously (especially the bad guys). I could easily compose a list of British sayings that are equally annoying. for example I have never understood calling an elevator a lift, unless of course British elevators don't go down.

 

[captainwalrus]

For real. Americans need to quit messing with English.

It's 'thou', not 'you'
It's 'ioy', not 'joy'
And who gave you the right to get rid of æ and Þ?

 

[00slash00]

im from philadelphia and had been going to school in pittsburgh. i say soda, people there say pop. but i dont get all pissy just because some people say things differently than i do. a lot of the people on that list seem kinda...douchey

still, i couldnt read this without thinking of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IzDbNFDdP4