The differences between Americans and the rest of us

[Zero Cool]

We have police, you have constables.

That's only the English

 

[not really ken]

The two terms are interchangeable over here.

indeed they are!! I tend to use pharmacy or pharmacist much more than the word chemist.

Also, we never use the words, howdy or m'am (or whatever it is).

Also, Americans only say endearments and speak nicely when they are serving you something or they want you to spend money, otherwise they are cursing you or don't talk to you.

 

[Zero Cool]

^^It seems the English language is steadily becoming more Americanized through the wide reach of American films and television. Now this isn't neccessarily a bad thing but why can't they use proper spelling? Labour is not spelled labor and Jewellery is certainly not spelled jewelry (where the hell did this grammatical monstrosity originate out of anyway), there are accepted endings for a reason

 

[Illuminattile]

Apparently Charles Dickens coined (or at least used) the word "sidewalk".

Other examples...

The Americans use "meter" and "liter" instead of "metre" and "litre". They also use the prefix "deka" instead of "deca" (apparently, though they don't use the spelling "dekade").

in Australia if your a crook, then your a theif. In England if your crook, then your ill. or it was something like that. I heard Helen say it on Neighbours about 10 years ago, so it must be true.

The Australians use the word "crook" to mean unwell or unhealthy, not the English.

 

[radkin]

We have police, you have constables.

We wear pants; you wear trousers.

You use the words jolly, horrid, and frightfully; we never do.

We go on panty raids in college; you guys steal knickers.

We have no idea what the word wanker means.

Only toffs use that sort of language here

 

[Jokerman]

Only toffs use that sort of language here

I know, but only you guys use the word "toff."

 

[Jokerman]

The Americans use "meter" and "liter" instead of "metre" and "litre".

No, we use mile and quart. We spell meter and liter this way, but we don't use them.

 

[haunted]

^^It seems the English language is steadily becoming more Americanized through the wide reach of American films and television. Now this isn't neccessarily a bad thing but why can't they use proper spelling? Labour is not spelled labor and Jewellery is certainly not spelled jewelry (where the hell did this grammatical monstrosity originate out of anyway), there are accepted endings for a reason

It was after America declared independence. They wanted to change the language because they hated them brits, but they got lazy and stopped.

 

[Zero Cool]

^^Hmm... It seems Noah Webster and his dictionary is mostly to blame for it.

 

[AmerikazMost]

dialect in america is different everywhere

the word "sneakers" is really only used in the northeast...people in the south don't use it

in pittsburgh, the road is "slippy," not slippery

 

[Zero Cool]

in pittsburgh, the road is "slippy," not slippery

Same in Ireland.

 

[PuffnScruff]

Zero Cool > All of you

i love that movie. did you know that guy really married ol girl next to him (angelena jolie). but they got divorced when he spent more time playing tomb raider than spending time with her fine ass. isnt that ironic? dont ya think?

 

[radkin]

I know, but only you guys use the word "toff."

Touché

 

[Illuminattile]

No, we use mile and quart. We spell meter and liter this way, but we don't use them.

I've never heard anyone actually use the term "quart", except in Olde Timey films. Over here we tend to use pint over litre or cubic metre.

 

[Missy "C"]

Why don't you english and american people use the same words, it would be a lot simplier for people like me, who are trying to learn your language! When I had to take the cambridge english exams I wasn't allowed to use american words, I think I lost many marks for that. It was so annoying!

 

[CalcuoCuchicheo]

americans take the elevator - in england we take the lift
americans walk on the sidewalk- in england you walk on the pavement
americans goto the mall - in england you goto the 'town' or shopping center
americans put gas(oline) in their cars - in england you put in petrol

In America Britain=England, in England......wait a minute, in Britain, Britain=England, Scotland, Wales & (possibly) Northern Ireland.

 

[Jokerman]

I've never heard anyone actually use the term "quart", except in Olde Timey films. Over here we tend to use pint over litre or cubic metre.

Well, now we do refer to a liter of soda. But it's always a quart or half a gallon of milk.

 

[Amara]

in Australia if your a crook, then your a theif. In England if your crook, then your ill. or it was something like that. I heard Helen say it on Neighbours about 10 years ago, so it must be true.

Nah, we use both still. lol. Anything that sounds less serious than the actual term is the rule for Aussie slang! It is such a bogan thing to say, crook (in either context).

What do you guys call bathers...? In some parts of Aus they call them togs... who is to blame for that? Probably the Brits.

Why don't you english and american people use the same words, it would be a lot simplier for people like me, who are trying to learn your language! When I had to take the cambridge english exams I wasn't allowed to use american words, I think I lost many marks for that. It was so annoying!

So you learn it hearing the English accent? That would confuse things I think, learning a language where the spoken version varies so much. When my dad visited relatives in Scotland last year, he couldnt understand them at all - and they were all speaking the same language, yet it was totally different!!

 

[Preach]

In America (Hollywood to be precise), Zero Cool is a nerd, in Ireland he's a fag

lmao

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

dialect in america is different everywhere

That's not true really, because that's the case with only a few words. If you go to countries like Holland, the language is almost completely different from the South to North.

I know, you're refering to pop/soda and other words, but that's a few compared to differences in many other countries.

I've never heard of "slippy." What kinda language is that? I live in VA (right next to you), and there's not a single person here who says "slippy" instead of "slippery."