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AmericanEnglish again
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. Otherwise, I had to admit it isn't going to get any warmer for a while, so removed the cylinders from 2 automatic greenhouse vents and tied the opener mechanism closed for the duration. Almost time to pore through the garden catalogs and dream... -- Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G |
AmericanEnglish again
"Gary Woods" wrote in message ... Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger Phil |
AmericanEnglish again
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AmericanEnglish again
On 29/11/15 18:27, Gary Woods wrote:
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. These were used for years before the OED definition (see Phil's post), but not for anything to do with gardening. They were used in chemistry labs to get powders or other solid material from narrow-necked bottles. If you want another one on your side of he pond, see he http://www.amazon.com/SEOH-Spatula-T...868340&sr=1-23 Otherwise, I had to admit it isn't going to get any warmer for a while, so removed the cylinders from 2 automatic greenhouse vents and tied the opener mechanism closed for the duration. Leave the windows open and grow alpines! -- Jeff |
AmericanEnglish again
On Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:21:40 philgurr wrote:
"Gary Woods" wrote in message .. . Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger That reference suggests that it is a nonsense word "used in a series of memory tests". There is no etymology connected with it other than that so it would appear that it is a word that someone made up when he/she didn't know what to call it, and it stuck. The word doesn't appear in my 1950s OED. David -- David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK |
AmericanEnglish again
"philgurr" wrote in message ... "Gary Woods" wrote in message ... Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger Phil I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about their idea of English and mine. American English is very different from "English" English. |
AmericanEnglish again
On Sunday, 29 November 2015 18:27:47 UTC, Gary Woods wrote:
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." ...... Well I've been using my widger for years when pricking out seedlings. Makes the job a lot easier than using a screwdriver. I've also occasionally waggled my widger at the compost heap in the early morning (shielding shrubs mean the neighbours can't see). Waving a screwdriver over the compost heap doesn't have the same effect. The OH says there's a real difference between a widger and a screwdriver. |
AmericanEnglish again
On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 16:46:52 Janet wrote:
In article , says... On Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:21:40 philgurr wrote: "Gary Woods" wrote in message .. . Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger That reference suggests that it is a nonsense word "used in a series of memory tests". There is no etymology connected with it other than that so it would appear that it is a word that someone made up when he/she didn't know what to call it, and it stuck. The word doesn't appear in my 1950s OED. Oxford Dictionary Widget A small gadget or mechanical device. Cambridge English Dictionary; WIDGET any small device whose name you have forgotten or do not know Janet The word in question is "WIDGER", not "WIDGET". David -- David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK |
AmericanEnglish again
In article ,
lid says... On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 16:46:52 Janet wrote: In article , says... On Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:21:40 philgurr wrote: "Gary Woods" wrote in message .. . Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger That reference suggests that it is a nonsense word "used in a series of memory tests". There is no etymology connected with it other than that so it would appear that it is a word that someone made up when he/she didn't know what to call it, and it stuck. The word doesn't appear in my 1950s OED. Oxford Dictionary Widget A small gadget or mechanical device. Cambridge English Dictionary; WIDGET any small device whose name you have forgotten or do not know Janet The word in question is "WIDGER", not "WIDGET". David Yes; but the three definitions given are so similar, it appears that widget and widger are closely connected. Janet |
AmericanEnglish again
On 1/12/2015 2:54 AM, David Rance wrote:
On Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:21:40 philgurr wrote: "Gary Woods" wrote in message ... Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger That reference suggests that it is a nonsense word "used in a series of memory tests". There is no etymology connected with it other than that so it would appear that it is a word that someone made up when he/she didn't know what to call it, and it stuck. The word doesn't appear in my 1950s OED. It appears in my OED: widger: Also erron. 'wigger'. See quote 1956. A gardening tool consiting of a small strip of metal, with a shallow furrow down the centre, used as a miniature trowel to remove seedlings, cultivate pot plants etc. The instances of its occurrence follow with it's first appearance listed as being in 1956. |
