Thread: Illogical American expressions?

Yes Ron, most people only know this particular tool as Stillson , to reiterate ,it is a "pattern",
made by many manufactures.
The original make has become the generic term.
Similar I suppose in the way that "Hoover" can mean any vacuum cleaner,
"DROTT" for any tracked loading shovel
"BOBCAT" for any slew steer machine
". JERRYCAN" for container

dave

I assume that "pattern" means copy in this regard - a bit like the pattern parts made for Land Rovers.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Both words derive from the same Latin word "cavea" (cage) via French. The difference is that "jail" came from Old French, and "Gaol" from Norman French. Since the language of administration in England after 1066 was Norman French, that variant passed into legal English. But by a generation after William the Conqueror, the ruling classes were sending their sons to Paris to get a 'proper education', so the Old French version of the word also passed into everyday English. Legal language being very conservative, the Norman French spelling remained in all official documents, and hence was continually pushed to other users.

The spelling "jail" was, of course, one of the reforms pushed by Webster.

I tried to explain that once before John. But you have succeeded where I failed.

Originally Posted by pop058

Ahh, but what about Basil ( the fox ).

Boom boom!

Originally Posted by p38arover

It is used in all Aussie newspapers and on radio and TV adverts now.

Speaking of Aussie newspapers, here are two great examples of poor grammar by Australian journos - from today's News.com.au feeds:


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His parents divorced at age 6? His mother was very young to have had children!



[/FONT][/COLOR]What? The crowd-funding campaign sank as he was rescued?

Should be 'shone' a spotlight, not shined.

Originally Posted by Toxic_Avenger

Basil (the herb) is pronounced Bay-sil.
...and then there is the other weird names for foods: Rocket is Arugula. Shallots are scallions. Both are creeping into our food scene too it seems.

But what gets me the most...

And adding to that, the pronunciation of Oregano, Caribbean has the emphasis on student syllables, and herb is always pronounced with a silent 'h'
Oh, and coriander, in the US it's cilantro

Some terms change, too, or differ from place to place.

A few years back I was touring Washington and Oregon with an American friend. I said "I need a serviette". He looked confused until I picked one up.

"Oh, a napkin" was the reply.

The next evening we were watching a Three Stooges film and someone said "I believe I dropped my serviette"

The first time I went to NSW from Qld at about 13 years old, I was completely confused.

When I got of the train a friends mother was picking me up, when I said "Hang on, I have to grab my port." she cracked up.

I was about 20 years old before I got the joke.