People using "Americanisms"

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I'll give an example:

"I'm looking forward to the new season of Line of Duty..."

Language is a moving feast and changes constantly. Grammar, nouns, verbs, phrases and meanings are all subject to change. Misspellings can become the standard version (and as to what spellings became the standard version in the first place is another story altogether). Some Americanisms (such as 'gotten') may grate with us are old English words we have since dispensed with. Grammatical rules we learned at school were often the results of academics trying to shoe-horn Latinisms on our Germanic language (which is heavily laced with vocabulary inherited from our Norman conquerors, of course). Plurals used to be expressed in different ways in different parts of the country, depending on linguistic influences in the regions concerned.
Change is the norm regarding language. Best roll with it and see it as part of the same continuum that spawned the English Language in the first place.

Consider where each of the words you just used came from: mostly German and partly French.

[delmbox]

Language is a moving feast and changes constantly. Grammar, nouns, verbs, phrases and meanings are all subject to change. Misspellings can become the standard version (and as to what spellings became the standard version in the first place is another story altogether). Some Americanisms (such as 'gotten') may grate with us are old English words we have since dispensed with. Grammatical rules we learned at school were often the results of academics trying to shoe-horn Latinisms on our Germanic language (which is heavily laced with vocabulary inherited from our Norman conquerors, of course). Plurals used to be expressed in different ways in different parts of the country, depending on linguistic influences in the regions concerned.
Change is the norm regarding language. Best roll with it and see it as part of the same continuum that spawned the English Language in the first place.

Consider where each of the words you just used came from: mostly German and partly French.

Well you just painted him all over the walls, I guess this thread's over

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Well you just painted him all over the walls, I guess this thread's over

Apologies, I didn't mean to make anyone feel small. Language fascinates me and I got carried away

[delmbox]

Apologies, I didn't mean to make anyone feel small. Language fascinates me and I got carried away

I was only teasing, you're right in your point though. Language is constantly evolving, as grating as some new developments in language can be they're basically the modern equivalent of not saying thee and thou etc anymore

[Tuerto]

Apologies, I didn't mean to make anyone feel small. Language fascinates me and I got carried away

Accents fascinate me, although i don't have a great deal of knowledge on how and why. It fascinates me on how i can drive from the top of Thornhill and come down the other side of a big hill, no more that a mile or so, and the accent changes. Maybe it's because of that big hill!

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Accents fascinate me, although i don't have a great deal of knowledge on how and why. It fascinates me on how i can drive from the top of Thornhill and come down the other side of a big hill, no more that a mile or so, and the accent changes. Maybe it's because of that big hill!

I will try and avoid making this particular contribution a sermon as well but accents and dialect are incredibly fascinating. It's only centralised power in the way of governments/regimes that declare one particular version as the standard and which is usually considered 'posh' thereafter. The diversity of language and languages is an absolute joy but I'll shut up now

[Tuerto]

I will try and avoid making this particular contribution a sermon as well but accents and dialect are incredibly fascinating. It's only centralised power in the way of governments/regimes that declare one particular version as the standard and which is usually considered 'posh' thereafter. The diversity of language and languages is an absolute joy but I'll shut up now

'Sermon' away, i might learn something Port Cities in the UK have some incredible dialect, Liverpool, Newcastle, Cardiff, Portsmouth etc. In land, where there is agriculture, it's less aggressive, almost sleepy. I wonder if the actual built environment forms an accent.

[Tuerto]

'Sermon' away, i might learn something Port Cities in the UK have some incredible dialect, Liverpool, Newcastle, Cardiff, Portsmouth etc. In land, where there is agriculture, it's less aggressive, almost sleepy. I wonder if the actual built environment forms an accent.

Or Landscape.

[xsnaggle]

'Sermon' away, i might learn something Port Cities in the UK have some incredible dialect, Liverpool, Newcastle, Cardiff, Portsmouth etc. In land, where there is agriculture, it's less aggressive, almost sleepy. I wonder if the actual built environment forms an accent.

For years so called language experts refused to accept they way Londoners speak as an accent or dialect but it is. People tend to forget too the fact that the port of London and London docks were massive for centuries with all the differing nationals and accents that brings. A couple of hundred years ago there were so many ships trying to unload in the pool that it was said you could walk from one side of the pool of London to the other from ship to ship without getting your feet wet.

[B. Oddie]

Apologies, I didn't mean to make anyone feel small. Language fascinates me and I got carried away

I didn't feel "small" at all, so I've no idea what Delmbox is talking about. Not everything is about getting one over someone else....

I'm considering doing my Masters next year. If I don't do it soon, I'll never do it and will regret it, I think.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I didn't feel "small" at all, so I've no idea what Delmbox is talking about. Not everything is about getting one over someone else....

I'm considering doing my Masters next year. If I don't do it soon, I'll never do it and will regret it, I think.

Delmbox was ribbing me and I was apologising for coming over as a total lunatic

[B. Oddie]

Language is a moving feast and changes constantly. Grammar, nouns, verbs, phrases and meanings are all subject to change. Misspellings can become the standard version (and as to what spellings became the standard version in the first place is another story altogether). Some Americanisms (such as 'gotten') may grate with us are old English words we have since dispensed with. Grammatical rules we learned at school were often the results of academics trying to shoe-horn Latinisms on our Germanic language (which is heavily laced with vocabulary inherited from our Norman conquerors, of course). Plurals used to be expressed in different ways in different parts of the country, depending on linguistic influences in the regions concerned.
Change is the norm regarding language. Best roll with it and see it as part of the same continuum that spawned the English Language in the first place.