AmericanEnglish again
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 20:07:25 -0000, "Christina Websell" wrote: "philgurr" wrote in message ... "Gary Woods" wrote in message ... Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger Phil I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about their idea of English and mine. American English is very different from "English" English. "Two nations divided by a common language" (attribution uncertain, but probably not Churchill) Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. |
AmericanEnglish again
On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote:
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 20:07:25 -0000, "Christina Websell" wrote: "philgurr" wrote in message ... "Gary Woods" wrote in message ... Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger Phil I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about their idea of English and mine. American English is very different from "English" English. "Two nations divided by a common language" (attribution uncertain, but probably not Churchill) Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. Glad that has been sorted out once and for all. |
AmericanEnglish again
"David Hill" wrote in message ... On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: "Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 20:07:25 -0000, "Christina Websell" wrote: "philgurr" wrote in message ... "Gary Woods" wrote in message ... Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out seedlings and transplanting small stuff. The name sounds very British - is it? Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized flatblade screwdriver. See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger Phil I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about their idea of English and mine. American English is very different from "English" English. "Two nations divided by a common language" (attribution uncertain, but probably not Churchill) Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. Glad that has been sorted out once and for all. grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American. |
AmericanEnglish again
On 6/12/2015 8:43 AM, Christina Websell wrote:
"David Hill" wrote in message ... On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. Glad that has been sorted out once and for all. grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American. I saw a very interesting TV show quite a few years ago on just this topic. It suggested that the English now spoken by Americans is more like the English spoken in the UK a few centuries ago than the sort of English now spoken in the UK. The show cited both words still used by Americans that have changed use over time in the UK and the accent. One example I recall is the way Americans still use the word "kettle" (ie, a cooking pot, not a spouted water boiling thingamabob) which is the way it used to be used in the UK centuries ago. Also the accent in the long "a" when American say "bath" is the way it used to be said in the UK centuries ago. Basically, the show said that it was the UK which had changed in the way it used English whereas Americans had stayed more in line with the speech and usage of the UK centuries ago. |
AmericanEnglish again
On 30/11/2015 20:07, Christina Websell wrote:
I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about their idea of English and mine. American English is very different from "English" English. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcHKm0cm-jI -- mailto: news {at} admac {dot] myzen {dot} co {dot} uk |
AmericanEnglish again
"Fran Farmer" wrote in message ... On 6/12/2015 8:43 AM, Christina Websell wrote: "David Hill" wrote in message ... On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. Glad that has been sorted out once and for all. grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American. I saw a very interesting TV show quite a few years ago on just this topic. It suggested that the English now spoken by Americans is more like the English spoken in the UK a few centuries ago than the sort of English now spoken in the UK. The show cited both words still used by Americans that have changed use over time in the UK and the accent. One example I recall is the way Americans still use the word "kettle" (ie, a cooking pot, not a spouted water boiling thingamabob) which is the way it used to be used in the UK centuries ago. Also the accent in the long "a" when American say "bath" is the way it used to be said in the UK centuries ago. Basically, the show said that it was the UK which had changed in the way it used English whereas Americans had stayed more in line with the speech and usage of the UK centuries ago. well, lets not tell an American how to speak English eh? they never will. |
AmericanEnglish again
