Britishisms and the Britishisation of American English

Started by Brazen, September 27, 2012, 06:46:13 AM

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garbon

Quote from: merithyn on October 17, 2012, 09:04:36 AM
:huh:

Really? I'd say that I hear probably half of them somewhat regularly. But then, I live in a fairly international place for as small as it is with a high concentration of British-English speakers from India and China, so it makes sense that these would seep in here a bit more than the average.

Plus, most of my friends are huge Anglo-philes so they're more likely to adopt these kinds of things more so than the average person, too. :D

I know most of them as I've run into a lot of British people in New York but no on a typical basis I don't know many people who affect these wordings. I'd probably punch most people if they tried these in casual conversation with me.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Ed Anger

Stay Alive...Let the Man Drive

merithyn

Quote from: Brazen on October 17, 2012, 09:23:37 AM
You need to adopt some Welsh slang. My favourite is "daps" for trainers/sneakers, or "dwt" for a small, insignificant thing.

http://talktidy.com/a.html

That link is awesome!!

Have I mentioned before that I've tried to learn Welsh? I love the language, but there's little doubt that I'd have to move to Northern Wales to ever have a chance at learning it properly.

Quote from: Valmy on October 17, 2012, 09:25:56 AM
A word with no vowels?  Teh Horrah.

:glare:

"W" is a vowel in Welsh, as is "y". :contract:
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

Razgovory

There is a reason those people got conquered by the English.  They had a language designed to defeat literacy.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

merithyn

Quote from: Brazen on October 17, 2012, 09:23:37 AM
You need to adopt some Welsh slang. My favourite is "daps" for trainers/sneakers, or "dwt" for a small, insignificant thing.

http://talktidy.com/a.html

Okay, this is hilarious. You know that my great-grandfather came over to the US from Wales in the 1880s, right? Well, a lot of the Welsh-isms are still used regularly by my dad's family. Things like "as soon as look at you", "I'm from away like", and "He's a bit of a Mary Jane" among a lot of others. I don't know if that's because my family line comes from Wales not that long ago, or if it's because there were a LOT of Welsh immigrants that settled in Des Moines, but I find it kind of interesting that they carry on.
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

garbon

Quote from: merithyn on October 17, 2012, 11:03:49 AM
Quote from: Brazen on October 17, 2012, 09:23:37 AM
You need to adopt some Welsh slang. My favourite is "daps" for trainers/sneakers, or "dwt" for a small, insignificant thing.

http://talktidy.com/a.html

Okay, this is hilarious. You know that my great-grandfather came over to the US from Wales in the 1880s, right? Well, a lot of the Welsh-isms are still used regularly by my dad's family. Things like "as soon as look at you", "I'm from away like", and "He's a bit of a Mary Jane" among a lot of others. I don't know if that's because my family line comes from Wales not that long ago, or if it's because there were a LOT of Welsh immigrants that settled in Des Moines, but I find it kind of interesting that they carry on.

Not be negative (:P) but a decent amount seem like common phrasings. Just looking at phrases and not single words - here's a random collection where I think the usage they give fits in how I'd typically see people use these.

I could eat him
In a minute
Into everything
Pulled to pieces
Most probably
Off Sick
How's it looking?
Early days yet
Can't abide/Can't stomach
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

merithyn

Quote from: garbon on October 17, 2012, 11:15:30 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 17, 2012, 11:03:49 AM
Quote from: Brazen on October 17, 2012, 09:23:37 AM
You need to adopt some Welsh slang. My favourite is "daps" for trainers/sneakers, or "dwt" for a small, insignificant thing.

http://talktidy.com/a.html

Okay, this is hilarious. You know that my great-grandfather came over to the US from Wales in the 1880s, right? Well, a lot of the Welsh-isms are still used regularly by my dad's family. Things like "as soon as look at you", "I'm from away like", and "He's a bit of a Mary Jane" among a lot of others. I don't know if that's because my family line comes from Wales not that long ago, or if it's because there were a LOT of Welsh immigrants that settled in Des Moines, but I find it kind of interesting that they carry on.

