Frozen blackberries, strawberries, half banana, lime yogurt, a dash of tangerine/orange juice. With a slice of bread, this was dinner last evening.
Called off for today. Didn't need it, didn't want it, but this is life right now. Getting buggerall done, here.
Reading about the Americanisms that BBC readers don't like. Avoided the actual "article", but over at Separated By A Common Language Lynnequist has a thorough and reasoned (and researched) response.
Since there are so many readers here who speak other varieties of English, I'd be curious about both your take on this, and your own observations about the differences. I happen to love how everyone in different places express themselves differently, and I'm glad to make different expressions part of my vocabulary. But then, I love words, and playing with them.
My mother would be horrified that I prefer the word bucket to pail. But then I get to exclaim "Bucket!" at work, without actually swearing. That wouldn't help her feel better.
14 comments:
The history of language is interesting. For example, Fall is an English word that came over from England with settlers, Autumn is French...both languages moving West!!
it is often worth paying a visit to urban dictionary for the latest americanisms ... although i'd always visit you first, of course
gz,
It's an amazing subject. Separated by a Common Language does it so well already.
tristan,
UD scares me a little. Some things you can't unsee. But it is a great resource.
Yes, English is so different in so many countries and regions, not just British and American - Canadian, Aussie, New Zealand... then mixed with all the various immigrant accents to make "Finglish" etc etc. Just no end to it and quite hilarious sometimes.
I can understand the protectiveness about one's own native language. On a visit to Europe in 1983, I remember how shocked I felt about how much Americanism had entered into German, Danish, Finnish for example, and even more so today. I fear the loss of many minority languages in the world (slightly off subject, I know.)
Living in Quebec there are occasionally situations where french speaking people attempt speaking English and odd combinations come out. If I was less distant from unconsciousness I would provide an example.
Vive la différence.
I enjoy observing the differences as they come up. Can't really think of any in particular, and can't say I find them offensive, it's just a bit of old world snobbery Brits etc enjoy indulging in. Greeks to your Rome and all that. Met some Mormons out here (there are a few in this corner, some kind of centre near here) who amused me by saying 'in England you have your monarch coronated'.
I try to console French students struggling desperately with the present perfect and when to use it - or rather when not to use it - by telling them that Americans make a lot less use of it and get by perfectly well without. So an American would comfortably use the simple past - 'did you ever see an opera?' - whereas we would say 'have you ever seen...?'
Trouble is their impulse, thinking in French, is to use the perfect all the time inappropriately, so that doesn't really help.
I really like pail for bucket, and wish I could use it. Also pitcher for jug. Do you also still say tundish for funnel?
I also like 'gotten', which is much more logical as we still say 'forgotten'. I'm sure I'll think of lots more afterwards.
gz,
It's all gotta come from somewheres.
marja-
No telling what other languages might pick up, or from where. But then, English has a habit of raiding other languages for vocabulary.
Phil,
I'd be interested in any examples, on another day.
Pacian,
Sure, you betcha. (Which is Minnesotan.)
Lucy,
I can imagine the Mormons saying that, especially if they swallowed the Ts. I have never heard tundish, ever. I am going to go look it up, though.
I am reminded of a quote, attributed to Kay Summersby, then-general Eisenhour's (ahem)secretary. He was complaining about getting the British Military to agree on anything, and said "For god's sake, we speak the same language!" Apparently Ms. Summersby said sweetly "It only seems we do."
Lucy,
It's young Utah women who are adding to the change.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705387944/BYU-professor-researches-Utah-linguistic-quirk.html
SFM,
The Military is a whole different linguistic unit. Never met a drill sgt who didn't mangle the language, and I assume that would cross over into any other language.
I don't recall that they did glo'al stop their 't's. They were quite elderly Mormons anyway, and seemed just quite well-spoken Americans, I'm afraid I'm not very good at distinguishing different American accents, though possibly a little better than some Americans I've met who take quite a while to realise I'm British not French.
An interesting point in that article that it tends to be young women who initiate linguistic change...
Oh yes, tundish. It was just a bit of random Elizabethan English that came into my head, I didn't really think it existed in American. I looked it up myself after and it now means a special kind of funnel, more like a pouring dish, used in some kind of process, forget what, brewing? Rouchswalwe might know.
you're perfectly right, zhoen. "pail!" is an epic fail as a substitute #@*$, whereas "bucket!" has all the satisfaction of something far worse, without the professional repercussions. i think i shall adopt "bucket" as my go to word.
as for the linguistic differences, i am sadly one of the snobs who gets really upset about the loss of the "ue" at the end of dialogue and the "e" at the end of blonde.
Lucy,
Re: tundish. Wiki has a nice little article on it. Yes, brewing, although more for plumbing these days.
tpc,
I could get away with the occasional "fuckit" at my current job, and do. But I use not swearing at work as an exercise in discipline. It's bad when the words take over, and I am the boss of my own tongue.
Oh, I consider criticizing one's own dialect is fine. Criticizing other dialects is when it gets unpleasant.
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