On 6/12/2015 8:25 PM, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 6 Dec 2015 09:12:51 +1100, Fran Farmer wrote: On 6/12/2015 8:43 AM, Christina Websell wrote: "David Hill" wrote in message ... On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. Glad that has been sorted out once and for all. grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American. I saw a very interesting TV show quite a few years ago on just this topic. It suggested that the English now spoken by Americans is more like the English spoken in the UK a few centuries ago than the sort of English now spoken in the UK. The show cited both words still used by Americans that have changed use over time in the UK and the accent. One example I recall is the way Americans still use the word "kettle" (ie, a cooking pot, not a spouted water boiling thingamabob) which is the way it used to be used in the UK centuries ago. Also the accent in the long "a" when American say "bath" is the way it used to be said in the UK centuries ago. The way bath is pronounced in UK depends on where one comes from. Do those places in the UK pronounce "bath" with a long "a" in an American fashion or do you just mean that there are regional variations of the way the word "bath" is said? |
AmericanEnglish again
On 06/12/15 12:05, Fran Farmer wrote:
On 6/12/2015 8:25 PM, Martin wrote: On Sun, 6 Dec 2015 09:12:51 +1100, Fran Farmer wrote: On 6/12/2015 8:43 AM, Christina Websell wrote: "David Hill" wrote in message ... On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. Glad that has been sorted out once and for all. grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American. I saw a very interesting TV show quite a few years ago on just this topic. It suggested that the English now spoken by Americans is more like the English spoken in the UK a few centuries ago than the sort of English now spoken in the UK. The show cited both words still used by Americans that have changed use over time in the UK and the accent. One example I recall is the way Americans still use the word "kettle" (ie, a cooking pot, not a spouted water boiling thingamabob) which is the way it used to be used in the UK centuries ago. Also the accent in the long "a" when American say "bath" is the way it used to be said in the UK centuries ago. The way bath is pronounced in UK depends on where one comes from. Do those places in the UK pronounce "bath" with a long "a" in an American fashion or do you just mean that there are regional variations of the way the word "bath" is said? In the NW at least it is pronounced with a short "a", whereas in the south it is pronounced "barth" with a long "a". I have no idea how it is pronounced in Glaswegian or Geordie. |
AmericanEnglish again
"Christina Websell" wrote:
Americans think they speak English, I should probably remain silent and be just though a fool, but: I never thought I spoke English, though I understand a lot of it passably. Watching "Last of the Summer Wine" has taught me there are subsets of English that might as well be Swahili! -- Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G |
AmericanEnglish again
On 06/12/15 14:33, Gary Woods wrote:
"Christina Websell" wrote: Americans think they speak English, I should probably remain silent and be just though a fool, but: I never thought I spoke English, though I understand a lot of it passably. Watching "Last of the Summer Wine" has taught me there are subsets of English that might as well be Swahili! It's not just accents, but local language usage. You won't find anyone outside a church using "thee" in the south. Many years ago I was on holiday in New England during the Fall. While I was staying at a tiny hotel in Chester, Vermont, three Oklahomans appeared for a couple of days. We met at breakfast next day, all chatting away quite amicably. After breakfast, I confessed to the hotel owner that I couldn't understand a word they were saying, as their accents were so strong. He just grinned and said that he couldn't understand them, either! I have no doubt they couldn't understand a British accent. But we were all too polite to keep saying "Could you repeat that, please?" -- Jeff |
AmericanEnglish again
On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote:
Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. "Do you speak English?" "Yes, and I understand American" Bob Heinlein, Glory Road. And he was a Yank... Andy |
AmericanEnglish again
In article ,
Gary Woods wrote: "Christina Websell" wrote: Americans think they speak English, I should probably remain silent and be just though a fool, but: I never thought I spoke English, though I understand a lot of it passably. Watching "Last of the Summer Wine" has taught me there are subsets of English that might as well be Swahili! Back in the 1960s, Wiltshire farm workers were unintelligible to Londoners if they spoke as they did locally - a mere 80 miles way. Most such variants have gone, killed by television, and even the Cornish are now intelligible to Londoners. The major northern dialects are pretty well the sole remaining ones. And then there are things like Hinglish and Strine .... Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
AmericanEnglish again
