Americans, what use of foreign terms by fellow Americans do you find pretentious?

^^^ some Americans’ use of foreign terms

'Spot on' is a British term? Good lord, I'm a subject to the King and I didn't know it.

Full stop

I worked for an old lady whom I loved and respected, but every time she talked about someone being “in hospital” I had to look away.

Quelle horror!

No one is more lovable than self-appointed language police officers.

I'm knackered.

Sod off, OP.

An old boyfriend’s mom used to say things like “We’re going to Thomases’” instead of “We’re going to the Thomases’ house.”

It was cute for a while, but then got irritating. She started doing this after living in London for a while, so I assumed it was an English thing.

I started a whole thread on this, but... Ending a sentence with yeah. "We'll pick them up after the movie, yeah?" "That game was intense, yeah?" "Last night I was wrecked, yeah?" I first noticed Jeremy Allan White doing it on Shameless, now he does it on The Bear, "This sauce is way too thick, yeah?" It's bled through to other actors and I expect soon to other actresses, yeah?"

R9 It's not an English thing. It doesn't make grammatical sense and I've never heard anyone speak that way.

OP, you're taking the piss.

Bob's your uncle

Ciao, motherfucker!

La plume de ma tante.

I'm no doubt an offender. I'm American by birth, have citizenships in two EU countries. I speak only two languages but know enough vocabulary and phrases in three other languages to be annoying. I have friends from 15 or 20 countries, the majority of whom speak multiple languages and a few are linguists. I'm used to accents and am curious about other languages though not good at learning them.

I'll borrow words and short phrases in one language that are reasonably well known and the perfect fit, but for which there's no tidy equivalent or translation. It's the same as when someone says "In Czech there's a word (or phrase) for that..." Life goes on.

It's normal that Americans will adopt British terms because British television programs are popular here. I don't mind them as it's just inevitable.

"Well done, you."

You’re all cunts.

R16 What a boring cunt.

Saying "cheers" as goodbye in person or via emails. NOT OK FOR THE US

Does it annoy you as much when Brits use American turns of phrase, OP, or do you only think it's putting on heirs when we do it?

Charcuterie. Namely because not a fucking person says it right

Just fucking say “cold cuts” or the more pronounceable “salumi”

R22 Deary me.

Happy Christmas

I’m partly flattered but also a little disappointed when British people use Americanisms. I find British diction charming especially when spoken with a plummy accent.

I hate hearing Americans say "sacked" rather than "fired." Thankfully, we didn't steal "bloody" or "wanker" from the Brits. I feel that only sounds properly when the Brits say it.

"Tinned fish" is foreign and pretentious?

I grew up among hillbillies in the Ozarks and all I ever heard was "tinned fish" when it came to tuna and jack mackerel.

OP, your own pretensions are showing.

"do you only think it's putting on heirs when we do it?"

I love this.

I also think that's the problem I had with Succession. It was a show created by a Brit that centered around American billionaires who own corporate media in America, but the creator had many American characters use British sayings. For example, in this scene of Nan Pierce at the end, most Americans don't say, "Good riddance to bad rubbish!"

Brilliant!

Cet OP est une vieille boîte à con.

OP is a randy scouse git

[quote] I’m really quite provincial and judgmental.

bye, felicia

"Good on you" - Christ, i hate that when Americans say that.

It's "Good FOR you.."

R35 I feel they mean slightly different things. I see "good for you" as more passive praise--something good happened for you whether or not you had anything to do with making it happen. Whereas "good on you" is more praise for effort.

^ In other words, "good for you means you got something good", "good on you" means you did something good.

[Quote] putting on heirs

Oh dear, you TWAT

I lived in London for a time, and picked up a lot of British phrases. I do sometimes use them in the US, but five minutes back in the UK and it all comes pouring out. Linguistically speaking, the ability to correctly use foreign words and phrases is a Good Thing. It shows mental agility and acceptance of the other culture.