Not be negative (:P) but a decent amount seem like common phrasings. Just looking at phrases and not single words - here's a random collection where I think the usage they give fits in how I'd typically see people use these.

I could eat him
In a minute
Into everything
Pulled to pieces
Most probably
Off Sick
How's it looking?
Early days yet
Can't abide/Can't stomach

I wasn't sure how much was "normal" for Des Moines, and how much as known/used elsewhere. Still, some of them are obviously a bit odd. I've wondered where the hell the phrases came from, and now I at least have an idea of where they may have come from.
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

garbon

Quote from: merithyn on October 17, 2012, 11:35:56 AM
I wasn't sure how much was "normal" for Des Moines, and how much as known/used elsewhere. Still, some of them are obviously a bit odd. I've wondered where the hell the phrases came from, and now I at least have an idea of where they may have come from.

Well on the flipside, the one's you cited strike me as strange. I'm just curious if the ones I listed actually come from Wales as they seem pretty typical to me.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

dps

I don't see how "autumn" or "cheers" are Britishisms.  And "twit" has certainly been used as an insult for a long time--at least since Monty Python started being shown in America.  Most of the rest I don't hardly ever hear from others Americans.

Valmy

Quote from: dps on October 17, 2012, 12:03:16 PM
I don't see how "autumn" or "cheers" are Britishisms.  And "twit" has certainly been used as an insult for a long time--at least since Monty Python started being shown in America.  Most of the rest I don't hardly ever hear from others Americans.

I hear them all the freaking time.  But then my wife and her friends love Britishisms.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

Jacob

Quote from: garbon on October 17, 2012, 11:45:50 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 17, 2012, 11:35:56 AM
I wasn't sure how much was "normal" for Des Moines, and how much as known/used elsewhere. Still, some of them are obviously a bit odd. I've wondered where the hell the phrases came from, and now I at least have an idea of where they may have come from.

Well on the flipside, the one's you cited strike me as strange. I'm just curious if the ones I listed actually come from Wales as they seem pretty typical to me.

Maybe it came from Wales a while ago?

garbon

Quote from: Jacob on October 17, 2012, 12:25:16 PM
Quote from: garbon on October 17, 2012, 11:45:50 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 17, 2012, 11:35:56 AM
I wasn't sure how much was "normal" for Des Moines, and how much as known/used elsewhere. Still, some of them are obviously a bit odd. I've wondered where the hell the phrases came from, and now I at least have an idea of where they may have come from.

Well on the flipside, the one's you cited strike me as strange. I'm just curious if the ones I listed actually come from Wales as they seem pretty typical to me.

Maybe it came from Wales a while ago?

Yeah maybe.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Valmy

Quote from: Jacob on October 17, 2012, 12:25:16 PM
Maybe it came from Wales a while ago?

Pretty sure most Welsh came over in the 17th and 18th centuries for quite a while ago I would wager.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

Razgovory

Quote from: dps on October 17, 2012, 12:03:16 PM
I don't see how "autumn" or "cheers" are Britishisms.  And "twit" has certainly been used as an insult for a long time--at least since Monty Python started being shown in America.  Most of the rest I don't hardly ever hear from others Americans.

Yeah, I think some of those have been in the country a long time.  I think some were used in 19th century America and fell out of style, changed meaning, or only exists in a limited sense.  For instance, "frock" existed in American English in the 19th century but typically as "frock-coat", and remains in the word "defrocked".  And while Americans don't use the word "fancy" in the same way British do, they did and it survives in phrase "fancy that".
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

merithyn

Quote from: Valmy on October 17, 2012, 12:32:22 PM
Quote from: Jacob on October 17, 2012, 12:25:16 PM
Maybe it came from Wales a while ago?

Pretty sure most Welsh came over in the 17th and 18th centuries for quite a while ago I would wager.

Hmm. I thought most came over in the late 1800s, much like the Irish.  :hmm:
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...