Still Waters Posted May 29, 2012 #1 Share Posted May 29, 2012 British children are increasingly using American English in their writing, according to a report based on entries to a BBC short story competition.Oxford University Press studied around 74,000 entries for Radio 2's 500 Words contest. Americanisms such as cupcake, garbage truck, trash can, candy, sidewalk and soda were found in many of the entries. http://www.bbc.co.uk...t-arts-18247748 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taun Posted May 29, 2012 #2 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I had no idea 'cupcake' and 'candy' weren't in general usage in all English speaking countries... I knew that a 'trash can' is called a 'dust bin' someplaces (though trash can seems more descriptive) - and sidewalk sort of surprised me as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biff Wellington Posted May 29, 2012 #3 Share Posted May 29, 2012 http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9C4uTEEOJlM&v=9C4uTEEOJlM&gl=GB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still Waters Posted May 29, 2012 Author #4 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I had no idea 'cupcake' and 'candy' weren't in general usage in all English speaking countries... I knew that a 'trash can' is called a 'dust bin' someplaces (though trash can seems more descriptive) - and sidewalk sort of surprised me as well... 'trash can' is also called a 'rubbish bin' here, and 'candy' is our 'sweets'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taun Posted May 29, 2012 #5 Share Posted May 29, 2012 'trash can' is also called a 'rubbish bin' here, and 'candy' is our 'sweets'. What do you normally call a 'sidewalk'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOMBIE Posted May 29, 2012 #6 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I know. I know! Pavement! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keel M. Posted May 29, 2012 #7 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Why on earth would they do that?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmerboy Posted May 29, 2012 #8 Share Posted May 29, 2012 What do you normally call a 'sidewalk'? A footpath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOMBIE Posted May 29, 2012 #9 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Because of American pop culture being too dominant. We are getting more and more anglicisms in the German language as well, from American English. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOMBIE Posted May 29, 2012 #10 Share Posted May 29, 2012 A footpath It's not 'pavement'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still Waters Posted May 29, 2012 Author #11 Share Posted May 29, 2012 A footpath I call a 'sidewalk' a 'pavement' but it can be either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still Waters Posted May 29, 2012 Author #12 Share Posted May 29, 2012 It's not 'pavement'? lol! pavement, or footpath, both the same really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted May 29, 2012 #13 Share Posted May 29, 2012 (edited) Been saying it for years... the tabloid press, Hollywood and the Music Industry have a lot to answer for re the "dumbing-down" of kids. Edited May 29, 2012 by Eldorado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithisco Posted May 29, 2012 #14 Share Posted May 29, 2012 American -- English is just a Lazy persons Oxford English. Probably suits a lot of UK Kids... with their Playstaions, DS, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis914 Posted May 29, 2012 #15 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Because of American pop culture being too dominant. We are getting more and more anglicisms in the German language as well, from American English. That's very sad. When I hear American kids talking these days, I can't relate to most of them and more often than not, have no idea what they are saying or if they are even trying to convey a message. It even looks more pathetic when older generations try to fit in. I studied German in college and had a bear of a time with the tenses and pronunciations that are not in English. I would say, try to preserve your native tongue before it gets polluted as there's many Americans that don't appreciate or understand slang and speak the English that we were taught in school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOMBIE Posted May 29, 2012 #16 Share Posted May 29, 2012 lol! pavement, or footpath, both the same really Phew! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOMBIE Posted May 29, 2012 #17 Share Posted May 29, 2012 That's very sad. When I hear American kids talking these days, I can't relate to most of them and more often than not, have no idea what they are saying or if they are even trying to convey a message. It even looks more pathetic when older generations try to fit in. I studied German in college and had a bear of a time with the tenses and pronunciations that are not in English. I would say, try to preserve your native tongue before it gets polluted as there's many Americans that don't appreciate or understand slang and speak the English that we were taught in school. I agree. I try not to use most anglicisms, especially when there is a complete legit and fine German word as well. I understand that it is easier to adopt a new foreign word, in science for example, but I really do not get why proper German words are getting replaced. We also use quite a lot of pseudo-anglicisms: Showmaster (presenter), beamer (video-projector) and handy (mobile phone) are just a few of a lot of really weird words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taun Posted May 29, 2012 #18 Share Posted May 29, 2012 (edited) Languages evolve all the time... With a language as widespread as English, it is inevitable that it morphs into many different 'dialects'... Just look at American English, We have 'Southern', 'New England', 'Western', 'Mid-Western', 'Yupper' (from the Upper Michigan Peninsula), 'Mid-Western' (which is generally considered 'nuetral accented'), and lord knows what else... Plus Hollywood perpetuates the 'dialects' of "Hick", "Okie", "Texican", "Ebonic" and others... Then factor in other English speaking nations - Austrailia/New Zealand, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland (both Irelands), Canada and all the others, and it's no wonder the language is fragmenting... Also bear in mind that English is one of the most 'adaptive' languages... Each of the groupings I listed above (and others) get 'loan words' from other languages/dialects... Spanish (and it's derivatives), German, Italian, etc... The fact that British children are using 'American' words is not - of itself - evidence of the 'dumbing down' of Britian... It's just language evolution... And we don't care much for the whole 'American English is lazy English' - we prefer 'efficient' and 'streamlined' Edited May 29, 2012 by Taun 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafterman Posted May 29, 2012 #19 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Been saying it for years... the tabloid press, Hollywood and the Music Industry have a lot to answer for re the "dumbing-down" of kids. So British kids using Americanisms is "dumbing down" in your book - interesting..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted May 29, 2012 #20 Share Posted May 29, 2012 So British kids using Americanisms is "dumbing down" in your book - interesting..... What do you call it when every time enough people spell a word wrong the dictionary gets changed, besides American? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted May 29, 2012 #21 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I call it universal...New additions to the Oxford dictionary. http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/05/totes-amazing-new-words-added-to-odo/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted May 29, 2012 #22 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I call it universal...New additions to the Oxford dictionary. http://blog.oxforddi...s-added-to-odo/ I call it lack of mental discipline that leads to a degeneration of logical thought... but I guess that is me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted May 29, 2012 #23 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I agree. I try not to use most anglicisms, especially when there is a complete legit and fine German word as well. I understand that it is easier to adopt a new foreign word, in science for example, but I really do not get why proper German words are getting replaced. We also use quite a lot of pseudo-anglicisms: Showmaster (presenter), beamer (video-projector) and handy (mobile phone) are just a few of a lot of really weird words. Oh I don't know. After all it's been over 200 years since two english speaking countries went to war against one another. Perhaps everyone should eliminate thier languages in favor for American english. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted May 29, 2012 #24 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Oh I don't know. After all it's been over 200 years since two english speaking countries went to war against one another. Perhaps everyone should eliminate thier languages in favor for American english. Any Brit will tell you that there is no such a thing: There is English and dialects thereof. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOMBIE Posted May 29, 2012 #25 Share Posted May 29, 2012 (edited) Oh I don't know. After all it's been over 200 years since two english speaking countries went to war against one another. Perhaps everyone should eliminate thier languages in favor for American english. No, thank you. While I enjoy speaking English and it's simplicity and universitality, I also enjoy speaking German a lot, even though it is quite complicated, but so poetic. Edit: I would also miss all those girls with cute foreign accents! Edited May 29, 2012 by FLOMBIE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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