For years we’ve been invaded by Americanisms and images (by the way, I am not complaining about this). Not just in this country; but Americanisms and images have been invading the world. Now I read that the tables are being turned on America. British words are worming their way into American society.

The writer (American) said in his article that “I’ve been chronicling this growing list of “Britishisms” on a blog. They include: “cheers; “Hoover” (as a verb); “queue”; “Ginger” (for hair); “bits” (instead of “parts”); and “full stop” (instead of “Period””. He blames the internet for this “linguistic cross-pollination”, but the spice girls, Harry Potter and US-based British journalists’ such as Tina Brown are also guilty”. He goes on and says “Some Britishisms -“one-off”, “chat up” – have actually been useful additions to the lexicon. Others – “kerfuffle”, “gobsmacked” – are amusing, for a while.” He then says that “The ones that irritate are those pretentiously employed in the place of perfectly good US equivalents’. There simply no excuses for calling an “appetizer” a “starter”.

What do our yank friends say (a "Yank": a word to describing all Americans); do you agree or not? Are you offended by British words encroaching into your society? If yes what about your words impinging on our society?

PS.

(my information comes from Slate.com; article by Ben Yagoda. This is an America web site; I got the article from a magazine called “The Week”. If anybody wants the link then you can get it yourself; I don’t do links).

Tbh I think anyone who spends time in another country or even another part of their own country, they will pick up 'words' used from that area. I think this bloke is just looking for something to talk or moan about.

What I have noticed is how Obama talks of his country regarding terrorism - another subject, I know. He constantly says he won't tolerate terrorism on American people. What about on his allies? He seems to forget to mention them and how they've stood by America in what's been going on.

Not just standing by but funds were actively raised in the open in some areas of Boston and New York.

I worked for an Ameircan company and they used the 'listen up' and 'you guys' all the time.
Once I was told off for not paying attention, to which I replied, 'didn't realise you meant me as I'm female and you mentioned guys and also what does listen up mean?'

I noticed in a recent Who do you think you are Matthew Broderick said he was 'gobsmacked'

Someone should inform that American (sorry hate the word Yank) that English was the language of Britain before it was America. Not our fault they choose to speak it differently.

All languages are made up from the spoken word of Victors of War and immigrants who over the centuries have occupied that Country.
At one time event before the influx of UK citizens there was eighteen different languages in the Hudson Valley area.

The Yanks can’t complain about the infiltration of a few English idioms as we now have hundred s of American colloquiums in everyday life.

It all started years ago when the Cinema and American Films became popular. They became known as the movies and many young men walked the walk and talked the talk of their American Heroes such as John Wayne and Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney, and chew gum at the same time without the guns of course .

Girls wanted to be like Betty Grable, Lana Turner, Jane Russell, Marylyn Munroe etc the English Actresses were not as glamorous, though much better Actresses.
Men became Guys and girls became Gals. And, ‘You made me love you, I didn’t wanna do it’
And all women were called ‘Honey’, but what did they call men? Don’t answer!

Americans still find it difficult to understand the Northern English dialect any where past Watford
They most definitely would not understand you if you said you had been “ On Ilkley Moore Bah Tat,

Then suddenly everyone was ‘cool’ and now we are all ‘Having a nice day’. Well, I am.

Most people in the UK now dress in the American way, Jeans and casual clothes are the order of the day. And some men wear shorts showing their knobbly knees in all weathers. What a treat! My Postman has go lovely knees and he said he never feels cold even in winter.

We have now got to be ‘One big happy family’. Yipee!

azure

:P