Americanisms in UK English

[takno]

Well the Scots of my acquaintance call it a "carry-out", so this is maybe an Anglo Scottish mix

Now I come to think of it I've barely used either word (or carry-out) for years. I'll more often describe the specific kind of food or say "order something", or "do deliveroo" (which includes orders from JustEat). The shops themselves are shops, restaurants, food places, or more specific like chippies.

 

[Busaholic]

I saw a poster up at an Underground station earlier that mentioned getting a “takeout,” as opposed to a takeaway as we would usually say in the UK. Isn’t the first time I’ve heard that Americanism recently either.

I don't 'do' takeaways generally, so my only experience is at Costa Coffee, where for several years now the phrase 'having in or taking out?' has become quite prevalent among some of the staff, though others will still use the word 'takeaway'.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Well the Scots of my acquaintance call it a "carry-out", so this is maybe an Anglo Scottish mix

My minimal understanding of Scottish slang (mostly from the works of Irvine Welsh and adaptations thereof) had "carry-out" as the purchase of alcohol for consumption off the premises such as on a long train journey. Of course the alcohol ban now in place in Scotland renders this use obsolete without decanting said beverages into a different container!

 

[urbophile]

A favourite amongst the ill-informed is that zebra pronounced 'zeebra' is an Americanism when in fact it is the traditionally correct British pronunciation. I remember both David Attenborough and Richard Dawkins being chastised by social media's hoi palloi for their 'American pronunciation' of the word in the past.

Slightly off-topic but 'The Asda' is not something I often hear around these parts despite the Echo's claims; it's just Asda to many of us. However, Tesco is invariably Tesco's, and a definite Liverpudlian trait is continuing to use outdated names for things, such as 'Home & Bargain'.

Or the "gyratory' for the short-lived predecessor to Queen Square bus station.

 

[takno]

I don't 'do' takeaways generally, so my only experience is at Costa Coffee, where for several years now the phrase 'having in or taking out?' has become quite prevalent among some of the staff, though others will still use the word 'takeaway'.

The question down my way is usually "is that to go?", which sounds a bit American to me but may very well not be.

 

[32475]

Referring to a lift as an elevator. It’s just wrong on so many levels. (Sorry but the old puns are the best)

 

[Busaholic]

Referring to a lift as an elevator. It’s just wrong on so many levels. (Sorry but the old puns are the best)

Miss Otis Regrets....

 

[johnnychips]

Given shopping malls come from the US, but there is a street in London called The Mall (rhymes with pal), do you pronounce it to rhyme with ball or pal? I don’t really use the word, I just say ‘I’m going to Meadowhall’ or ‘The Frenchgate’.

 

[D6975]

Something that annoys me is the gradual demise of the adverb.

I’m not sure if this is an American led trend or not, but the use of adjectives vice adverbs is seemingly on the increase.

Eg

He did good

Instead of the correct

He did well

 

[TheSeeker]

A friend from Northern Ireland says "carry out" from the days when you could take beer home from the pub. He said that army checkpoints always let you through with no problems if you were carrying beer.

 

[AY1975]

And what do you find at a fire station? I presume you also go to the aeroplane station (or airplane if you're American, although I don't think that is one Americanism that I've heard here yet) to catch a flight too?

You have airplane mode on mobile phones (or cellphones as the Americans call them - you very occasionally hear Brits call them cellphones).

Camcorder for video camera, pharmacy for chemist's shop, and kindergarten for nursery school.

And what about "recall" for remember - is that an imported Americanism?

 

[jfollows]

Camcorder for video camera, pharmacy for chemist's shop, and kindergarten for nursery school.

I went to "kindergarten" in 1965/6 or so, so it may well be an imported word - although I'd dispute from American - but was in common use in my surroundings (Poynton, Cheshire) many years ago.

 

[swt_passenger]

I went to "kindergarten" in 1965/6 or so, so it may well be an imported word - although I'd dispute from American - but was in common use in my surroundings (Poynton, Cheshire) many years ago.

