Mummy and daddy for the posh.
The all-in-one Consolidated Grammar Thread Page 3
Mater and Pater i
Quote: Marc P @ April 26 2010, 2:47 PM BSTMater and Pater i
You haven't had a stroke mid sentence, Marc? 
Quote: zooo @ April 26 2010, 2:31 PM BSTI'm sure I've heard Graham Norton say 'mom' quite often.
Yeah, but he's the sort that would say 'sneakers'. 
Haha! True.
Quote: chipolata @ April 26 2010, 2:49 PM BSTYou haven't had a stroke mid sentence, Marc?
No I just got bored of the sentence! Lol. Got bored of the scene I was writing too - so just started a new chapter.
Quote: David Bussell @ April 26 2010, 10:21 AM BSTI can't abide people saying "I could give a shit", when they obviously mean "I couldn't give a shit". Similarly I can't be doing with people who misuse the word "literally", as in "I literally died when I saw it!"
Yanks also say, "I could care less!" Oh, and they say, "I got up off of the floor".
Isn't it Brummies who say "Mom"? It's just their accent, rather than them trying to sound American.
Quote: catskillz @ April 26 2010, 4:48 PM BSTIsn't it Brummies who say "Mom"? It's just their accent, rather than them trying to sound American.
We do. We also say 'cob' instead of 'bap' and 'gambole' instead of 'forward roll'. We're a strange bunch.
As an English student I think I'm supposed to have a kind of respect or fondness for proper grammar but I really don't. A lot of people spend their time brushing up on grammatical skills in order to catch people out when it's unnecessary. Even at the highest level there is no complete set of concrete 'rules'. It doesn't matter how perfect something is grammatically as long as it's clear enough. I'd rather judge by content than form.
Also, I like Americanisms because they mean that the British all get their panties in a twist.
Quote: Scatterbrained Floozy @ April 26 2010, 9:38 AM BSTSo many words that we have in English come from other languages, though! Like 'pyjamas'. Americanisms are just words too, and I'm sure people other than the 'younger posters' use them too!
Sure, I understand that floozy, and I'm not against adopting words, if there is a need. With 'Ew' you simply have a case that more young people watch American TV shows than read English books or study the language. There is no need for this mimickry and it is irritating as it is not really occurring through need for an expression at a local level, but ignorance of words available.
BTW We use the word pyjamas because it is the actual name of the Indian garment. We didn't take the name for our own garment. Before we took up wearing them we wore nightshirts. It's usage is equivalent to Anorak or Skis.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ April 26 2010, 2:14 PM BSTWhat's with British people using the spelling 'mom' instead of 'mum' now? It's not like they pronounce it 'mom' as Americans do either. Or do they?
It's just ignorance. We are deluged by American culture and speech patterns through TV. Some of us don't watch all that many of those shows, but many - especially younger viewers do - and their speech and language is unfortunately affected. I'm not anti-American by the way, my girlfriend is American.
Quote: zooo @ April 26 2010, 1:57 PM BSTAaron?
The English language is so rich and the finest language (IMO) because it has always taken on words from other sources. However mom/mum is replacing one word for another. I think it would be a shame to lose British words, phrases and spellings to Americanisms in this way.
(I'm also not anti-American. One of my close family members is American.)
"Ew" is pretty clear in that it means/implies disgust. "Urgh" sounds more like a groggy, headache-ridden moan of discomfort. Or maybe a sex sound, if you're from the North.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ April 26 2010, 2:49 PM BSTYeah, but he's the sort that would say 'sneakers'.
Get with it - they haven't been called Marathons for ages.
Quote: Aaron @ April 26 2010, 5:52 PM BST"Ew" is pretty clear in that it means/implies disgust. "Urgh" sounds more like a groggy, headache-ridden moan of discomfort. Or maybe a sex sound, if you're from the North.
Aaron you're not old enough to argue with me how long 'Ew' has been in usage amongst English-born English speakers.