To me, it is only precious or pretentious if someone is intentionally larding their speech with foreign phrases in an effort to appear more educated or worldly.

R39, I think that’s the way it’s most often seen here.

R38 I know. I just saw it myself. I am with shame. 😔

[Quote] OP, your own pretensions are showing.

I already said that, you great pillock.

Bollocks, OP

No one says "tinned" in the US. It's "canned" here.

R44. Americans may not generally say "tinned fish," but we certainly say that sardines come in a tin.

Tuna is generally packaged in a can.

Americans often say "tin can" for tuna, black beans, green beans, tomato sauce, etc.

Sardines are in a tin...because they are not in a can--it's a tin.

Across the pond.

Nil instead of zero.

Pitch instead of field.

Ever since I went through a bout of watching Australian TV shows (about 5 - 6 years ago), I often say "Good on ya, mate!"

I really don't give a shit if you find that pretentious. It's kind of like saying that white women shouldn't braid their hair because they're trying to appropriate African culture.

Please find something more important to be upset or irate about. It's not like there aren't a dozen or other more important causes to which you could shift your focus.

Adam Ragusea, who has a cooking channel on YouTube, says “mash” for mashed potatoes. It gets under my skin. He flattens out the ‘a’ to make it extra annoying.

I had a friend in college who was majoring in French. In day to day chatter she would, without any sense of irony, throw in “How you say in English…”

[quote] without any sense of irony, throw in “How you say in English…”

r50 was her name Hilareaux Baldwin?

I admit to adopting the word "sorted" from my UK friends: "Well, that's the evening plans sorted ... "

The one that still falls oddly on my ears is "slash" for piss. "Be right back, I need to take a slash ... "

Op is one tedious tedious bloke.

Can someone please explain what "taking the piss means"?

Bar-tha-lona

Well, that's sorted.

[quote]most Americans don't say, "Good riddance to bad rubbish!"

Sure we do.

[quote]Can someone please explain what "taking the piss means"?

Gentle ribbing / teasing / making fun.

I like what the Brits call cigarettes.

30 years ago my ex and I flew to NY for a Grateful Dead show and mini-vacation. One night we stayed with the ex's old friends from wealthy suburban Kansas and had gone to college there.

The wife had spent ONE semester in France ten years prior, yet littered every conversation with random French words or phrases. I was fluent in French, but kept silent about it. The thing I haaaated most was refusing to refer to bathtub, shower, and the act of bathing/showering as anything other than [italic]douche[/italic] and [italic]douching.[/italic] "Just let me take a quick [italic]douche[/italic] before we head out."

Soooooo annoyingly pretentious.

r60 - okay. That's a perfectly legitimate annoyance.

I think I'd burst out laughing any time she did that around me. Or ask her if she has a preference for Summer's Eve or Massengill.

Every American I've met has pronounced "Bouquet" as "Bucket."

Less pretentious than illiterate!

"Je ne sais quoi" used to mean "spretzaturra."

Goyim using Yiddish words and phrases when they haven't actually known a Jew in their lives.

ni puces ni punaises

"Zed" for the letter "Z", derived from "zeta".

They got a word from Catherine Zeta-Jones?

Haha, R61, I was sorely tempted to do just that, but Ah was gently reared, and refrained except for one time when I couldn't hold it in, and told her "Well, bless yoah lil' heart!"

Yeah, it was bitchy, but 1) I had had enough; 2) It was the early 90s, and, like "y'all" and "woke", the Southernism had not yet become mainstream.

I had a friend in college who had a boy chasing after her who'd spent a semester in France and it drove me nuts when he'd say "Quelle heure!" as an expression of surprise or disgust or whatever, thinking it so urbane. After the second or third time, I started making a point of looking at my watch in the most ostentatious manner possible, which pissed him off no end but only took a couple times to end his use of the idiom.

r69 I'm not a French speaker but I'm about 99% sure that the expression your friend used was "quelle horreur" (what horror) - not "quelle heure" (what hour?)

