American-English Words
#1
American-English Words
Anyone come across any new American English words or terms since moving over? Here are some I've found from reading the local rag:
winningest: e.g. How 'bout them Cowboys? They've won all of their games this season ( I wish) and are the winningest team in the NFC East.
burglarize: burgle
unhealthful: unhealthy
winningest: e.g. How 'bout them Cowboys? They've won all of their games this season ( I wish) and are the winningest team in the NFC East.
burglarize: burgle
unhealthful: unhealthy
#2
Wait till you hear them using nouns as verbs, and adjectives. Sad thing is though, they don't know it's incorrect.
Last edited by Poshpaws; Dec 7th 2003 at 11:28 pm.
#3
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,894
Originally posted by Poshpaws
Wait till you hear them using nouns as verbs, and adjectives. Sad thing is though, they don't know it's incorrect.
Wait till you hear them using nouns as verbs, and adjectives. Sad thing is though, they don't know it's incorrect.
Unlike you judging by the way you had to edit your posting.
#4
Re: American-English Words
The one that gets me most is the use of "values" as a synomym for deals or bargains.
Car dealers, electronics stores, and groceries all run radio/ TV adverts telling us that they have the "best values".
Car dealers, electronics stores, and groceries all run radio/ TV adverts telling us that they have the "best values".
#5
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Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,113
How about always using "Two times" instead of "Twice"
#6
#7
Originally posted by Poshpaws
Wait till you hear them using nouns as verbs, and adjectives. Sad thing is though, they don't know it's incorrect.
Wait till you hear them using nouns as verbs, and adjectives. Sad thing is though, they don't know it's incorrect.
Cheers,
David.
#8
One thing that I've heard more in the US than in the UK (if ever) is saying "one fourth" instead of a quarter, as in "a quarter of a cup" or "a quarter of packet".
What brought this to mind was hearing Martha Stewart say "one fourth" on her cooking show on the Food Network in the last few days.
NC Penguin
What brought this to mind was hearing Martha Stewart say "one fourth" on her cooking show on the Food Network in the last few days.
NC Penguin
#9
you never hear yanks tell the time like we do.
(UK) ten past nine
(US) ten after nine
or
(UK) ten to eight
(US) ten till eight.
Ash
(UK) ten past nine
(US) ten after nine
or
(UK) ten to eight
(US) ten till eight.
Ash
#10
Originally posted by Ash UK/US
you never hear yanks tell the time like we do.
(UK) ten past nine
(US) ten after nine
or
(UK) ten to eight
(US) ten till eight.
Ash
you never hear yanks tell the time like we do.
(UK) ten past nine
(US) ten after nine
or
(UK) ten to eight
(US) ten till eight.
Ash
NC Penguin
#11
Originally posted by NC Penguin
I don't think many Americans say "x to y o'clock" either. e.g. 20 to 4 (3.40pm) or "quarter to seven" (6.45pm).
NC Penguin
I don't think many Americans say "x to y o'clock" either. e.g. 20 to 4 (3.40pm) or "quarter to seven" (6.45pm).
NC Penguin
Very seldom hear them using the 24 hour clock either it always seems to be 1am or 1pm V's 1.00 or 13.00
Ash
#12
Originally posted by Ash UK/US
<<snip>>
Very seldom hear them using the 24 hour clock either it always seems to be 1am or 1pm V's 1.00 or 13.00
Ash
<<snip>>
Very seldom hear them using the 24 hour clock either it always seems to be 1am or 1pm V's 1.00 or 13.00
Ash
Oh, no! Use of the 24 hr clock is called military time in the US. Non-military/civilians use the am/pm way of timekeeping.
I prefer to use the 24 hour clock in writing because it eliminates any confusion (unless you're not at all familar with the 24 hr clock).
NC Penguin
#13
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Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,113
My wife had no idea what 2100 or 1700 meant everytime I sent her my travel details. I had to break it back down to 7pm or 7am so she new exactly what time to pick me up from the airport.
#14
Originally posted by NC Penguin
Oh, no! Use of the 24 hr clock is called military time in the US. Non-military/civilians use the am/pm way of timekeeping.
I prefer to use the 24 hour clock in writing because it eliminates any confusion (unless you're not at all familar with the 24 hr clock).
NC Penguin
Oh, no! Use of the 24 hr clock is called military time in the US. Non-military/civilians use the am/pm way of timekeeping.
I prefer to use the 24 hour clock in writing because it eliminates any confusion (unless you're not at all familar with the 24 hr clock).
NC Penguin
Ash
#15
My American fiance didn't have a clue what a fortnight was!
I had to explain that it meant 'two weeks'.
One word which I've hated since day one here, (which is a real word according to the dictionary) is flavorful.
Tasty or full of flavor would've been better descriptions.
(Of course it helps if the person cooking the item doesn't incinerate it)!! LOL
What I don't get though, is why on earth there have to be three choices when it comes to clothing for the 'fairer sex': womens, misses and juniors??
As if there weren't enough things to make a decision about already!!!
I had to explain that it meant 'two weeks'.
One word which I've hated since day one here, (which is a real word according to the dictionary) is flavorful.
Tasty or full of flavor would've been better descriptions.
(Of course it helps if the person cooking the item doesn't incinerate it)!! LOL
What I don't get though, is why on earth there have to be three choices when it comes to clothing for the 'fairer sex': womens, misses and juniors??
As if there weren't enough things to make a decision about already!!!