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American words/expressions you don't like

American words/expressions you don't like

Old Sep 18th 2011, 6:19 pm
  #226  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Leslie
Fair enough. Apparently, I parachuted in the middle of an ongoing pissing contest but my interest was legitimate even if it wasn't welcome.
Did you? Because I wasn't aware of there being a pissing contest. Just a bunch of bored middle aged women that should be cleaning their bathrooms, or something more exciting..
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Old Sep 18th 2011, 6:40 pm
  #227  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by tonrob
Tidy!


Though they are having a good run, even Swansea managed to win their first prem footie match...actually get their first goal even
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Old Sep 18th 2011, 7:55 pm
  #228  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Leslie
If this is directed at me, I'm not taking it personally at all. This thread, and many like it, have been going for ages and they don't bother me at all. Sometimes I even agree.

I just found kimilseung's comment interesting. It made me wonder why a Brit would take exception to a disparaging remark about African American speech patterns exclusively. And, I do agree with what he said but I'm not quite sure why.
I did find that interesting too. As for 'aks', I have only heard it used by black speakers in England, but apparently it goes back to Old English.

http://english.stackexchange.com/que...pronounced-aks
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Old Sep 18th 2011, 8:17 pm
  #229  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Sally Redux
I did find that interesting too. As for 'aks', I have only heard it used by black speakers in England, but apparently it goes back to Old English.

http://english.stackexchange.com/que...pronounced-aks
I think I am being asked by Leslie and Sally "why a Brit would take exception to a disparaging remark about African American speech patterns exclusively"?

It probably goes back to when I was a kid and we would have out-of-town middle class teachers criticising us for not talking right, when we were using dialect and accent. Nothing wrong with educating people about ways to speak in specific culural situations, but even back then I took offence to beiing told it was wrong. I think this is one of the first things that gave me an awarness of class.

These days my social milieu is middle class, probably 90% white; at work I work with working class kids, 80% African American; I work for a not-for-profit, promoting technology and training in technology skills in a community center. There are some who think this is to encourage them all to become mddle class; I think I get a bit protective of the kids I work with, and I want what they already have to be valued, as I try to give them access to new skills that they can then chose to use in whatever way works best for them.
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Old Sep 18th 2011, 9:09 pm
  #230  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Sally Redux
Something like 'Have a Nice Day' is more a product of our fake consumerist world than a linguistic evolution, perhaps it's unfair to say it's 'American' but you sure hear it more over here.
Orrrrr.....it could simply be a sincere wish that the speaker bestows, ending a casual conversation on the elevator, bus or check-out line at the grocery store. I often say to people I've been talking to briefly while waiting in a line or discussing styles of clothing with another shopper, "I hope you have a good day.", - and - I mean it! However, I can understand irritation with that phrase if the people hearing it are unhappy being where they are and have developed a jaded point of view.
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Old Sep 18th 2011, 9:59 pm
  #231  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by kimilseung
I think I am being asked by Leslie and Sally "why a Brit would take exception to a disparaging remark about African American speech patterns exclusively"?

It probably goes back to when I was a kid and we would have out-of-town middle class teachers criticising us for not talking right, when we were using dialect and accent. Nothing wrong with educating people about ways to speak in specific culural situations, but even back then I took offence to beiing told it was wrong. I think this is one of the first things that gave me an awarness of class.

These days my social milieu is middle class, probably 90% white; at work I work with working class kids, 80% African American; I work for a not-for-profit, promoting technology and training in technology skills in a community center. There are some who think this is to encourage them all to become mddle class; I think I get a bit protective of the kids I work with, and I want what they already have to be valued, as I try to give them access to new skills that they can then chose to use in whatever way works best for them.
No, I could see exactly what you meant.
Originally Posted by Egg and Cress
Orrrrr.....it could simply be a sincere wish that the speaker bestows, ending a casual conversation on the elevator, bus or check-out line at the grocery store. I often say to people I've been talking to briefly while waiting in a line or discussing styles of clothing with another shopper, "I hope you have a good day.", - and - I mean it! However, I can understand irritation with that phrase if the people hearing it are unhappy being where they are and have developed a jaded point of view.
This is the problem.

A few Brits want to let off steam sometimes, and then have to enter into a prolonged justification of every ****ing word they say.
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Old Sep 18th 2011, 10:27 pm
  #232  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Sally Redux
I did find that interesting too. As for 'aks', I have only heard it used by black speakers in England, but apparently it goes back to Old English.

http://english.stackexchange.com/que...pronounced-aks
Originally Posted by kimilseung
I think I am being asked by Leslie and Sally "why a Brit would take exception to a disparaging remark about African American speech patterns exclusively"?