Consider where each of the words you just used came from: mostly German and partly French.

Interesting point, but I'm referring mainly to the phrases associated with American-English being used more frequently in British English rather than the origin of words or languages that have been encouraged by academics or even forcibly through colonialism.

Ultimately, my view on the use of the phrases that have crept in over recent years e.g. "Can I get a..." is that there is an air of pretence given by the user in a similar way that the 'yuppies' had.

I've also noticed that there's a often an inexplicable change in the user's diction to a pseudo-American accent when these phrases are being used, e.g. "you know what I mean, right!?"

[tomcat]

Interesting point, but I'm referring mainly to the phrases associated with American-English being used more frequently in British English rather than the origin of words or languages that have been encouraged by academics or even forcibly through colonialism.

Ultimately, my view on the use of the phrases that have crept in over recent years e.g. "Can I get a..." is that there is an air of pretence given by the user in a similar way that the 'yuppies' had.

I've also noticed that there's a often an inexplicable change in the user's diction to a pseudo-American accent when these phrases are being used, e.g. "you know what I mean, right!?"

and "from the get go".......

[tomcat]

I reckon so may young people have been brought up watching dross US TV programmes that their language has been affected as a result

[Taunton Blue Genie]

and "from the get go".......

Comes from 'black' slang in the 1960's apparently. A bit like 'rock and roll' (which meant sex).

[tomcat]

Comes from 'black' slang in the 1960's apparently. A bit like 'rock and roll' (which meant sex).

Interesting

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Interesting point, but I'm referring mainly to the phrases associated with American-English being used more frequently in British English rather than the origin of words or languages that have been encouraged by academics or even forcibly through colonialism.

Ultimately, my view on the use of the phrases that have crept in over recent years e.g. "Can I get a..." is that there is an air of pretence given by the user in a similar way that the 'yuppies' had.

I've also noticed that there's a often an inexplicable change in the user's diction to a pseudo-American accent when these phrases are being used, e.g. "you know what I mean, right!?"

But what you are talking about is all part of the same continuum. Linguistic influences arrive via a myriad of conduits and particular via modern media such as TV, radio and the Internet - phrases, inflections, mannerisms, pronunciations included. As a young man, I remember the word 'harass' being pronounced differently and I think that the change was probably due to the influence of American English. 'Ongoing' was a word that sounded awful to the British ear but I, like many others, have succumbed to using it. On the other hand, the American phrase 'talking with' as opposed to 'speaking to' seems wonderfully democratic.
We may wish to try and circle the linguistic wagons ourselves but our language (and it's no longer 'ours') will move on whether we like it or not. Similarly, Spanish-speakers in Spain are outnumbered by their counterparts in South America, as are the Portuguese-speakers in Portugal.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

But what you are talking about is all part of the same continuum. Linguistic influences arrive via a myriad of conduits and particular via modern media such as TV, radio and the Internet - phrases, inflections, mannerisms, pronunciations included. As a young man, I remember the word 'harass' being pronounced differently and I think that the change was probably due to the influence of American English. 'Ongoing' was a word that sounded awful to the British ear but I, like many others, have succumbed to using it. On the other hand, the American phrase 'talking with' as opposed to 'speaking to' seems wonderfully democratic.
We may wish to try and circle the linguistic wagons ourselves but our language (and it's no longer 'ours') will move on whether we like it or not. Similarly, Spanish-speakers in Spain are outnumbered by their counterparts in South America, as are the Portuguese-speakers in Portugal.

A lot of 'Americanisms' are actually of English origin, having survived export whilst losing influence in the UK. Similarly with words like 'sidewalk' and pavement'. Sidewalk is English in origin, pavement French. As the song goes, you say 'Tomato' with an 'A' as opposed to an 'AH'. When British started colonizing America a lot of English in the provinces would have pronounced it the American way. It was in London and the upper echelons of society where Received Pronunciation was the norm, that the 'AH' sound in tomato spread to the general UK population. There's a really good piece on The Great Vowel Shift here :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOOAb7erAmE

[Croesy Blue]

A lot of 'Americanisms' are actually of English origin, having survived export whilst losing influence in the UK. Similarly with words like 'sidewalk' and pavement'. Sidewalk is English in origin, pavement French. As the song goes, you say 'Tomato' with an 'A' as opposed to an 'AH'. When British started colonizing America a lot of English in the provinces would have pronounced it the American way. It was in London and the upper echelons of society where Received Pronunciation was the norm, that the 'AH' sound in tomato spread to the general UK population. There's a really good piece on The Great Vowel Shift here :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOOAb7erAmE

Same with Aluminium and Aluminum too, aluminum was the original and the second i got added later on.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

A lot of 'Americanisms' are actually of English origin, having survived export whilst losing influence in the UK. Similarly with words like 'sidewalk' and pavement'. Sidewalk is English in origin, pavement French. As the song goes, you say 'Tomato' with an 'A' as opposed to an 'AH'. When British started colonizing America a lot of English in the provinces would have pronounced it the American way. It was in London and the upper echelons of society where Received Pronunciation was the norm, that the 'AH' sound in tomato spread to the general UK population. There's a really good piece on The Great Vowel Shift here :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOOAb7erAmE

Indeed, and as I stated in my first post in this thread.
One interesting factor is that the larger a population, the quicker the language changes. Hence what were once small colonies thinly spread over large distances retaining vocabulary since dispensed with by the linguistic 'mother' countries.
Conversely, those 'mother' countries are now in the minority regarding population numbers - and let's not forget the influence on American English by immigrants whose mother tongue wasn't English.