Thread: Illogical American expressions?

Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

Why some Americans persist with the MM/DD/YYYY thing, i

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:

The investigation has shined a spotlight on the eccentric inventor who grew up near Copenhagen, living with his father after his parents divorced age 6.

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

He built the 18-metre Nautilus submarine after a crowd-funding campaign which sank as he was rescued.

What? The crowd-funding campaign sank as he was rescued?

Originally Posted by austastar

Hi,
From My Fair Lady....

The Scotch and the Irish leave you close to tears.
There even are places where English completely
disappears.
Well, in America, they haven't used it for years!

Cheers

Scotch being a distilled beverage and Irish being a nationality, like Scottish.

Only two things are 'Scotch' - Whisky and butter(scotch), the rest are 'Scottish'.

Originally Posted by Fifth Columnist

Only two things are 'Scotch' - Whisky and butter(scotch), the rest are 'Scottish'.

Eggs, fillet and fingers.

Arnotts-Web-CategoryTiles-549x247-ScotchFinger.jpg

Keep going Ian there has to be more.

Scotch tape

Originally Posted by p38arover

I once read that the pronunciation in the RAN (or was it the RN) is as the Yanks do it. Can an ex-navy member confirm/deny?

Ask SHY. However, my step daughter, who was RAN about 15 years ago says it was Lootenant when she served. It is probably Lootenant now in the Army as well. See? Insidious, isn't it?

The Yanks can't even get whisky right. It's whiskey, according to them. Possibly the potato famine had some influence.... The Oirish call it whiskey as well. Which is fine, because whiskey is what they make, and it's fine for what it is. They sure as hell don't make Scotch. Apparently, the Japanese are the best at that these days. Although Tasmania give them a shake. Anyone else confused?