" Americanism's " Changing the British language.
Jul 21st 2011, 3:25 pm
#1
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" Americanism's " Changing the British language.
Jul 21st 2011, 3:34 pm
#2
Septicity
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 23,762
Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
At least apostrophe misuse in Englishes remains universal.
Jul 21st 2011, 3:37 pm
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
This one I find annoying...
35. "Reach out to" when the correct word is "ask". For example: "I will reach out to Kevin and let you know if that timing is convenient". Reach out? Is Kevin stuck in quicksand? Is he teetering on the edge of a cliff? Can't we just ask him? Nerina, London
I hear my husband say this when he's working from home and it just sounds wrong....
I've never heard it before, but that doesn't mean anything. There are a lot of those sayings that I haven't heard..... Regional?
35. "Reach out to" when the correct word is "ask". For example: "I will reach out to Kevin and let you know if that timing is convenient". Reach out? Is Kevin stuck in quicksand? Is he teetering on the edge of a cliff? Can't we just ask him? Nerina, London
I hear my husband say this when he's working from home and it just sounds wrong....
I've never heard it before, but that doesn't mean anything. There are a lot of those sayings that I haven't heard..... Regional?
Jul 21st 2011, 3:47 pm
#4
I have a comma problem
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Jul 21st 2011, 4:12 pm
#5
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Google Town
Posts: 7,532
Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
Urgh, I hate 'My bad' too.
Not on the list but the one that really bugs me is 'I won him at tennis' what? You took him home and put him on the sideboard like a trophy. You BEAT him you idiot.
Not on the list but the one that really bugs me is 'I won him at tennis' what? You took him home and put him on the sideboard like a trophy. You BEAT him you idiot.
Jul 21st 2011, 4:16 pm
#6
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
I've never heard that one before!!
Jul 21st 2011, 4:21 pm
#7
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 8,106
Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
I had several people ask me (sorry reach out to me) yesterday saying "so, how are you meant to pronounce zee?".
Jul 21st 2011, 4:32 pm
#9
Badger Badger Badger
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Montpelier, Vermont
Posts: 491
Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
I still hate "a complete 360" meaning a reversal of direction/opinion. I guess that's stupid rather than American per se though. Also "hold down the fort," you don't hold it down, you hold it against being taken.
Jul 21st 2011, 4:32 pm
#10
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
On reflection, I blame the business world for a lot of these stupid phrases - once people started banging on about stupid shit like 'synergy' and 'thinking outside the box', the beautiful English language didn't stand a chance.
For what it's worth, the one American term I can't get my head around is calling the bog a 'restroom'. I just spent the last week proving that term wrong
For what it's worth, the one American term I can't get my head around is calling the bog a 'restroom'. I just spent the last week proving that term wrong
Jul 21st 2011, 4:41 pm
#11
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Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
Me too. Got to love these though.........
"Blue-sky thinking"
"Joined-up thinking"
"Norms" or "Metrics" for something that can be measured.
In my last job in England (Large defence company) I knew a few people who were impossible to hold a normal conversation with because they spoke almost exclusively in business buzz-words. Made attending meetings a pain, unless we had a game of Buzz Word Bingo going
Round these parts, people "Pull the trigger" on things a lot, meaning to start a project. They also "run the traps" quite a bit, meaning to do some preparatory work.
"Blue-sky thinking"
"Joined-up thinking"
"Norms" or "Metrics" for something that can be measured.
In my last job in England (Large defence company) I knew a few people who were impossible to hold a normal conversation with because they spoke almost exclusively in business buzz-words. Made attending meetings a pain, unless we had a game of Buzz Word Bingo going
Round these parts, people "Pull the trigger" on things a lot, meaning to start a project. They also "run the traps" quite a bit, meaning to do some preparatory work.
Jul 21st 2011, 4:44 pm
#13
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
Me too. Got to love these though.........
"Blue-sky thinking"
"Joined-up thinking"
"Norms" or "Metrics" for something that can be measured.
In my last job in England (Large defence company) I knew a few people who were impossible to hold a normal conversation with because they spoke almost exclusively in business buzz-words. Made attending meetings a pain, unless we had a game of Buzz Word Bingo going
Round these parts, people "Pull the trigger" on things a lot, meaning to start a project. They also "run the traps" quite a bit, meaning to do some preparatory work.
"Blue-sky thinking"
"Joined-up thinking"
"Norms" or "Metrics" for something that can be measured.
In my last job in England (Large defence company) I knew a few people who were impossible to hold a normal conversation with because they spoke almost exclusively in business buzz-words. Made attending meetings a pain, unless we had a game of Buzz Word Bingo going
Round these parts, people "Pull the trigger" on things a lot, meaning to start a project. They also "run the traps" quite a bit, meaning to do some preparatory work.
.
Jul 21st 2011, 4:48 pm
#14
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Google Town
Posts: 7,532
Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
Me too. Got to love these though.........
"Blue-sky thinking"
"Joined-up thinking"
"Norms" or "Metrics" for something that can be measured.
In my last job in England (Large defence company) I knew a few people who were impossible to hold a normal conversation with because they spoke almost exclusively in business buzz-words. Made attending meetings a pain, unless we had a game of Buzz Word Bingo going
Round these parts, people "Pull the trigger" on things a lot, meaning to start a project. They also "run the traps" quite a bit, meaning to do some preparatory work.
"Blue-sky thinking"
"Joined-up thinking"
"Norms" or "Metrics" for something that can be measured.
In my last job in England (Large defence company) I knew a few people who were impossible to hold a normal conversation with because they spoke almost exclusively in business buzz-words. Made attending meetings a pain, unless we had a game of Buzz Word Bingo going
Round these parts, people "Pull the trigger" on things a lot, meaning to start a project. They also "run the traps" quite a bit, meaning to do some preparatory work.
Jul 21st 2011, 4:50 pm
#15
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Re: " Americanism's " Changing the British language.
They also have something in their sights, go off half-cocked, and turn out to be just a flash-in-the-pan.