7/6/2007 - American v The Queen's English

Oof, I'm broken. I've just been to Germany. I left the house at 4.45 AM, got on the first train, spent two hours in Germany, buying typically German food stuff at a supermarket of American proportions, and just got home. Because of the early hour of my departure I had a chance to listen to some British nighttime radio. There was a discussion on about American English as compared to what the British call the Queen's English. It was fun and educational.

Just a few examples for a smile or two. The British don't understand the American use of the word 'pants'. If an Englishman uses the word, he refers to underwear. 'American' pants in England are trousers. Also, the English are apparently amused by Americans saying that they 'take baths'. You must be awfully strong to take the bath with you, so the English prefer to 'have' their baths instead. In America kids have a class in school that's called 'math'. It was argued, that since you don't have just one sum, the word 'maths' better describes the nature of this class.
 
On the English side someone argued that British people in movie theatre usually laugh, when words like 'technicolor', or 'theater' are shown. That one I don't believe. Why the hell should someone want to pay attention to such little details? To his credit, however, I did see a recent installment of the TV comedy quiz 'Have I Got News for You', on which there was an item about a hilarious booklet by the US State Dept., entitled "World Citizen's Guide". Not only does the State Dept. think Americans are stupid and ignorant, but it also contained the word 'favorability'. The comment on that word that was met with incredible laughter was the following: "If indeed such a word existed, there would be a 'u' in it.

What everyone seemed to agree on, by the way, was the fact that American slang has no humor, in fact, American English is a bland, somewhat dated, version of English, but to its credit, more to the point than British English. An American poet once described it as a 'language that rolls up its sleeves, spits in its hands, and goes to work'. That, among other things, is the main reason why I prefer using American over British English.

The reason for American English being different from the Queen's English, is to be sought in New England. Apparently some day long ago, a puritan cleric decided that America should have a language unique unto itself.

7/6/2007 - G'day Dutchboy.

Crikey! What? Americans don't know how to spell. They have torn the language to shreds.
Who ever heard of socks for one's feet turning into sox? They have dropped the u out of colour, flavour, neighbour, and so on. Put a Z in place of S in words like apologise,realise and others.Now half the kids in this country can't spell or can spell depending on how Americanised the teacher is. About the pants verses trousers now that's a bit dippy because they can be both. Underwear over here is just your underwear, undies or knickers. We have Pants, trousers, jeans, (overalls and hard yakka's which are work clobber.)Try as some of the media might, we haven't turned into another state of Uncle Sam just yet. I've never heard the phrase take a bath, but over here we have a shower or a bath. But I wouldn't take exception to the phrase taking a bath, means pretty much the same to me. But fair dinkum Mate we have some language our dear old Mother England would not approve of either I guess they would say what could you expect from a colony of riff raff. Take care now Dutchboy and I hope all your chooks die! Let me explain that is an old Aussie fairwell greeting for good luck. Chooks are chickens or hens in case you are wondering. Talk soon.
Love N' (((Hugs))) From Dawnie :-) xxx.