Americanisms

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Originally posted by Syd
Bee I shall in future say...

"I hope that you have had a nice day, or that if your day has not been nice I hope that the remainder is nice or baring that that if the day is terible from beginning to end please forget that you have sen me or I have said anything"....

Is that innocuous enough?
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Not sure if it would be innocuous or not, at least not to you anyhow. It would probably annoy me so much, I'd end up belting you! :p
 
Originally posted by Squeak
"Write me", as opposed to "write to me".
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Yep, that's my major gripe, and I bring it up whenever a thread like this one comes up. To write somebody...

Also "Could care less" instead of "couldn't care less." but I suspect that one isn't so much an americanism as it is the result of people mishearing the phrase enough times and starting to use it, or just being lazy. Happens here too.

I don't mind americanisms, or australianisms, or any sort of regionalisms- they add character to speech, and can be quite fascinating. It's when they start creeping in to a more official language that bugs me - how many years before "write me" will be an acceptable form (if it isn't already.)

Ahh don't mind me, I once read a short essay by an American linguist who saw nothing wrong with introducing "y'all" into an official language, and in fact, "yall" without the apostrophe, stating that since it was pretty much universal, and we don't have a distinct form of you plural, then it won't be stepping on too many toes. But I would argue that "youse" would be far more suitable, right? Right?
 
I hate it when I hear 'timecrunch'

"Like oh my god, my memo is due to the vice-president of our company in 15, I've been working 24/7 and am having a total timecrunch!"

But I love so many Americanisms...

Lived in Texas so the best one has to be "fixin'"

"Hey I'm fixin' for a coke - you want?"

"I'm fixin' to see Collingwood play"

"I'm fixin' to go and get me a corn dog from the gas station"

Love it! :) :) :)

Jen
 
Some I noticed while I was in the states.

"You good to go?" rather than "You ready?"

"For here or to go" rather than "Dine in or take away"

"For real?" rather than "really?"

"I route for the cubs" rather than I support them or follow them or whatever.

"dawg" in every second sentence :)


There were heaps others but now I've forgotten them.
 
Heh heh, first time mum went to a footy game, 20ish years ago and not being in the country long, she asked the people seated near who they were rooting for. She was a bit confused why they all cracked up laughing at her.
 
"Get yourself up."
Context - I have to get myself up.
Translation - I have to get dressed / freshen up.

"What all"
Context - I'm not sure what all they were doing.
Translation - I'm not sure what they were doing.

"Do lunch"
Context - How about we do lunch.
Translation - How about we have lunch.
 

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Originally posted by daicos4ever
This English girl was telling me how she 'pulled' a bloke at a nightclub one night. 'Pulled' means 'pick up' in England. Here it means something quite different...
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Yeah but we're talkin' about "yanks" which is completely different :)
 
For here or to go" rather than "Dine in or take away...

I think the reason we say that is because eating at McDonalds or HUngry Jacks or any other fast food joints can hardly be thought of as "Dining in".

When I dine, I go to Gershwin's or The C Restaurant.
 
Originally posted by DIPPER
I hate the phrase -'24-7'.

Hate it hate it hate it.
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I wholeheartedly agree. Fair dinkum this has to be the stupidiest sounding phrase to come along in recent times. Just say " All day, all week" you "merchant bankers".
 
Originally posted by daicos4ever
French....... sorry, Freedom Fries :rolleyes:

This English girl was telling me how she 'pulled' a bloke at a nightclub one night. 'Pulled' means 'pick up' in England. Here it means something quite different...
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Actually doesn't that imply the same action will occur at some time in the future.... yes, yes too early in the day to understand. :D I think that may be how the phrase came about.
 
Originally posted by Bee
Actually the Australian term, "G'day" simply means hello.

For the last time, I think the phrase "have a nice day" is insincere, because it is said without meaning. If anyone who said it meant it, why would they say it to you late at night? The bloody day has gone. Or perhaps they mean it for the next day! :rolleyes:
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Can't be any more mindless and programmed than an Aussie saying "How are ya?" and being met with a response of "How are ya?"
 
Originally posted by Darky
Can't be any more mindless and programmed than an Aussie saying "How are ya?" and being met with a response of "How are ya?"
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Not the same. At least when they say that, they are asking you a genuine question. It's meant to be met with a proper response.
But when some robot says to me "have a nice day" complete with fake smile it's more than likely to be met with a cold stare!

When I leave work on a Friday night and say to those I work with "See you Monday. Have a nice weekend".. It's exactly what I mean. But if some idiot hands me my shopping and says "have a nice day, maam" I know it's programmed bull****.

Say what you mean, and mean what you say! Simple.
 
Originally posted by Bee
Not the same. At least when they say that, they are asking you a genuine question. It's meant to be met with a proper response.
.
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Yes it's meant to be met with a proper response, so the second person asking "how are ya" says it out of habit, rather than answering the question of the first bloke... ie. the bloke's brain is flying on auto pilot because it's mindless and meaningless, probably more so than "have a nice day" which is not an answer to question.

It's the same as someone saying "hello" and being answered with "good thanks".
 
Originally posted by Darky
Yes it's meant to be met with a proper response, so the second person asking "how are ya" says it out of habit, rather than answering the question of the first bloke... ie. the bloke's brain is flying on auto pilot because it's mindless and meaningless, probably more so than "have a nice day" which is not an answer to question.

It's the same as someone saying "hello" and being answered with "good thanks".
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Well I don't know who you've been talking to. But when someone asks me "how are you" I usually respond will "well, thanks. How are you?" See, I 've answered their question and returned the courtesy. Just good manners.
Whereas "have a nice day" is programmed bull**** from robots who work behind a shop counter. Not their fault, obviously told to do it by their employee. Doesn't make it any more tolerable though.
 

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