I watch a lot of British TV so I drop a lot of British phrases now into conversation and am not even really aware of it.

I love how they are always saying “shall I put the kettle on” instead of just asking someone if they want tea or coffee

We went on holiday in eye-BEE-thuh.

Whilst

Yes R70; that was what made my response funny and cutting. He was a try-hard.

One “has” a slash; one doesn’t “take” a slash. If you’ve ever peed on a snow bank you’ll get the visual.

I believe in Hawaii “rubbish” is commonly used for refuse. Some New England mothers are referred to as “mum”.

I have a co-worker who just returned to the US after spending most of the last decade in Australia and New Zealand. She says "holiday" instead of "vacation" and will offer to "ring" you rather than "call" you. If she were actually Aussie/Kiwi I wouldn't care, but because she's American it annoys the fuck out of me.

Why?

Good grief. I use nearly all of these Britishisms whenever I speak 'the English'.

"take tea"

Over here, we just drink it, mmmkay?

R60, my stepmother was a WAC from Michigan in WWII & was stationed in Paris right after it was liberated. She didn't speak much French & was shocked to hear the natives refer to douching when they excused themselves to take a shower in the morning or evening. Eventually, she either realized what was meant or else someone explained it to her, but I can see that it must have been confusing until that happened.

I was gutted

You take the lift up to the fourth floor

She's on holiday

I'll have a spotted dick

Who talks to people in general, everyday conversation about showering anyway?? How often do you throw into the convo (except to your close friends) "I need to go to take a shower" - I mean, you just DO it, you don't talk about it.

Who are all these people excusing themselves to go take a shower? For Christ's sake!

Amongst

I hate when Americans say embrace ma taint when they mean lick ma tante.

sous vide

[quote] Who are all these people excusing themselves to go take a shower? For Christ's sake!

R82, in the first place, the French can be very polite (when they want to be, & they were grateful to the American & British military at that time).

In the second place, if you leave the table where a meal is being, or is about to be, served, don't you excuse yourself? Who knows what the custom was in 1945 Paris, but I'm not surprised that people might say "Excuse me, please, it's time for my shower".

R85 Cooking terms and foreign names of dishes don't count--especially "sous vide". The English translation is "under vacuum". Who the hell would say that. Does the word sauté also offend you?

^ meant to say *names of foreign dishes

[Quote] Please find something more important to be upset or irate about.

Miss r48 has stated her boundaries. We are not [italic]permitted[/italic] to be upset by anything she does!

"Whinge" makes me cringe—instead of the normal American "whine." I think this was introduced by George Will, probably when tut-tutting over liberals and the "politics of ressentiment."

“You can bet your ass, pesetas to peanuts….”

Fag

“Whilst” should be banned.

“Spit spot” would be pretentious,

Mind the gap.

I saw a report that Prince Louis has a hobby of amassing a troubling huge store of what are called “conkers”. I never heard that word before. They’re buckeyes.

Canadians use more of that UK vocabulary as a matter of course. Some orthography as well.

I’m stood here wondering if any of you lot fancy a swift pint down the pub after I’ve sorted revising for my maths exam at uni.

I hate the word fortnight. It sounds stupid. As does toilet in place of bathroom. And why do the British say “the whole of”? As in “the whole of the UK was sad when the Queen died”.

On the phone: “Put through” instead of “transfer”. Sorry for having done this.

R11, “ We’re going to Thomases’ ” may not make grammatical sense, but the Brits do indeed say that. "Let's go to mine" is a frequent variation.

Anyone else notice people saying "have a coffee" lately, instead of "have some coffee"? Any idea where that came from?

My pushy is shwet.

Sunday night is rubbish night. Sorry I didn't know I was using Britspeak.its always been rubbish. Unless it's garbage, which is a whole different thing.

[Quote] And why do the British say “the whole of”? As in “the whole of the UK was sad when the Queen died”.

