Englishisms

[Helen Thomas]

Englishisms that are replacing perfectly good Americanisms


"Went missing" is replacing the much better "got lost" even in America.

Any others worth a rant?

[Ben Souther]

"Fatally Wounded" instead of "killed".

Not sure who started that one.

[John Dunn]

don't forget "Bloody 'ell" for "Good Heavens"

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

I like "went missing."

[Jesse Torres]

Loo instead of Restroom

[Alan Wanwierd]

Originally posted by Jesse Torres:
Loo instead of Restroom

Why "restroom"? Its not as if you go in there for a rest is it? They dont have comfy sofas and newspapers to read do they? :roll:

I thought "bathroom" was a bit of a prissy euphamistic mis-nomer (theres no bath in any 'bathroom' in restaurants, bars, clubs or theatres I've ever been in), but "restroom" takes things one step further and avoids referencing any embarassing plumbing appliances altogether! - makes me laugh everytime I hear it!

Never been much of a "Loo" person myself - I prefer a straight forward honest old-fashioned "Toilet" !
[ April 03, 2005: Message edited by: Adrian Wallace ]

[Sripathi Krishnamurthy]

Also I hear US and UK people saying "My Bad" instead of "It is my mistake". Is it a way to aviod saying that they have done a mistake? Is it a "mistake" to say they have done a mistake?

[Jesse Torres]

Originally posted by Sripathi Krishnamurthy:
Also I hear US and UK people saying "My Bad" instead of "It is my mistake". Is it a way to aviod saying that they have done a mistake? Is it a "mistake" to say they have done a mistake?

My Bad is more of a slang term than mainstream U.S English.

[Marcus Green]

"Fatally Wounded" instead of "killed".

I assumed that meant that you had been wounded and later died of the wound, whereas killed simply meant something had killed you. Two different concepts?

[Jeroen Wenting]

shouldn't it be "mortally wounded"?

[Helen Thomas]

"send up" is losing to "parody" (Eng. usage)
"lining up" similarly to "queueing"
"in the end" to "at the end of the day"

"it's up to you" and "it's down to you" appear to have the same meaning but have different subtleties.
[ April 04, 2005: Message edited by: Helen Thomas ]

[Jim Yingst]

I think "my bad" came from team sports. At least, the first I heard it was among volleyball players. In sports you're generally exerting yourself physically, and thus may be short of breath - so there's an incentive to keep communications as brief as possible. Thus, "my bad" is better than "I'm sorry; that was my mistake. Please forgive me for inconveniencing you..."

[Ben Souther]

Originally posted by Jeroen Wenting:
shouldn't it be "mortally wounded"?

It probably should be.
Either is a bit absurd though.

Is it possible to kill someone without wounding them?

[Abhinav Srivastava]

And then they say "I am 6 years old"
hey I am 27 but not old !!!

[John Bengler]

Ben Souther wrote:
Is it possible to kill someone without wounding them?

Yes, of course... by poisoning someone, by cutting of the air supply, etc.

But I suppose that's not what you had in mind by killing someone..

[fred rosenberger]

Alan Wanwierd wrote:Why "restroom"? Its not as if you go in there for a rest is it? They dont have comfy sofas and newspapers to read do they? :roll:

Kids...

They used to. There is still a theatre in St. Louis that when you enter the separate men's and women's areas, there is first a little area with couches and newspapers before you get to the 'business' room with the separate stalls.