What not to say in Britain

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Jim Wynne

Staff member
Admin
#5
But, Jim, you're from "Wiscahnsin" - no-one knows what a "bubbler" is, outside of your state!
I'm originally from North Carolina and lived in Arizona, California, Wisconsin, Illinois and then Wisconsin again. I still remember someone asking me, in a public building, if I knew if there was a bubbler nearby. I didn't have the slightest idea what he was referring to. There were also people who said that on Saturday night they were going to "the outdoor." I think it's a perfectly natural thing for an adjective to be followed by a noun, but not so in Wisconsin and people thought me strange when I said "Outdoor what?" The "outdoor" is a drive-in theater.
 
#6
Brent Musberger invented this one, curse him, and now every sportscaster uses it with alarming frequency: "On the season (or day or game or whatever)"
For example, "Michael Jordan has 458 points on the season." Whatever happened to "Bret Favre has 15 touchdowns this season", "Pete Rose has 3 hits in today's game", "Johnny Bench tagged out three runners today", or even "The Saints have 57 tackles this game (or season)"? It is not, on the season, on the game, or on the day.

I would be slightly less perturbed if it was "in" or even "for". Purdue has 10 steals in this game and 75 in this season. At least you can be in a game or in a season. Alabama has 3 touchdowns for this season. How in Hades can you be on a season, on a game or on a day?

Curse you, Brent, curse you!!!
 
#7
Reading the article through a couple of times, it's clear (to me that is) that some Brits could do with an education in certain aspects of 'mericun. For example, the use of 'heads up' or 'touch base(s)' seems to me (now I've lived here a 'spell') to be quite sensible expressions - if you know their origins!

These reported statements do seem to lack differentiation between common terminology and one or two individuals' twisting of language, which happens in all nationalities - just today an English tv commentator referred to Luxembourg as a 'Douchy' instead of a 'Duchy'! DOH!

As for shopping trolley vs cart, I personally think that cart is more appropriate than trolley - especially since, in the London Transport region, we had (during the 1950s) 6 wheel, electric "trolley" buses! Much bigger than a grocery cart!

It's true that 'mericuns have had a love affair with the verbing of nouns, but as with most aspects of language, the rules are constantly shifting!
 

Stijloor

Staff member
Super Moderator
#8
George Bernard Shaw is alleged to have referred to the English and Americans as two peoples separated by a common language. Herewith, from the BBC, is a list of 50 American encroachments into British speech that seem to rub Brits the wrong way. Of course, if they would just give up and start talking 'murican, everything would be fine.

Americanisms: 50 of Your Most Noted Examples
I lost my "Queen's English" (2nd language) many years ago... :D

Stijloor.
 

Jim Wynne

Staff member
Admin
#9
Brent Musberger invented this one, curse him, and now every sportscaster uses it with alarming frequency: "On the season (or day or game or whatever)"
For example, "Michael Jordan has 458 points on the season." Whatever happened to "Bret Favre has 15 touchdowns this season", "Pete Rose has 3 hits in today's game", "Johnny Bench tagged out three runners today", or even "The Saints have 57 tackles this game (or season)"? It is not, on the season, on the game, or on the day.

I would be slightly less perturbed if it was "in" or even "for". Purdue has 10 steals in this game and 75 in this season. At least you can be in a game or in a season. Alabama has 3 touchdowns for this season. How in Hades can you be on a season, on a game or on a day?

Curse you, Brent, curse you!!!
The "on the season" thing was common amongst Chicago broadcasters before Musberger ever appeared on TV. Jack Brickhouse, especially, who was the longtime voice of the Cubs (on TV) and the Bears on the radio. Musberger cut his TV teeth in Chicago.
 

Ajit Basrur

Staff member
Admin
#10
Great one Jim :)

I have faced point no 29 earlier - in one of my presentations to American customers, I had mentioned "fortnightly" and everyone were surprised and puzzled and asked me what is "fortnightly"

Unaware, its not used in US, I thought they were questioning the frequency for fortnightly and I started to justify. They stopped me again and told me they do not know the word :D
 
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