NationStates Jolt Archive

I think American English is at least an interesting variation if not an aesthetically pleasing one. I think the changes in spelling are beyond explanation but maybe someone could clarify...

why, if a 'biscuit' is a pastry (or something like, right?) in America and they call what i call a biscuit a 'cookie', is a dog biscuit not a 'dog cookie'?

and if a tap is a 'faucet', why isn't tap-water 'faucet-water'?

While we're at it, could someone explain how you non American-English speakers spell "theatre" in that manner, when it's pronounced "THEE-A-TER" not "THEA-DUR"

I think American English is at least an interesting variation if not an aesthetically pleasing one. I think the changes in spelling are beyond explanation but maybe someone could clarify...

why, if a 'biscuit' is a pastry (or something like, right?) in America and they call what i call a biscuit a 'cookie', is a dog biscuit not a 'dog cookie'?

and if a tap is a 'faucet', why isn't tap-water 'faucet-water'?
I guess...because...we didn't have things like dog biscuits or had a clear understanding of tap water when we brought up our language.

Someone else can better explain I suppose

While we're at it, could someone explain how you non American-English speakers spell "theatre" in that manner, when it's pronounced "THEE-A-TER" not "THEA-DUR"

English has got to be the most pasted-together ammalgamation of everyone else's language in the world! No wonder it makes no sense! I am very glad I am a native speaker and didn't have to try to muddle through the exception to the exception to the exception to the rule spelling of it! Let's just go phonetic!

Neither American nor British English makes sense.

While we're at it, could someone explain how you non American-English speakers spell "theatre" in that manner, when it's pronounced "THEE-A-TER" not "THEA-DUR"


Erm...that's the original spelling...i think the idea is that you justify the change not justify staying the same.

While we're at it, could someone explain how you non American-English speakers spell "theatre" in that manner, when it's pronounced "THEE-A-TER" not "THEA-DUR"

'Theatre' is a French word originally. In French the pronunciation makes more sense, it's more like 'tay-at-ruh' 'tay-at-rrh'.

Anyway, i was genuinely curious i wasn't looking to stir up animosity against American English.

why, if a 'biscuit' is a pastry (or something like, right?) in America and they call what i call a biscuit a 'cookie', is a dog biscuit not a 'dog cookie'?

A cookie is a small sweet flat pastry. a Biscuit is a larger savory more roll-like pastry.
I think the real difference is the sweetness, whihc is why we have dog biscuits and tea biscuits, they are not sweet so they are biscuits not cookies


and if a tap is a 'faucet', why isn't tap-water 'faucet-water'?

the words tap and faucet are interchangable faucet-water is too long and sound terrible

as for theater, where I come from we say it like THEE-TER

tea biscuits, they are not sweet so they are biscuits not cookies

Ah, makes sense.

the words tap and faucet are interchangable faucet-water is too long and sound terrible

I dunno, it has a certain rhythm to it.

English has got to be the most pasted-together ammalgamation of everyone else's language in the world!

It has been said many times that English doesn’t just borrow words: on occasions it has pursued other languages down dark alleys to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for any loose linguistic items they happen to be carrying.

It has been said many times that English doesn’t just borrow words: on occasions it has pursued other languages down dark alleys to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for any loose linguistic items they happen to be carrying.
I agree entirely...our language is so diverse that people from different parts of the country that are separated by little more than a river pronounce things entirely different, such as scone (SCON or SC-OWN), makes me laugh that people say everyone should speak english...when in actually fact their already speaking the roots of it, and a more simplistic and more easily grasped form.

...our language is so diverse that people from different parts of the country that are separated by little more than a river pronounce things entirely different, such as scone (SCON or SC-OWN)..

Of course, the English language has 'borrowed' a term for such words which mark out your origins according to your pronounciation, this time from Hebrew - "shibboleth".

not sure about this but American english may still conserve some of the old English english...er...if you can follow that :)

what i mean is...i've just been reading the diary of Samuel Pepys for the year 1661 and i was suprised by him saying "some place else"

now, that is what i would consider an Americanism...us Brits would usually say "somewhere else".

not sure about this but American english may still conserve some of the old English english...er...if you can follow that :)



Indeed - American English preserves several C16th words which are no longer in common use in British English - for example, 'skillet' for 'frying pan' and 'fall' for 'autumn'.

I'm just curious why Americans call it "Aluminum". Not only do you prononce it differently, but you change the spelling too.

