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| Americanisms: 50 of your most noted examples | Americanisms: 50 of your most noted examples |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Magazine's recent piece on Americanisms entering the language in the UK prompted thousands of you to e-mail examples. | |
| Some are useful, while some seem truly unnecessary, argued Matthew Engel in the article. Here are 50 of the most e-mailed. | Some are useful, while some seem truly unnecessary, argued Matthew Engel in the article. Here are 50 of the most e-mailed. |
| 1. When people ask for something, I often hear: "Can I get a..." It infuriates me. It's not New York. It's not the 90s. You're not in Central Perk with the rest of the Friends. Really." Steve, Rossendale, Lancashire | 1. When people ask for something, I often hear: "Can I get a..." It infuriates me. It's not New York. It's not the 90s. You're not in Central Perk with the rest of the Friends. Really." Steve, Rossendale, Lancashire |
| 2. The next time someone tells you something is the "least worst option", tell them that their most best option is learning grammar. Mike Ayres, Bodmin, Cornwall | 2. The next time someone tells you something is the "least worst option", tell them that their most best option is learning grammar. Mike Ayres, Bodmin, Cornwall |
| 3. The phrase I've watched seep into the language (especially with broadcasters) is "two-time" and "three-time". Have the words double, triple etc, been totally lost? Grammatically it makes no sense, and is even worse when spoken. My pulse rises every time I hear or see it. Which is not healthy as it's almost every day now. Argh! D Rochelle, Bath | 3. The phrase I've watched seep into the language (especially with broadcasters) is "two-time" and "three-time". Have the words double, triple etc, been totally lost? Grammatically it makes no sense, and is even worse when spoken. My pulse rises every time I hear or see it. Which is not healthy as it's almost every day now. Argh! D Rochelle, Bath |
| 4. Using 24/7 rather than "24 hours, 7 days a week" or even just plain "all day, every day". Simon Ball, Worcester | 4. Using 24/7 rather than "24 hours, 7 days a week" or even just plain "all day, every day". Simon Ball, Worcester |
| 5. The one I can't stand is "deplane", meaning to disembark an aircraft, used in the phrase "you will be able to deplane momentarily". TykeIntheHague, Den Haag, Holland | 5. The one I can't stand is "deplane", meaning to disembark an aircraft, used in the phrase "you will be able to deplane momentarily". TykeIntheHague, Den Haag, Holland |
| 6. To "wait on" instead of "wait for" when you're not a waiter - once read a friend's comment about being in a station waiting on a train. For him, the train had yet to arrive - I would have thought rather that it had got stuck at the station with the friend on board. T Balinski, Raglan, New Zealand | 6. To "wait on" instead of "wait for" when you're not a waiter - once read a friend's comment about being in a station waiting on a train. For him, the train had yet to arrive - I would have thought rather that it had got stuck at the station with the friend on board. T Balinski, Raglan, New Zealand |
| 7. "It is what it is". Pity us. Michael Knapp, Chicago, US | 7. "It is what it is". Pity us. Michael Knapp, Chicago, US |
| 8. Dare I even mention the fanny pack? Lisa, Red Deer, Canada | 8. Dare I even mention the fanny pack? Lisa, Red Deer, Canada |
| 9. "Touch base" - it makes me cringe no end. Chris, UK | 9. "Touch base" - it makes me cringe no end. Chris, UK |
| 10. Is "physicality" a real word? Curtis, US | 10. Is "physicality" a real word? Curtis, US |
| 11. Transportation. What's wrong with transport? Greg Porter, Hercules, CA, US | 11. Transportation. What's wrong with transport? Greg Porter, Hercules, CA, US |
| 12. The word I hate to hear is "leverage". Pronounced lev-er-ig rather than lee-ver -ig. It seems to pop up in all aspects of work. And its meaning seems to have changed to "value added". Gareth Wilkins, Leicester | 12. The word I hate to hear is "leverage". Pronounced lev-er-ig rather than lee-ver -ig. It seems to pop up in all aspects of work. And its meaning seems to have changed to "value added". Gareth Wilkins, Leicester |
| 13. Does nobody celebrate a birthday anymore, must we all "turn" 12 or 21 or 40? Even the Duke of Edinburgh was universally described as "turning" 90 last month. When did this begin? I quite like the phrase in itself, but it seems to have obliterated all other ways of speaking about birthdays. Michael McAndrew, Swindon | 13. Does nobody celebrate a birthday anymore, must we all "turn" 12 or 21 or 40? Even the Duke of Edinburgh was universally described as "turning" 90 last month. When did this begin? I quite like the phrase in itself, but it seems to have obliterated all other ways of speaking about birthdays. Michael McAndrew, Swindon |
