Americanisation (the) of our language

‘Inside of’ - ‘of’ superflous.
‘Alooominum’ - Aluminium.
‘Holidays’ - It’s Christmas.
The upward inflection of every sentence - I think this might be Australian, though.

Can I get... ?Arghhh!

My granddaughter calls sweets candy... And a lot of other American words for things...She watches a lot of kids programmes from the US. Luckily I don't have to listen to them... I can't bear the always upbeat, constantly falsely happy, shrill voices in these programmes. I do have American friends who speak normally by the way, so its not a racist comment.

I usually just ask people if i can use the loo!

When I arrived in the States in 1964 I had an early morning interview and asked a flat mate to "knock me up in the morning" He said he would be delighted

'My truth'. Whenever I hear someone say, 'that's my truth', I always think that the next thing out of their mouth is going to be, at best, a twist on the truth or an outright lie.

I prefer to 'spend a penny' but modern types have no memory of pay as you enter loos. This old toilet poem may raise a laugh. I couldn't believe it when my very respectable great aunt told me it.

'Here I sit broken hearted,
Paid my penny,
Only farted!'

Passing wind. There's a topic for international language discussion.

Zeebra... shudder!
Now I know my ABC... blah blah blah blah XY Zee??

Here I sit, mean and artful.
Paid a penny, did a cartful.

'Can I get.' Our 40/50 year old DSs all say it and it really grates.

Yes my youngest son (18) has picked up some American terms from tv shows or video games, and uses them in conversations- his elder brother (23) and i always say "oh, you mean 'such and such?' and use the English term- e.g he asked his brother if he was calling for gas on way (taking him to college) his brother replied I'm going for petrol yes.?

Can I get ? instead of Can I have

As we were recently exposed to a "my truth" interview we now know following subsequent revelations that really should be construed as "my version of the truth" how the lines become blurred in some people's memory lapses!

Annaram1

I hate the term pants instead of knickers.

Zippers instead of zips.

Ass instead of arse.

When in the US I was sitting on a bench and a passing man in a cowboy suit tipped his hat and said "Howdy Ma'am!" I thought that was so cute.

I thought that in US English pants meant trousers.

Yes coco51- the 'holidays' thing grates on me too- its CHRISTMAS for goodness sake!

leeds22

'Can I get.' Our 40/50 year old DSs all say it and it really grates.

Mine too.

I have read, though, that many American children have picked up ‘Englishisms’ from watching Peppa Pig.

Lawyer instead of solicitor irritates me a little but in general I just think who cares. So many American films around so of course people pick up these terms and some just use them to appear 'cool' ( or is that another Americanism?!).

It's interesting that so many think that bathroom is an Americanism, I thought they used restroom?

My mum used to correct me constantly every time I used an Americanism, and it annoyed me no end.

I made a conscious decision not to do the same with my kids, and don't even notice them doing it now (garbage for rubbish, sidewalk for pavement, and there was even a gotten instead of got the other day!) As long as I know what they mean it doesn't really matter to me.

Hithere

My turn!

Just to be petty, I truly hate "pressie" and "telly"

Why shorten them in such a juvenile and childish way?

Not to mention “hubby”…..so twee

I think you are right Grandma70s- cause my son asks if he's got any clean pants- & he means his jeans or jogging pants?- what do Americans call their knickers then? Is it just underwear??

Good for you Hithere by the way !

Underwears is a term I've heard.
Mind you, my friend called her knickers "a pair of fongs"

Nannan2

Yes coco51- the 'holidays' thing grates on me too- its CHRISTMAS for goodness sake!

The Americans I know say Happy Holidays because not everybody celebrates Xmas. Some celebrate other things, some celebrate nothing at all. They're just having a holiday off work.

I blame Irving Berlin.

Listening to an American author on the radio this morning who was speaking about the In*ernet. But they're not the only ones who miss out the T in the middle of words. Why do they do this? Will it become a silent letter like B in lamb?

Aveline

I prefer to 'spend a penny' but modern types have no memory of pay as you enter loos. This old toilet poem may raise a laugh. I couldn't believe it when my very respectable great aunt told me it.

'Here I sit broken hearted,
Paid my penny,
Only farted!'

Passing wind. There's a topic for international language discussion.