German originally surely, but perhaps it went to the USA first and came here the long way round…

 

[Calthrop]

And what about "recall" for remember - is that an imported Americanism?

As far back as I can do the thing concerned, in my three-quarters-of-a-century of life: I've found, in British English, both "remember"; and "recall", or "recall to memory": to be used commonly and interchangeably. There comes in the song (not, I think, an American one) The Parting Glass:

"And all I've done for want of wit
To memory now, I can't recall ..."

If that last line is -- or was when the song was made -- a linguistic oddity; I'd reckon it an Irish, rather than an American, one !

 

[DelW]

You have airplane mode on mobile phones (or cellphones as the Americans call them - you very occasionally hear Brits call them cellphones).

Camcorder for video camera, pharmacy for chemist's shop, and kindergarten for nursery school.

Well, my phone calls it "aeroplane mode" and the tablet I'm typing on calls it "flight mode".

I'd never regarded "camcorder" as an Americanism - I think it was invented when video recorders became small enough that they could be incorporated into a single device with the camera, rather than a separate machine with a cable connection. I don't know what company first marketed them under that name though.

 

[gmaguire]

I’ve heard that “y’all” is from the south west of England.

As far as I understand “camcorder” was very likely coined by Sony, though they haven’t been credited for it. It means a video camera with a self-contained recorder, as opposed to a video camera that has to be tethered to a recorder to record. Sony also used the ‘corder suffix in the names of other products.

Something which interests me is sort of the opposite of this thread, Americans using words which could be seen as British English. Like when Americans say “pavement”, or “shop” to actually mean a store, and not a workshop.

 

[geoffk]

“meet with” rather than “meet”
The “with” is unnecessary, cumbersome and superfluous and only used to be used in American English but appears to be commonplace usage over here now.

Yes, but we also say "does this meet with your approval" or "he met with an accident".

 

[SJL2020]

Something which interests me is sort of the opposite of this thread, Americans using words which could be seen as British English. Like when Americans say “pavement”, or “shop” to actually mean a store, and not a workshop.

I was surprised to hear one of the lawyer characters in the TV show Better Call Saul use the phrase "sticky wicket" to describe a difficult situation.

I don't know how commonly the phrase is used in the States, but it was the first time I can recall it used in by an American character in an American show. I'd be interested to know when it first started being used over there.

 

[birchesgreen]

Something which interests me is sort of the opposite of this thread, Americans using words which could be seen as British English. Like when Americans say “pavement”, or “shop” to actually mean a store, and not a workshop.

Car is a great example. When i was a kid American TV shows and media only ever used "automobile", but i've noticed they use car now most of the time.

 

[takno]

You have airplane mode on mobile phones (or cellphones as the Americans call them - you very occasionally hear Brits call them cellphones).

Camcorder for video camera, pharmacy for chemist's shop, and kindergarten for nursery school.

And what about "recall" for remember - is that an imported Americanism?

As mentioned above, it's Aeroplane mode on my phone, and most European airlines describe it as flight-safe mode.

Pharmacy as I understand it is specifically a shop with a pharmacy counter. I've been calling them pharmacies since the 70s, and only ever recall using "the chemists" for Boots, mostly because it used to brand itself as "Boots the chemists". In America the common phrase would be drugstore

 

[AY1975]

When I was growing up we used to go to the pictures to see a film, all changed now hasn't it.

Exactly, we often call films movies these days. Not sure how long that's been in common usage over here. We haven't succumbed to calling cinemas movie theatres, though (or theaters in US spelling).

 

[Calthrop]

Exactly, we often call films movies these days. Not sure how long that's been in common usage over here. We haven't succumbed to calling cinemas movie theatres, though (or theaters in US spelling).

I have a friend -- whom I've mentioned from time to time on these Forums -- who has extremely strong views about the excellence and purity of the English language (British version); and many vehement hates concerned with this issue. One such of his, is the adopting into the language "over here", of "movies". He will fulminate: "Mooo -vies? What kind of a ****ing word is that? For ****'s sake, we've already got a perfectly ****ing good word for the purpose -- "films" -- why the **** do people have to latch onto this American ****?" My own view is that it's nice to have an alternative word for the thing, to vary one's vocabulary and discourse... He and I will never be in accord over this business: I think that he's a language-Nazi, he thinks that I'm a spineless permissive anything-goes wet nellly ...