Oh no, my dear, it’s “the hole of.” The hole is the collective unconscious of the gays of the UK.

People who read a lot of novels, both British and American, often have a moment of hesitation when they go to spell certain words. Americans know that we don't use "our" at the end of color and labor, and we don't spell it theatre, but theater. However, grey and gray - not so clear cut Those words which end in ise or ize - also need thought. Catalogue vs catalog, and dialogue vs dialog. Cancelled vs canceled. Defence vs Defense I think people can be given a little grace if they occasionally choose poorly. I think Noah Webster was on the right track to simplify spellings and make them more similar to their phonetic pronunciations, but he lost the courage of his convictions midway.

[Quote] I started a whole thread on this,

Yes, but it wasn’t as sparkling and urbane as this one, not as full of wit and verve, and the men posting in it weren’t as sexually attractive.

Actually, R105, many people use "theater" for movies and "theatre" for plays/musicals. It's actually pretty common around here.

People say "toilet", R98, instead of bathroom, because it's not a bathroom. It's a room containing an item of plumbing for shitting and pissing in. A bathroom will contain either a bath, shower or both - it's a room where people bathe and / or wash.

Americans say "bathroom" because of some weird innate squeamishness about bodily functions. Ditto "rest room" - are you resting in there? "Ladies room", "powder room" etc.

I had an American friend who said that he'd be back as his dog "needs to go to the bathroom". No, Fido needed to go and piss on the lawn. He wasn't popping into any indoor facilities to freshen up.

Christopher Mankiewicz does one of the DVD audio commentaries for All About Eve. He throws in a lot of French expressions. My favorite is pudeur when he claims Joan Crawford was tactless in talking about her affair with his father.

Most o' y'all are a buncha cunts. Use language any way ya want.

R108, remember that "toilet" began as a euphemism even more egregious than "bathroom," since it disguises the "shitting and pissing" you so forthrightly reference as an urbane process of grooming and attiring oneself. The Brits don't say "Where's the piss-room, mate?" or "I'm off to the shit-house." At least in polite company.

Pissed off is Brit slang but seems to have easily adopted by Americans.

Piss and shit

saying "flat" rather than apartment.

cab for taxi.

r108 NO we say bathroom for the same reason you don't call a kitchen "stove" or "fridge". Calling a bathroom "toilet" is dumb. It would be smarter to say toilet room.

r112 Pissed off in the USA means to be made angry--- not about getting drunk like the UK.

Don’t worry, the tide is much stronger in the opposite direction. So much so, I regularly hear young people here in the UK with hybrid accents and usage just from what they watch online and having never set foot in the US. Vocal fry and uptalk is increasingly strong here as well especially with young women. The Grauniad (another one for you) was just whingeing about American cultural influence the other day.

Here’s your lesson. Septic is Cockney rhyming slang for an American. Septic tank = Yank. I believe Australians use this too modified as Seppo.

No Brit would say 'I'm going to Thomases' as suggested above. It would be 'I'm going to Thomas's', ie the abode of my friend Thomas (first name): or 'I'm going to the Thomases', the abode of the Thomas ( surname) family.

R119 Exactly.

Is this OP a wind up?

R107 as the name of a particular place used to put on a movie or play/musical, yes. In the ordinary course, or as generic reference no—in the U.S. it is theater.

R22, actually it does. When a British person uses an American expression, it just rings hollow or something. It diminishes them, somehow, and just doesn't work. They often have a much richer vocabulary and use the language much more precisely than we do, why bother using an Americanism? I do use British expressions because I imagine it sounds ridiculous to them.

To me, a flat is an apartment that occupies a whole floor.

Please, the French are notorious for not taking showers.

If you are not an Australian please do not say “no worries “.

"En suite"

We can thank fucking HGTV for introducing this pretentious phrase to the US.

R126, I like that better than "no problem" or "don't worry about it" which seems kind of cold or dismissive.