| 14. I caught myself saying "shopping cart" instead of shopping trolley today and was thoroughly disgusted with myself. I've never lived nor been to the US either. Graham Nicholson, Glasgow | 14. I caught myself saying "shopping cart" instead of shopping trolley today and was thoroughly disgusted with myself. I've never lived nor been to the US either. Graham Nicholson, Glasgow |
| 15. What kind of word is "gotten"? It makes me shudder. Julie Marrs, Warrington | 15. What kind of word is "gotten"? It makes me shudder. Julie Marrs, Warrington |
| 16. "I'm good" for "I'm well". That'll do for a start. Mike, Bridgend, Wales | 16. "I'm good" for "I'm well". That'll do for a start. Mike, Bridgend, Wales |
| 17. "Bangs" for a fringe of the hair. Philip Hall, Nottingham | 17. "Bangs" for a fringe of the hair. Philip Hall, Nottingham |
| 18. Take-out rather than takeaway! Simon Ball, Worcester | |
| 19. I enjoy Americanisms. I suspect even some Americans use them in a tongue-in-cheek manner? "That statement was the height of ridiculosity". Bob, Edinburgh | 19. I enjoy Americanisms. I suspect even some Americans use them in a tongue-in-cheek manner? "That statement was the height of ridiculosity". Bob, Edinburgh |
| 20. "A half hour" instead of "half an hour". EJB, Devon | 20. "A half hour" instead of "half an hour". EJB, Devon |
| 21. A "heads up". For example, as in a business meeting. Lets do a "heads up" on this issue. I have never been sure of the meaning. R Haworth, Marlborough | 21. A "heads up". For example, as in a business meeting. Lets do a "heads up" on this issue. I have never been sure of the meaning. R Haworth, Marlborough |
| 22. Train station. My teeth are on edge every time I hear it. Who started it? Have they been punished? Chris Capewell, Queens Park, London | 22. Train station. My teeth are on edge every time I hear it. Who started it? Have they been punished? Chris Capewell, Queens Park, London |
| 23. To put a list into alphabetical order is to "alphabetize it" - horrid! Chris Fackrell, York | 23. To put a list into alphabetical order is to "alphabetize it" - horrid! Chris Fackrell, York |
| 24. People that say "my bad" after a mistake. I don't know how anything could be as annoying or lazy as that. Simon Williamson, Lymington, Hampshire | 24. People that say "my bad" after a mistake. I don't know how anything could be as annoying or lazy as that. Simon Williamson, Lymington, Hampshire |
| 25. "Normalcy" instead of "normality" really irritates me. Tom Gabbutt, Huddersfield | 25. "Normalcy" instead of "normality" really irritates me. Tom Gabbutt, Huddersfield |
| 26. As an expat living in New Orleans, it is a very long list but "burglarize" is currently the word that I most dislike. Simon, New Orleans | 26. As an expat living in New Orleans, it is a very long list but "burglarize" is currently the word that I most dislike. Simon, New Orleans |
| 27. "Oftentimes" just makes me shiver with annoyance. Fortunately I've not noticed it over here yet. John, London | 27. "Oftentimes" just makes me shiver with annoyance. Fortunately I've not noticed it over here yet. John, London |
| 28. Eaterie. To use a prevalent phrase, oh my gaad! Alastair, Maidstone (now in Athens, Ohio) | 28. Eaterie. To use a prevalent phrase, oh my gaad! Alastair, Maidstone (now in Athens, Ohio) |
| 29. I'm a Brit living in New York. The one that always gets me is the American need to use the word bi-weekly when fortnightly would suffice just fine. Ami Grewal, New York | 29. I'm a Brit living in New York. The one that always gets me is the American need to use the word bi-weekly when fortnightly would suffice just fine. Ami Grewal, New York |
| 30. I hate "alternate" for "alternative". I don't like this as they are two distinct words, both have distinct meanings and it's useful to have both. Using alternate for alternative deprives us of a word. Catherine, London | 30. I hate "alternate" for "alternative". I don't like this as they are two distinct words, both have distinct meanings and it's useful to have both. Using alternate for alternative deprives us of a word. Catherine, London |
| 31. "Hike" a price. Does that mean people who do that are hikers? No, hikers are ramblers! M Holloway, Accrington | 31. "Hike" a price. Does that mean people who do that are hikers? No, hikers are ramblers! M Holloway, Accrington |
| 32. Going forward? If I do I shall collide with my keyboard. Ric Allen, Matlock | 32. Going forward? If I do I shall collide with my keyboard. Ric Allen, Matlock |
| 33. I hate the word "deliverable". Used by management consultants for something that they will "deliver" instead of a report. Joseph Wall, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire | 33. I hate the word "deliverable". Used by management consultants for something that they will "deliver" instead of a report. Joseph Wall, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire |
