Thread: Americanisms are ****ing me off

Originally Posted by jx2mad

I hate Americanisms being used more and more in Australia. Twice this morning on channel 9 Today show two ladies on a panel used the term "get-go". Why the hell cant they just say "start"or "beginning".? Another saying which annoys the hell out of me is "back at you". Why do we allow this garbage into our language? Has American language any advantage over English. I THINK NOT. The yanks can't even spell properly. You only have to be fouled up with your spell checker to see that.

Could not agree more.


I wonder if "from go to wo" (not sure if my spelling is correct) is an Australianism?


Anyway, we're more aligned to the British than the Yanks and should use the Queen's English with an Australian inflection.

Agree with you both.

Maybe it's Hollywood and the big media - after all Rupert who decides what we see and read, is now an American?

Makes me smile to see MS Word has a US-English dictionary, proof they stuffed the language up .

but you used an Americanism in your post

The yanks can't even spell properly

and I didn't know what garbage was for years, it was always rubbish to me

Why do we allow this garbage into our language

You see, in the first example, you used an Americanism in your explanation, because it is normal language for you.

In the second example, garbage may be normal language for you but to me, it was an unusual word for years.

I agree that the words used in the interview may not be normal regular Australian expressions, but for the circles the people move in and the communication that they use, it is normal wording and expressions.

I am working with Indians on a project and the wording and expressions they use are some what different, same words but different meanings and intent, because for them it is normal wording and I am the one speaking and communication differently.

Hay Ewe

This one confuses the non-native English speakers -

So did you do it?

No I didn't.

Oh, so you didn't do it then?

No!

We say no, they think to say yes. Correct answer would be the affirmative yes (to the negative proposition) but for some reason we were taught to answer negative with an affirmative inference.

I've found that those new to English, sometimes understand our grammar better than some of us native speakers

All y'all better quit hollerin or the good ol' boys'll be coming round.

Seriously though I hate Americanisms too - most of all the increasing use of "my bad". I really wish I could shoot anyone who uses that term.

Like it or not though, it is here to stay, and will gradually be amalgamated and enter into English/Australian dictionaries. The OP has already shown proof of that (as pointed out by Hay Ewe).

Originally Posted by isuzurover

All y'all better quit hollerin or the good ol' boys'll be coming round.

Seriously though I hate Americanisms too - most of all the increasing use of "my bad". I really wish I could shoot anyone who uses that term.

Like it or not though, it is here to stay, and will gradually be amalgamated and enter into English/Australian dictionaries. The OP has already shown proof of that (as pointed out by Hay Ewe).

Word!

At the coffee shop yesterday, someone (Australian) asked for the bathroom. I've heard the same term used on the Ch 9 News when referring to some sexual assaults in public toilets.

Originally Posted by p38arover

At the coffee shop yesterday, someone (Australian) asked for the bathroom. I've heard the same term used on the Ch 9 News when referring to some sexual assaults in public toilets.

A close relative does that too and it really annoys me. I think the use of bathroom and restroom is increasing.

My sister was once a "camp counsellor" at a US teen holiday camp. They picked up a french girl from the airport, and the American councillors asked her if she needed to go to the bathroom before the long ride to the camp. She replied [que french accent] "no I don't need a bath"... My sister had to translate bathroom into toilet before the girl understood.