On 06/12/2015 17:16, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. "Do you speak English?" "Yes, and I understand American" Bob Heinlein, Glory Road. And he was a Yank... I remember going on a AAA course at Motspur park in the mid 50's. The course was headed by Jeff Dyson who was the national head coach. As he was lecturing he would often come out with "and I say unto thee". On that course was a lad from Cornwall, it wasn't till the 3rd day I realised he was talking English,between his accent and his dialect. Also when I was market gardening outside Hastings in the early 60's we had a driver come down form Fort William to pick up some stuff we were selling. My Boss was Irish but had been a fighter pilot in the war, Margaret was Sussex born and bred and owing to my Father being a Captain in the RFA I had been to many parts of the UK when he was home and we were on board ship with him. I found myself acting as an interpretor between My Boss and the driver. So much for a common language in the UK. |
AmericanEnglish again
On 12/6/2015 2:20 PM, David Hill wrote:
I remember going on a AAA course at Motspur park in the mid 50's. The course was headed by Jeff Dyson who was the national head coach. As he was lecturing he would often come out with "and I say unto thee". On that course was a lad from Cornwall, it wasn't till the 3rd day I realised he was talking English,between his accent and his dialect. Also when I was market gardening outside Hastings in the early 60's we had a driver come down form Fort William to pick up some stuff we were selling. My Boss was Irish but had been a fighter pilot in the war, Margaret was Sussex born and bred and owing to my Father being a Captain in the RFA I had been to many parts of the UK when he was home and we were on board ship with him. I found myself acting as an interpretor between My Boss and the driver. So much for a common language in the UK. Years ago, I was offered a job in the personnel department of the Scottish branch of a Texas company, because I could translate between Texas English and Braid Scots. |
AmericanEnglish again
On Sun, 6 Dec 2015 19:20:55 +0000, David Hill
wrote: Margaret was Sussex born and bred and owing to my Father being a Captain in the RFA I had been to many parts of the UK when he was home and we were on board ship with him. I found myself acting as an interpretor between My Boss and the driver. So much for a common language in the UK. I had to do that between two Scotsman about 15 years ago which seemed a strange thing for an Englisman to be doing. One was young,Engineer from the PS Waverley as it happened and spoke with a Strong Glasgow accent but I was quite used to talking with him while the other had come from Galloway but had lived in Bristol since the 50's although he was often away as he was in the Merchant Navy. That working in engine rooms which caused hearing damage resulting in having to use a hearing aid didn't help. G.Harman |
AmericanEnglish again
On 6/12/2015 11:30 PM, Tom Gardner wrote:
On 06/12/15 12:05, Fran Farmer wrote: On 6/12/2015 8:25 PM, Martin wrote: On Sun, 6 Dec 2015 09:12:51 +1100, Fran Farmer wrote: On 6/12/2015 8:43 AM, Christina Websell wrote: "David Hill" wrote in message ... On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. Glad that has been sorted out once and for all. grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American. I saw a very interesting TV show quite a few years ago on just this topic. It suggested that the English now spoken by Americans is more like the English spoken in the UK a few centuries ago than the sort of English now spoken in the UK. The show cited both words still used by Americans that have changed use over time in the UK and the accent. One example I recall is the way Americans still use the word "kettle" (ie, a cooking pot, not a spouted water boiling thingamabob) which is the way it used to be used in the UK centuries ago. Also the accent in the long "a" when American say "bath" is the way it used to be said in the UK centuries ago. The way bath is pronounced in UK depends on where one comes from. Do those places in the UK pronounce "bath" with a long "a" in an American fashion or do you just mean that there are regional variations of the way the word "bath" is said? In the NW at least it is pronounced with a short "a", whereas in the south it is pronounced "barth" with a long "a". When I used the term "long 'a'" I was trying to convey how I've heard Americans say 'bath' which is less like 'barth' but more like the 'a' in 'bat'. I'm sure there is some symbol that applies and which would tell more knowledgeable peeps instantly how I menat it to sound, but every time I've tried to figure out what my dictionary means by it's symbols, I've lost the will to live. I have no idea how it is pronounced in Glaswegian or Geordie. :-)) Regional dialects are very interesting IMO |
AmericanEnglish again
On 7/12/2015 5:56 AM, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article , Gary Woods wrote: "Christina Websell" wrote: Americans think they speak English, I should probably remain silent and be just though a fool, but: I never thought I spoke English, though I understand a lot of it passably. Watching "Last of the Summer Wine" has taught me there are subsets of English that might as well be Swahili! Back in the 1960s, Wiltshire farm workers were unintelligible to Londoners if they spoke as they did locally - a mere 80 miles way. Most such variants have gone, killed by television, and even the Cornish are now intelligible to Londoners. The major northern dialects are pretty well the sole remaining ones. And then there are things like Hinglish and Strine .... You forgot the Yarpies and the Kiwis. |