 

[Richardr]

Of course, film was the material that the movie was projected from. These days they are virtually all shot and projected digitally, no film is used, so use of the term is incorrect.

There is movement either way, so motion picture is also correct, if movie isn't liked.

 

[Springs Branch]

Here's a question about differing British and American use of phrases / idioms . . .

If you recounted a story to someone involving some bad luck, and they replied "Too bad", how would you take it?

The context is that some years ago I worked in the USA.
One morning I arrived in the office and had the following conversation: -

Colleague: "How's it going?"
Me: "You wouldn't believe it. I only picked up my car from the dealership last week, and last night somebody dented it in Albertson's parking lot (= Tesco's car park)"
Colleague: "Awh. That's too bad"

My first reaction was to think to myself "Ouch. That's a bit harsh!"
Then I realised I was confusing: -
British "That's too bad!" = "Tough luck. It serves you right for being a rich **** who can afford to buy a new car"
with:-
American "That's too bad!" = "You have my sympathy. No-one should have their new car damaged one week after buying it".

 

[Calthrop]

"Too bad", as above -- I feel that context and precise wording, come into play here. It would strike me that "That's too bad" -- whether from a Yank or a Brit -- would imply sympathy and commiseration; whereas just "Too bad !" implies indeed, as above, "Tough luck, it serves you right..." / "my poor little heart bleeds for you", and similar snarky comments. Could it be that Americans don't use "Too bad !" thus, in the snarky sense -- with them, it's always the sympathetic "that's too bad"; whereas Britons use both, varying according to their sentiments vis-a-vis the person and their misfortune?

 

[contrex]

German originally surely, but perhaps it went to the USA first and came here the long way round…

Gustav Froebel started the Kindergarten movement in Germany around 1837. Later, a Madame Ronge founded a Kindergarten, so named, in London in 1851, and later moved to Manchester to lecture. The outcome of this was the foundation of the Manchester Kindergarten Association, the oldest Kindergarten Society in England.

 

[nlogax]

As mentioned above, it's Aeroplane mode on my phone, and most European airlines describe it as flight-safe mode.

There's a rather large BA poster in Heathrow T5 by the stairs & lifts leading down to baggage reclaim. Can't remember the specific wording but the verbiage includes 'Airplane mode'. If anyone is hoping on 'aeroplane' lasting the next five - ten years, good luck with that.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I’ve heard that “y’all” is from the south west of England.

As far as I understand “camcorder” was very likely coined by Sony, though they haven’t been credited for it. It means a video camera with a self-contained recorder, as opposed to a video camera that has to be tethered to a recorder to record. Sony also used the ‘corder suffix in the names of other products.

Something which interests me is sort of the opposite of this thread, Americans using words which could be seen as British English. Like when Americans say “pavement”, or “shop” to actually mean a store, and not a workshop.

When Americans say "pavement" they're either referring to an alternative rock band from Stockton, California... or to a paved or tarmacadamised surface designed for vehicles: the very bit of the road that isn't the "pavement" in the UK.

 

[swt_passenger]

Gustav Froebel started the Kindergarten movement in Germany around 1837. Later, a Madame Ronge founded a Kindergarten, so named, in London in 1851, and later moved to Manchester to lecture. The outcome of this was the foundation of the Manchester Kindergarten Association, the oldest Kindergarten Society in England.

I did since find a discussion in a language forum where someone was suggesting the word may have gone out of favour around the time of WW1, but remained in more general use in the USA.

 

[contrex]

I did since find a discussion in a language forum where someone was suggesting the word may have gone out of favour around the time of WW1, but remained in more general use in the USA.

Quite possibly, although the Stanley House Kindergarten and Preparatory School in Benfleet, Essex, was founded in the early 1930s.