I'm just curious why Americans call it "Aluminum". Not only do you prononce it differently, but you change the spelling too.


IIRC there was a movement in Europe to rename all the metallic elements so that they would have the -ium suffix. Thus iron would have become known as ferrium, for example, several elemental names were changed over on this side of the pond, such as 'aluminum' to 'aluminium', but the idea didn't really catch. I believe the american spelling is the original.

Something like that, I'm kind of fuzzy on the details.

Ah -

"Wohler is generally credited with having isolated the metal in 1827, although an impure form was prepared by Oersted two years earlier. In 1807, Davy proposed the name aluminum for the metal, undiscovered at that time, and later agreed to change it to aluminum. Shortly thereafter, the name aluminum was adopted to conform with the "ium" ending of most elements, and this spelling is now in use elsewhere in the world.

Aluminium was also the accepted spelling in the U.S. until 1925, at which time the American Chemical Society officially decided to use the name aluminum thereafter in their publications."

http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/elements/13.html

So, I wasn't way off.

As i understand it, aluminum is the name of the ore that aluminium is extracted from as well.

I think that is alumina.

::EDIT:: It seems like the ore is bauxite, with alumina being the aluminium oxide within the bauxite.

http://www.rocksandminerals.com/aluminum/aluminum.htm

Indeed - American English preserves several C16th words which are no longer in common use in British English - for example, 'skillet' for 'frying pan' and 'fall' for 'autumn'.

I don't use skillet usually -- frying pan works great.
And Americans use fall and autumn interchangably.

I bet that Americans don't have the brilliance of 'scallywag' though.

Skillet really doesn't sound like it means frying pan but the Irish call a certain type of small, heavy frying pan a skillet.

I meant it doesn't sound like it to me.

Well why do English say "nappies" instead of diapers? Or Knickers instead of pants or underwear? And where the hell did "wanker" come from? I know what it means, but WTF?

And why do you spell it "theatre" when it's not pronounced "THEE-UH-TREH"

or "SEN-TRUH" (Centre).

And what's with the tea, huh? Can't you drink coffee like the rest of us? (actually, I drink tea, so I can't talk but hey).
And what's with the kings and queens? No one else still uses them!
[/rant]

lol just have to say this and specially Rhyno D sound EXACTLY like a Seinfeld special "and what’s with ...." LOL

sorry anyways yeah their are so many different pronunciations even within “American English that it is almost ridiculous to compare (I mean east cost west cost … southern … Midwest .. .soooo MANY completely different sounds lol

Well why do English say "nappies" instead of diapers? Or Knickers instead of pants or underwear?

Where I come from knickers usually refer to a woman's underwear. Men's are either boxers or underpants.

And where the hell did "wanker" come from? I know what it means, but WTF?

BUT it sounds so nice. No idea where it comes from though.

And why do you spell it "theatre" when it's not pronounced "THEE-UH-TREH"

or "SEN-TRUH" (Centre).

Because of the French.

And what's with the tea, huh? Can't you drink coffee like the rest of us? (actually, I drink tea, so I can't talk but hey).

No idea, I drink coffee.

And what's with the kings and queens? No one else still uses them!
[/rant]
Don't even get me started on this.

Yeah, and what's with Big Ben, huh? It's not like it does anything, it just sits there and tells the time, don't you people have watches?
And why can't you all speak the same accent, huh? At least in America we don't have a zillion different accents! (several, i know, but nowhere near as many in Britain)!!!!11!!!!11!!111!! [/rant]

Yeah, and what's with Big Ben, huh? It's not like it does anything, it just sits there and tells the time, don't you people have watches?

Big Ben is the bell in the tower, not the clock tower itself

And why can't you all speak the same accent, huh? At least in America we don't have a zillion different accents! (several, i know, but nowhere near as many in Britain)!!!!11!!!!11!!111!! [/rant]
Because we don't want to speak like those Southern fairies, and they don't want to speak like northern monkeys. Mancunians don't to speak like Scousers who don't want to speak like Cockneys.

I'm sure you get the picture. There is no fun in being the same.

Yeah, and what's with Big Ben, huh? It's not like it does anything, it just sits there and tells the time, don't you people have watches?
And why can't you all speak the same accent, huh? At least in America we don't have a zillion different accents! (several, i know, but nowhere near as many in Britain)!!!!11!!!!11!!111!! [/rant]

That may not be true. There can be many different accents in a single state depending on where you are.