AmericanEnglish again
On 06/12/15 22:34, Fran Farmer wrote:
On 6/12/2015 11:30 PM, Tom Gardner wrote: On 06/12/15 12:05, Fran Farmer wrote: Do those places in the UK pronounce "bath" with a long "a" in an American fashion or do you just mean that there are regional variations of the way the word "bath" is said? In the NW at least it is pronounced with a short "a", whereas in the south it is pronounced "barth" with a long "a". When I used the term "long 'a'" I was trying to convey how I've heard Americans say 'bath' which is less like 'barth' but more like the 'a' in 'bat'. Ah, that's the opposite way round! The NW variant sounds like "ba-th" (as in "bat"), OTOH the Bath natives pronounce their town "bar-th", and southerners use that for everything to do with washing. Except when they don't, e.g. bathe is pronounced "bay-th". I'm sure there is some symbol that applies and which would tell more knowledgeable peeps instantly how I menat it to sound, but every time I've tried to figure out what my dictionary means by it's symbols, I've lost the will to live. Just so, although I'm sure there's a website somewhere which converts, say, bæθ fənɛtɪks into the sounds for "bath phonetics". I have no idea how it is pronounced in Glaswegian or Geordie. :-)) Regional dialects are very interesting IMO "Interesting" in the Chinese sense :) Then you get into the downright perverse, e.g. those at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...o nunciations which has both UK and US pitfalls. |
AmericanEnglish again
"Martin" wrote in message ... On Sun, 6 Dec 2015 09:12:51 +1100, Fran Farmer wrote: On 6/12/2015 8:43 AM, Christina Websell wrote: "David Hill" wrote in message ... On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. Glad that has been sorted out once and for all. grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American. I saw a very interesting TV show quite a few years ago on just this topic. It suggested that the English now spoken by Americans is more like the English spoken in the UK a few centuries ago than the sort of English now spoken in the UK. The show cited both words still used by Americans that have changed use over time in the UK and the accent. One example I recall is the way Americans still use the word "kettle" (ie, a cooking pot, not a spouted water boiling thingamabob) which is the way it used to be used in the UK centuries ago. Also the accent in the long "a" when American say "bath" is the way it used to be said in the UK centuries ago. The way bath is pronounced in UK depends on where one comes from. -- English is constantly evolving and it evolves from the UK. Because we are English and it's our language. Americans speak American. Do you have a faucet in your house, does your car have a hood or fender? I rest my case. |
AmericanEnglish again
"Gary Woods" wrote in message ... "Christina Websell" wrote: Americans think they speak English, I should probably remain silent and be just though a fool, but: I never thought I spoke English, though I understand a lot of it passably. Watching "Last of the Summer Wine" has taught me there are subsets of English that might as well be Swahili! g Fine for me. I don't thing there are many regional Uk accents that I can't understand. Extreme Glaswegian is difficult though. |
AmericanEnglish again
"David Hill" wrote in message ... On 06/12/2015 17:16, Vir Campestris wrote: On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. "Do you speak English?" "Yes, and I understand American" Bob Heinlein, Glory Road. And he was a Yank... I remember going on a AAA course at Motspur park in the mid 50's. The course was headed by Jeff Dyson who was the national head coach. As he was lecturing he would often come out with "and I say unto thee". On that course was a lad from Cornwall, it wasn't till the 3rd day I realised he was talking English,between his accent and his dialect. Also when I was market gardening outside Hastings in the early 60's we had a driver come down form Fort William to pick up some stuff we were selling. My Boss was Irish but had been a fighter pilot in the war, Margaret was Sussex born and bred and owing to my Father being a Captain in the RFA I had been to many parts of the UK when he was home and we were on board ship with him. I found myself acting as an interpretor between My Boss and the driver. So much for a common language in the UK. I so disagree with this. I can understand every accent and dialect in the Uk, and I'm surprised by this post. As I said upthread my only difficulty is with *extreme* Glaswegian. I simply cannot understand it - it sounds like "a hoot, a hoot, a hoot.." |
AmericanEnglish again
"Christina Websell" wrote:
English is constantly evolving and it evolves from the UK Wrong tense, methinks: "evolved?" The various versions that left the UK at various times have taken their own course like Darwin's birds. -- Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G |
AmericanEnglish again
On Mon, 7 Dec 2015 00:05:05 -0000, "Christina Websell"
