Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
Nov 20th 2013, 3:32 pm
#76
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
I refuse to conform to northern pronunciations of tomato or grass etc. I still get confused looks from some yanks when I pronounce the word the Oxford English way. Annoys the hell out of me. Just how stupid are they?
Nov 20th 2013, 3:37 pm
#77
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
Recently at work I mentioned that I must be losing my accent as everyone seems to understand me now. It was met with much amusement. Apparently it's them who have gotten used to me.
I do now say 'across the street', 'pro-cess', 'zee', 'gas' and a few others. I'm not really aware. It's just kinda happening. Even an inappropriate 'like' crept in the other day which I hate!
It'll be interesting to see what my friends in England make of it at Christmas.
I do now say 'across the street', 'pro-cess', 'zee', 'gas' and a few others. I'm not really aware. It's just kinda happening. Even an inappropriate 'like' crept in the other day which I hate!
It'll be interesting to see what my friends in England make of it at Christmas.
Nov 20th 2013, 3:40 pm
#79
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
All I can say is, switching between British and American English is relatively straightforward but Canadian English is a true PITA. Some American spelling have become popular but other than that it's similar to British English, but Canadians often use American words.
So you park at the curb and take the railway to buy your tires.
The most common ones that cause confusion are the American words that end in "er" like: "center", because American businesses often use the American spelling (but some don't, like the "Home Depot Home Improvement Centre").
Also another common one is "licence", I have a driver's "licence" but people often spell it "license". But "licensed" and "licensing" is the correct spelling apparently, not "licenced" or "licencing".
Someone told me at Heritage Park they thought "sidewalk" actually became popularized in Canada, not sure how, it was an English word that made more sense in Canada where paving was rare was the theory. Because there were lots of wooden buildings with wooden sidewalks made of planks along the front. So you had the sidewalk, the horse road and the pavement where it was paved.
So you park at the curb and take the railway to buy your tires.
The most common ones that cause confusion are the American words that end in "er" like: "center", because American businesses often use the American spelling (but some don't, like the "Home Depot Home Improvement Centre").
Also another common one is "licence", I have a driver's "licence" but people often spell it "license". But "licensed" and "licensing" is the correct spelling apparently, not "licenced" or "licencing".
Someone told me at Heritage Park they thought "sidewalk" actually became popularized in Canada, not sure how, it was an English word that made more sense in Canada where paving was rare was the theory. Because there were lots of wooden buildings with wooden sidewalks made of planks along the front. So you had the sidewalk, the horse road and the pavement where it was paved.
Nov 20th 2013, 3:41 pm
#80
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
Nov 20th 2013, 3:41 pm
#81
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
That was another classic Pulaski stealth edit, wasn't it?
Bloody colonials ...
All I can say is, switching between British and American English is relatively straightforward but Canadian English is a true PITA. Some American spelling have become popular but other than that it's similar to British English, but Canadians often use American words.
So you park at the curb and take the railway to buy your tires.
The most common ones that cause confusion are the American words that end in "er" like: "center", because American businesses often use the American spelling (but some don't, like the "Home Depot Home Improvement Centre").
Also another common one is "licence", I have a driver's "licence" but people often spell it "license". But "licensed" and "licensing" is the correct spelling apparently, not "licenced" or "licencing".
Someone told me at Heritage Park they thought "sidewalk" actually became popularized in Canada, not sure how, it was an English word that made more sense in Canada where paving was rare was the theory. Because there were lots of wooden buildings with wooden sidewalks made of planks along the front. So you had the sidewalk, the horse road and the pavement where it was paved.
So you park at the curb and take the railway to buy your tires.
The most common ones that cause confusion are the American words that end in "er" like: "center", because American businesses often use the American spelling (but some don't, like the "Home Depot Home Improvement Centre").
Also another common one is "licence", I have a driver's "licence" but people often spell it "license". But "licensed" and "licensing" is the correct spelling apparently, not "licenced" or "licencing".
Someone told me at Heritage Park they thought "sidewalk" actually became popularized in Canada, not sure how, it was an English word that made more sense in Canada where paving was rare was the theory. Because there were lots of wooden buildings with wooden sidewalks made of planks along the front. So you had the sidewalk, the horse road and the pavement where it was paved.
Nov 20th 2013, 3:49 pm
#84
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,529
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
-er words are confusing in the US too. Theater is supposedly spelled with -er at the end, unless it's a sophisticated or literary use, when it's spelled theatre. Then in New England and New York, maybe other parts of the US too, many towns are called "Something Center" or "Centre." Newton Centre, MA for instance.
Nov 20th 2013, 3:53 pm
#86
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,529
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
Then of course there's American prime rib ... Served "with au jus."
Nov 20th 2013, 3:54 pm
#87
Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,049
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
The American '-er' spelling was explained in a link provided by an early poster. It seems that Daniel Webster promoted consistency of spelling for the various forms of a word.
Most often it's a pretentious use.
Regards, JEff
Nov 20th 2013, 3:55 pm
#88
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
Confusingly American English agrees with English when it comes to the same noun/verb distinction for advice/advise.
Nov 20th 2013, 4:01 pm
#90
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Slowly starting to Americanize my speech
That'd be why they call a 3-point shot in basketball a field goal, then 
Regarding the hand oval vs football nomenclature, while vaguely annoying in that I can't talk about the beautiful game here without some confusion in the beginning - the foot/ball interaction is pretty much exactly the same as it is in rugby.
In fact, if the game was invented in the 1930s, I bet it would be called rugby, or some variation thereof.
Regarding the hand oval vs football nomenclature, while vaguely annoying in that I can't talk about the beautiful game here without some confusion in the beginning - the foot/ball interaction is pretty much exactly the same as it is in rugby.
In fact, if the game was invented in the 1930s, I bet it would be called rugby, or some variation thereof.