It probably goes back to when I was a kid and we would have out-of-town middle class teachers criticising us for not talking right, when we were using dialect and accent. Nothing wrong with educating people about ways to speak in specific culural situations, but even back then I took offence to beiing told it was wrong. I think this is one of the first things that gave me an awarness of class.

These days my social milieu is middle class, probably 90% white; at work I work with working class kids, 80% African American; I work for a not-for-profit, promoting technology and training in technology skills in a community center. There are some who think this is to encourage them all to become mddle class; I think I get a bit protective of the kids I work with, and I want what they already have to be valued, as I try to give them access to new skills that they can then chose to use in whatever way works best for them.
Yeah, the topic has come up on here before and I think it's just one of those things that I feel like if I have to explain it to you then you're never going to understand anyway. I have an emotional response whether it comes from Brits or Americans, I guess "protective" is as close to accurate as I'm going to get. There is so much history behind why the two cultures consistently speak differently within varying regions, it's hard to convey without getting on a soapbox.
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Old Sep 19th 2011, 3:25 am
  #233  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Oh bloody hell stop spoiling our fun.
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Old Sep 19th 2011, 1:14 pm
  #234  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Sally Redux
No, I could see exactly what you meant.


This is the problem.

A few Brits want to let off steam sometimes, and then have to enter into a prolonged justification of every ****ing word they say.
I regret that you took what I had to say as an offense. As I’ve said before in a previous post, as an American, and hostess to you, as guests, I want you to be pleased to be in my home. I was trying to say that I understand why there are so many Americanisms that irritate our guests, thereby mitigating the irritation to some degree. If I have a pressure cooker on the stove and the temperature gauge shows the pressure is too high, I lower the heat. I see this website as a sort of pressure cooker with the vent singing away, but the pressure seems to be building, and I’m trying to lower the heat. I’m sorry if that irritates you………
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Old Sep 19th 2011, 3:49 pm
  #235  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Egg and Cress
I regret that you took what I had to say as an offense. As I’ve said before in a previous post, as an American, and hostess to you, as guests, I want you to be pleased to be in my home. I was trying to say that I understand why there are so many Americanisms that irritate our guests, thereby mitigating the irritation to some degree. If I have a pressure cooker on the stove and the temperature gauge shows the pressure is too high, I lower the heat. I see this website as a sort of pressure cooker with the vent singing away, but the pressure seems to be building, and I’m trying to lower the heat. I’m sorry if that irritates you………
SR forgot to take her SJW.
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Old Sep 19th 2011, 3:51 pm
  #236  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Egg and Cress
I regret that you took what I had to say as an offense. As I’ve said before in a previous post, as an American, and hostess to you, as guests, I want you to be pleased to be in my home. I was trying to say that I understand why there are so many Americanisms that irritate our guests, thereby mitigating the irritation to some degree. If I have a pressure cooker on the stove and the temperature gauge shows the pressure is too high, I lower the heat. I see this website as a sort of pressure cooker with the vent singing away, but the pressure seems to be building, and I’m trying to lower the heat. I’m sorry if that irritates you………
Since I'm a citizen, and therefore not really a guest anymore - can I be as rude and abrasive as I want?

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Old Sep 19th 2011, 3:53 pm
  #237  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Mallory
SR forgot to take her SJW.
St. John's Wort is a weird one. I don't hate the way Americans pronounce "wort," but it does make me mutter under my breath. IT IS PRONOUNCED "WIRT" (rhymes with "flirt") FOR G-D'S SAKE.
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Old Sep 19th 2011, 4:15 pm
  #238  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by robin1234
St. John's Wort is a weird one. I don't hate the way Americans pronounce "wort," but it does make me mutter under my breath. IT IS PRONOUNCED "WIRT" (rhymes with "flirt") FOR G-D'S SAKE.

"Tomata", "tomata"......let's call the whole thing off
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Old Sep 19th 2011, 4:16 pm
  #239  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by Sugarmooma
"Tomata", "tomata"......let's call the whole thing off
That rather loses its effect when typed out, doesn't it?
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Old Sep 19th 2011, 4:19 pm
  #240  
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Default Re: American words/expressions you don't like

Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing
That rather loses its effect when typed out, doesn't it?
SM forgot to take her SJW too!
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