Things you'll never say...
Jan 1st 2017, 10:22 pm
#16
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,400
Re: Things you'll never say...
I've a misguided friend who is adamant that the words "spelt" and "learnt" are not real words. She chastises everyone who uses them, even after she had been proved wrong. Twit!
Jan 1st 2017, 10:34 pm
#18
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2015
Location: NC, USA (ex Yorkshire)
Posts: 4,375
Jan 1st 2017, 10:50 pm
#19
Austin. TX.
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 5,930
Re: Things you'll never say...
"irritates the crap out of me"
nope, can't say I'll ever say that!
nope, can't say I'll ever say that!
Jan 2nd 2017, 12:54 am
#20
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2016
Location: Cascade Mountains, WA
Posts: 1,089
Re: Things you'll never say...
You are correct that the phrase is not I could care less, unless, of course, the speaker does care and is wishing that they didn't.
What is wrong about "reach out to"? It is not a phrase you might use now or in the future, but there is nothing incorrect in using it in place of the word "contact". Actually, there are many instances where "reach out to" is quite appropriate in my eyes and one would be to reach out to someone who is going through a period in their lives where they need emotional or physical support.
Yes, I agree with your horror at the misuse of pronouns.
Disagree with the "how are you". Normally, I would say "Hi Sam. How are you." I would not start off with "how are you". Then again, many areas of the country consider this a proper greeting. So its not yours. So don't say it unless you want to ask that question.
Why should you be embarrassed for your friend? So she used the adjective cute. Big deal. I would save the embarrassment for the people who use the word "like" before the start of each sentence or the ones who continually utter "awesome" and "cool".
It's a different country and actually a different form of the English language that you grew up with. Don't expect British English to be spoken here. I'm sure there are many people in the UK who mangle pronouns, phrases and words.
What is wrong about "reach out to"? It is not a phrase you might use now or in the future, but there is nothing incorrect in using it in place of the word "contact". Actually, there are many instances where "reach out to" is quite appropriate in my eyes and one would be to reach out to someone who is going through a period in their lives where they need emotional or physical support.
Yes, I agree with your horror at the misuse of pronouns.
Disagree with the "how are you". Normally, I would say "Hi Sam. How are you." I would not start off with "how are you". Then again, many areas of the country consider this a proper greeting. So its not yours. So don't say it unless you want to ask that question.
Why should you be embarrassed for your friend? So she used the adjective cute. Big deal. I would save the embarrassment for the people who use the word "like" before the start of each sentence or the ones who continually utter "awesome" and "cool".
It's a different country and actually a different form of the English language that you grew up with. Don't expect British English to be spoken here. I'm sure there are many people in the UK who mangle pronouns, phrases and words.
But thank you for your contribution.
Jan 2nd 2017, 12:55 am
#21
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2016
Location: Cascade Mountains, WA
Posts: 1,089
Jan 2nd 2017, 1:31 am
#22
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,043
Re: Things you'll never say...
Having lived here nearly 10 years, I find it's British English that grates. So many words and phrases just sound odd to me now - jumper, amongst, central reservation, lorry, bum bag, fairy cake, glandular fever, mobile phone, petrol, pistes.
I also find that people, especially children, speaking with English accents sound very affected to me now. (But not Scottish, Irish or Welsh, oddly.)
It's funny what you get used to.
I also find that people, especially children, speaking with English accents sound very affected to me now. (But not Scottish, Irish or Welsh, oddly.)
It's funny what you get used to.
Jan 2nd 2017, 1:40 am
#23
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,043
Re: Things you'll never say...
I have embraced a few Maine phrases like 'Going upta camp this weekend?' and if I want someone to speed up (eg if they're doing less than 70mph in a snowstorm) I tell them to 'book it'. And I put jimmies on my cupcakes and say 'Ayuh' far too much.
Jan 2nd 2017, 2:10 am
#24
Banned
Joined: Dec 2015
Location: california
Posts: 6,035
Re: Things you'll never say...
Having lived here nearly 10 years, I find it's British English that grates. So many words and phrases just sound odd to me now - jumper, amongst, central reservation, lorry, bum bag, fairy cake, glandular fever, mobile phone, petrol, pistes.
I also find that people, especially children, speaking with English accents sound very affected to me now. (But not Scottish, Irish or Welsh, oddly.)
It's funny what you get used to.
I also find that people, especially children, speaking with English accents sound very affected to me now. (But not Scottish, Irish or Welsh, oddly.)
It's funny what you get used to.
Jan 2nd 2017, 2:16 am
#25
Banned
Joined: Dec 2015
Location: california
Posts: 6,035
Re: Things you'll never say...
People who habitually use the words "know what I mean" after every other sentence.
Makes me feel like answering "No I haven't a clue what you mean. Can you repeat what you just said ten times again and each time very slowly so that I'll begin to get a clue what you mean"
Makes me feel like answering "No I haven't a clue what you mean. Can you repeat what you just said ten times again and each time very slowly so that I'll begin to get a clue what you mean"
Jan 2nd 2017, 2:24 am
#27
Banned
Joined: Dec 2015
Location: california
Posts: 6,035
Re: Things you'll never say...
Jan 2nd 2017, 2:27 am
#28
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Things you'll never say...
Therefore I use the words commonly used in the US in most instances, including faucet (tap), gas (petrol), stick (manual car), vacation (holiday), stove (cooker), elevator (lift), chips (crisps), cookie (biscuit), and many others.
I also immediately adopted the US pronunciation of tom-ay-to and gah-rahj for the same reason although I still find both jarring when I use them, especially gah-rahj because coming from Sheffield my natural pronunciation is ga'ridge!
Also, per Lansbury's advice above, it didn't take me long to realize that I needed to change "water", "butter", and "lettuce" to "wadder", "budder", and "ledduce" otherwise I often got blank stares. 
I agree with Rete, bad grammar is bad grammer in either version of English, so no jumbled pronouns for me.
I think there seems to be a correlation, among BE members at least, between those who refuse to adjust to US vocabulary and idiom and those who never truely settle in the US.
Last edited by Pulaski; Jan 2nd 2017 at 2:33 am.
Jan 2nd 2017, 2:51 am
#29
Turning into a PA gal!
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: State College PA, finally!
Posts: 3,563
Re: Things you'll never say...
In Pennsylvania they say things like "The grass needs mowed" and "The house needs vacuumed" which really annoys me.
Jan 2nd 2017, 5:31 am
#30
Banned
Joined: Dec 2015
Location: california
Posts: 6,035
Re: Things you'll never say...
I will never say "I'd like a fag" to any American. The reaction is quite predicatble