| 34. The most annoying Americanism is "a million and a half" when it is clearly one and a half million! A million and a half is 1,000,000.5 where one and a half million is 1,500,000. Gordon Brown, Coventry | 34. The most annoying Americanism is "a million and a half" when it is clearly one and a half million! A million and a half is 1,000,000.5 where one and a half million is 1,500,000. Gordon Brown, Coventry |
| 35. "Reach out to" when the correct word is "ask". For example: "I will reach out to Kevin and let you know if that timing is convenient". Reach out? Is Kevin stuck in quicksand? Is he teetering on the edge of a cliff? Can't we just ask him? Nerina, London | 35. "Reach out to" when the correct word is "ask". For example: "I will reach out to Kevin and let you know if that timing is convenient". Reach out? Is Kevin stuck in quicksand? Is he teetering on the edge of a cliff? Can't we just ask him? Nerina, London |
| 36. Surely the most irritating is: "You do the Math." Math? It's MATHS. Michael Zealey, London | 36. Surely the most irritating is: "You do the Math." Math? It's MATHS. Michael Zealey, London |
| 37. I hate the fact I now have to order a "regular Americano". What ever happened to a medium sized coffee? Marcus Edwards, Hurst Green | |
| 38. My worst horror is expiration, as in "expiration date". Whatever happened to expiry? Christina Vakomies, London | 38. My worst horror is expiration, as in "expiration date". Whatever happened to expiry? Christina Vakomies, London |
| 39. My favourite one was where Americans claimed their family were "Scotch-Irish". This of course it totally inaccurate, as even if it were possible, it would be "Scots" not "Scotch", which as I pointed out is a drink. James, Somerset | 39. My favourite one was where Americans claimed their family were "Scotch-Irish". This of course it totally inaccurate, as even if it were possible, it would be "Scots" not "Scotch", which as I pointed out is a drink. James, Somerset |
| 40.I am increasingly hearing the phrase "that'll learn you" - when the English (and more correct) version was always "that'll teach you". What a ridiculous phrase! Tabitha, London | 40.I am increasingly hearing the phrase "that'll learn you" - when the English (and more correct) version was always "that'll teach you". What a ridiculous phrase! Tabitha, London |
| 41. I really hate the phrase: "Where's it at?" This is not more efficient or informative than "where is it?" It just sounds grotesque and is immensely irritating. Adam, London | 41. I really hate the phrase: "Where's it at?" This is not more efficient or informative than "where is it?" It just sounds grotesque and is immensely irritating. Adam, London |
| 42. Period instead of full stop. Stuart Oliver, Sunderland | 42. Period instead of full stop. Stuart Oliver, Sunderland |
| 43. My pet hate is "winningest", used in the context "Michael Schumacher is the winningest driver of all time". I can feel the rage rising even using it here. Gayle, Nottingham | 43. My pet hate is "winningest", used in the context "Michael Schumacher is the winningest driver of all time". I can feel the rage rising even using it here. Gayle, Nottingham |
| 44. My brother now uses the term "season" for a TV series. Hideous. D Henderson, Edinburgh | 44. My brother now uses the term "season" for a TV series. Hideous. D Henderson, Edinburgh |
| 45. Having an "issue" instead of a "problem". John, Leicester | 45. Having an "issue" instead of a "problem". John, Leicester |
| 46. I hear more and more people pronouncing the letter Z as "zee". Not happy about it! Ross, London | 46. I hear more and more people pronouncing the letter Z as "zee". Not happy about it! Ross, London |
| 47. To "medal" instead of to win a medal. Sets my teeth on edge with a vengeance. Helen, Martock, Somerset | 47. To "medal" instead of to win a medal. Sets my teeth on edge with a vengeance. Helen, Martock, Somerset |
| 48. "I got it for free" is a pet hate. You got it "free" not "for free". You don't get something cheap and say you got it "for cheap" do you? Mark Jones, Plymouth | 48. "I got it for free" is a pet hate. You got it "free" not "for free". You don't get something cheap and say you got it "for cheap" do you? Mark Jones, Plymouth |
| 49. "Turn that off already". Oh dear. Darren, Munich | 49. "Turn that off already". Oh dear. Darren, Munich |
| 50. "I could care less" instead of "I couldn't care less" has to be the worst. Opposite meaning of what they're trying to say. Jonathan, Birmingham | 50. "I could care less" instead of "I couldn't care less" has to be the worst. Opposite meaning of what they're trying to say. Jonathan, Birmingham |