It means next

[quote]Americans say "bathroom" because of some weird innate squeamishness about bodily functions. Ditto "rest room" - are you resting in there? "Ladies room", "powder room" etc.

Interesting, in Canada a bathroom is the room at home where there's a toilet, sink and shower/tub. If it's just a sink and toilet it's a powder room. And public toilets are Washrooms, not rest rooms.

I call it a “toilette”, dears.

In Canada a bathroom is the room at home where there's a toilet, sink and shower/tub. If it's just a sink and toilet it's a powder room.

It’s the same here …

What happened to WC?

Spot on as British is new to me. R77 while I’m not R76 I’d say it’s annoying because if she was impressionable to absorb those terms after a relatively short stay, she is very much impressionable enough to switch back after returning home. Not doing so feels like she’s forcing that travel experience to be a permanent part of her identity. Forced personality quirks are annoying.

R105 Gray with an A is American. Grey with an E is English. Except for The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was initially published in the US, and Earl Grey/Lady Grey teas, which were named for specific people.

you're all a bunch of prissy unreasonable cunts

R136 is a right cunt!

I work with an Englishman who has been in the US for at least 30 years. By the way he talks, acts and the phrases he uses, you'd think he just got off the boat yesterday. Yes, he is annoying in a Richard Dawson kind of way. He really hams up being English, but unlike actual English people, it works against it.

[quote]To me, a flat is an apartment that occupies a whole floor.

To you alone.

Flat was once commonly used in San Francisco.

[quote]I work with an Englishman who has been in the US for at least 30 years. By the way he talks, acts and the phrases he uses, you'd think he just got off the boat yesterday. ...He really hams up being English

I've known these, both English and American, who cling like death to the differences of a shared language. The emphasize their word choice or flat out translate to suggest that the citizens of their host country need the most commonly understand differences spelled out with care. It's cultivated stubbornness and can indeed be annoying.

For me, it's an argument in support of the more common habit of picking up bits of pronunciation, vocabulary, etc. It seems natural that an Englishman living in the U.S. might say "at my neighborhood bar there are always a few people who bring along their dogs" instead of "at my local there are always..." Over time he makes a series of very small and mostly insignificant adjustments to be better understood. He may (or may not) shift effortlessly back to his native version when speaking to fellow Englishmen; and sometimes he may slip and use the geographically "wrong" choice and refer to his "apartment" as his "flat."

Who cares aside from fucking idiots who must see everything in black and white? If it's not intentional affectation, how much does it matter beyond being understood to borrow the rare word or meaning from another language? Who wants to be the asshole bent out of shape because someone typed "colour" instead of "color"?

Flat was used in New England where I grew up. There are many two- and three-family houses and each floor was often referred to as a flat.

I don’t know what you are talking about, R138

I grew up in Southern CA and when I moved to and lived in Western NY in the late 80s through the 90s, they had their own special names for rentals depending on whether they were upstairs or downstairs apartments. They were commonly advertised as "uppers" and "lowers." Sometimes they combined it with "flat" (i.e. "2 bdrm upper flat available").

I'd never heard apartments referred to in that way before, and I realized that it was because there were hardly any homes that were split in an upper/lower way in California (multi-unit apartment complexes don't really count). These homes had been like that likely most or all of their existence as there was a propensity for more people to live in multi-generational homes as parents aged, etc.

People borrow words from other groups all the time. Look at the US black community - they've added hundreds of words and expressions that white Americans say with no hint of irony and claim they are just American. But it's really not a white culture word at all.

People like to hear new words or phrases to describe things - it keeps the language interesting and lively.

As long as they are using it correctly - I don't have a problem with it.

[quote] Ending a sentence with yeah.

That's an interesting aspect of British English, ending a sentence that seems to be a question, but really isn't. If you watch British programs you'll hear this, especially from characters who are meant to be seen as uneducated. "He likes his tea with milk, doesn't he" or "You've not got far to go then, have you."