wrote: English is constantly evolving and it evolves from the UK. Because we are English and it's our language. Americans speak American. Do you have a faucet in your house, does your car have a hood or fender? I rest my case. Ford Anglias had a knob on the dashboard quite clearly marked Hood. This is a photo of one. http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTU1WDEyODA=/z/mjgAAOSw3ydVlYjK/$_1.JPG Quite a few people had one at one time. G Harman |
AmericanEnglish again
Christina Websell wrote:
I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about their idea of English and mine. American English is very different from "English" English. Sorry, that is complete nonsense. Ask someone if a book they are reading was published in the UK or US, and I'll guarantee they will have no idea 90% of the time. The language spoken in the two countries is essentially identical. I don't know why people make up this pretence that there is a great difference between them. Even the accents are converging, as are accents within the UK. -- Timothy Murphy gayleard /at/ eircom.net School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin |
AmericanEnglish again
"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message ... Christina Websell wrote: I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about their idea of English and mine. American English is very different from "English" English. Sorry, that is complete nonsense. Ask someone if a book they are reading was published in the UK or US, and I'll guarantee they will have no idea 90% of the time. The language spoken in the two countries is essentially identical. I don't know why people make up this pretence that there is a great difference between them. Even the accents are converging, as are accents within the UK. -- Timothy Murphy gayleard /at/ eircom.net Disagree. The Harry Potter books were pages shorter when they took out the "u"s in colour, behaviour, etc. for Americans. I'm not saying that Americans don't speak English (as such) it's just that it's their version. It's American. I'm not trying to horrible about it. |
AmericanEnglish again
"Gary Woods" wrote in message ... "Christina Websell" wrote: English is constantly evolving and it evolves from the UK Wrong tense, methinks: "evolved?" The various versions that left the UK at various times have taken their own course like Darwin's birds. No wrong tense, English evolves, we are constantly updating our dictionary |
AmericanEnglish again
On 7/12/2015 11:05 AM, Christina Websell wrote:
"Martin" wrote in message ... On Sun, 6 Dec 2015 09:12:51 +1100, Fran Farmer wrote: On 6/12/2015 8:43 AM, Christina Websell wrote: "David Hill" wrote in message ... On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote: Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't. Glad that has been sorted out once and for all. grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American. I saw a very interesting TV show quite a few years ago on just this topic. It suggested that the English now spoken by Americans is more like the English spoken in the UK a few centuries ago than the sort of English now spoken in the UK. The show cited both words still used by Americans that have changed use over time in the UK and the accent. One example I recall is the way Americans still use the word "kettle" (ie, a cooking pot, not a spouted water boiling thingamabob) which is the way it used to be used in the UK centuries ago. Also the accent in the long "a" when American say "bath" is the way it used to be said in the UK centuries ago. The way bath is pronounced in UK depends on where one comes from. -- English is constantly evolving and it evolves from the UK. Because we are English and it's our language. "OUR"???? Americans speak American. Do you have a faucet in your house, does your car have a hood or fender? I rest my case. I'd say, first put forward a case. |
AmericanEnglish again
On 7/12/2015 12:48 PM, Timothy Murphy wrote:
Christina Websell wrote: I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about their idea of English and mine. American English is very different from "English" English. Sorry, that is complete nonsense. I think so too. Ask someone if a book they are reading was published in the UK or US, and I'll guarantee they will have no idea 90% of the time. The language spoken in the two countries is essentially identical. I don't know why people make up this pretence that there is a great difference between them. Even the accents are converging, Indeed they are. I know there are a lot of British, Australian and Kiwi actors on US TV and play spot the actor and then try to find a hint in the accent of their home country. It's almost impossible these days. as are accents within the UK. |
AmericanEnglish again
In message , Christina Websell
writes I so disagree with this. I can understand every accent and dialect in the Uk, and I'm surprised by this post. We moved from Hertfordshire to rural Aberdeenshire 14 years ago, and it took me a while to understand the accents, particularly pure Aberdeen and, locally, Doric. There came a point, though, when, after speaking to someone, I wasn't aware of their accent - I did not notice whether I had been speaking to an Englishman or a Scot. -- Graeme |
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