Being extra, random, basic.

R141 just described code switching.

[quote]an interesting aspect of British English, ending a sentence that seems to be a question

“Why do the British always insult you and then ask you to agree with them?” ~ Grace Adler

Once, when was I splayed out on the floor of The Eagle, high on poppers and coke, someone said, "It's the boot for you!" I was sadly disappointed when I regained consciousness in the trunk of an abandoned car off the Gowanus Parkway.

I haven't the foggiest notion of what you speak.

[quote][R126], I like that better than "no problem" or "don't worry about it" which seems kind of cold or dismissive.

All of those bothered me when it first started, r128, but after awhile I got used to it.

It's just a different way to say "You're welcome". The intent remains the same.

Some of the posters in this thread sound like rubes.

[Quote] Don’t worry, the tide is much stronger in the opposite direction.

Yes I’ve noticed that Americanisms are creeping into British vernacular. I’m always surprised to hear it if I’m watching a British tv show. I’m aware it cuts both ways. But since I’m American and we have typically seen Americans using britishisms as putting on airs, I wanted to see how other Americans see it and which ones they find most annoying when used by Americans. I’m not worried we are losing some sort of race or something.

[Quote] Here’s your lesson. Septic is Cockney rhyming slang for an American. Septic tank = Yank. I believe Australians use this too modified as Seppo.

Not a lesson I needed — we’ve known for decades that the Brits use this insulting nickname for us. I think if we called British people “the shits” because it rhymes with Brits, you’d find it more than a little rude.

By the way, I’m a complete hypocrite about this, because I say “for fucks sake” constantly, and if someone tries to sell an absurd position to be, I will commonly say, “do us a favor.”

^^^ to me

“No worries” and “no problem” imply that there might have been a worry or a problem but that the speaker’s gracious disposition and magnanimous actions prevented potential worries and problems from arising. There are situations when this is actually the case and either of the two responses would be appropriate. But to use either in response to a thank you when you have not really been put upon in rendering a service makes you seem like an asshole.

[quote]By the way, I’m a complete hypocrite about this, because I say “for fucks sake” constantly

"For fuck's sake" is British?

Who knew?

Whilst.

r127 That term is used all the time in the context of hotels-- not really a foreign word although obviously of French origin.

"Queue " bothers me, but especially when numpties actually mean "cue." I see it more and more. "Queue the pearl clutchers!" Yes, I can see they're all lining up now.

Whenever I see “st” on among, amid or while I think I’m reading something from an Englishperson or a fey poseur.

I never judge someone if they choose to speak in a more formal manner one would hear in a foreign land such as the UK. I consider they're trying to do better than they were taught growing up.

Correct Spanish pronunciation of proper nouns in an English linguistic context.

I hate the fake britishy accents used by certain people.

[quote]Whenever I see “st” on among, amid or while I think I’m reading something from an Englishperson or a fey poseur.

You would think that British people would realize that it gives them away online and so they would avoid using it.

Duvet

Maybe many of them do, R165.

[quote]Whenever I see “st” on among, amid or while I think I’m reading something from an Englishperson or a fey poseur.

And?

I see this often on DL, where some clever American poster takes great superior delight in having Miss-Marpled some "sneaky" Brit (who is often accused of trying to pass himself off as one of his trans-Atlantic betters, mistakenly having working a "whilst" into the lyrics of "God Bless the USA"). The American dream of superiority shows up in the oddest places.

r168, is that your way of confessing?

[quote]Maybe many of them do, [R165].

British people unbeknownst to us privy to our conversations.

"Bespoke" is another word that I don't want Americans to use. It sounds stupid.

Since when do the French shower??

I got "the jab"

I never heard that growing up in the US, now all of a sudden, since Covid, it's become a thing. Before that is was just getting vaccinated. Then it morphed into Ani-Vaxxers from MAGA freaks, now it's The Jab.

R171 is correct. I also hate that word. Bespoke is SOOOOO pretentious.

[quote]I got "the jab". I never heard that growing up in the US, now all of a sudden, since Covid, it's become a thing.

I hate that. People in this country should always be corrected to say the proper words "shot" or "vaccination".

Apropos

I find this pretentious, used a lot by fake social climbers and retail shop bottoms.

Is "the jab" British? I never heard it before Covid.

Haberdashery

r165 Why would it matter if it "gives them away" as if they are supposed to hide it?

R177 During the COVID-19 pandemic, “the jab” became shorthand for the vaccine in news and public speech, especially in the UK, cementing it in popular usage.

I used to pride myself for knowing a lot of “Briticisms,” because one summer when I was little I’d read a handful of English children’s books when I was bored in the library. So I knew biscuit, Wendy House, lorry, etc.

Then I worked with an actual English girl and said, “Oh, smashing! I got a good tip from that table. Nice to have a bit of lolly.”

She said, “What?”

“LOLLY. Money. Don’t you say that in England?”

She looked at me weird. “No. Well, maybe OLD people do.”

It then occurred to me the books I’d read were all from. 1951 or something, and not exactly [italic]au courant.

A flat, at least in Chicago, is the correct name for an apartment which occupies an entire floor. The most common here, a "3-flat", is a building with three dwelling units--one per floor.

What I DO like is sometimes using[bold] &Etc. [/bold]- which throws people off.

It’s sprinkled all through the Victorian pornographic collection, THE PEARL. And looks stupidly uptight.

[quote] You would think that British people would realize that it gives them away online and so they would avoid using it.

So they should be ashamed of being British? You speak in riddles.

When people in the US say Herbs with the H. It's ok for Brits but in the US the "H" is silent because it was adopted from the French who were some of the early settlers.

For all of you people wondering when the French started taking showers: according to my stepmother, they were doing so when she lived in Paris in 1945 & referred to it as douching -- I have no personal knowledge because I wasn't born until 1947 (& in America to boot). Maybe the Germans forbade it during WWII & the French were thrilled to have the opportunity when the country was liberated? Maybe it was just a Parisian thing after the war? Maybe my stepmother lied about her experience for reasons best known to her (though she wasn't that kind at all)? DL always has more questions than answers, some things never change.

"For all of you people wondering when the French started taking showers"

Did I miss a post? Who on earth said they were wondering?

The French were into the body odor stinky thing way back in the 70's. Same time as when women over there stopped shaving under their arm pits.

R187: R125 & R172 expressed disbelief that the French bother with showering. I am aware of modern trends but don't know what their views were in 1945.

I watch a fuck ton of British television so I have inadvertently used many phrases more popular there. 'Do one' is my current favorite and I don't give two fucks what a stick in the mud American queen has to say about it.

Go do one, thx.

I am R161 I think it’s perfectly fine for the British to use amongst, amidst and whilst. OP asked what sounded pretentious for Americans. So fuck off, you prat arseholes. Blimey!

R191 You are in no way British. "You prat arseholes" is nonsensical.

[quote]” Je ne sais quoi" used to mean "spretzaturra."

O, maddon’

Calling redheaded people a "ginger." At least where I grew up, no American ever used the term.

R184 The original point was about British posters pretending to be Americans online, then giving themselves away by using terms Americans would not use.

R192 Well, no shit, Miss Obvious.

R184 Or spellings, like "centre."

Is there such a thing as "fellow Americans" in 2025?

[quote]"Bespoke" is another word that I don't want Americans to use. It sounds stupid.

R171 and R174 buy off the rack at Marshalls.

The affectation of Americans saying “Cheers” to mean Goodbye or Thanks. In the US “cheers” are what cheerleaders do.

In the USA, cheers is what you say when you clink your drinks. It’s a couple of hundred years old—taken from…the Brits!

r199, if you support the use of "bespoke", that signals that you're not American.

R9 it's "the Thomas's" r22 you're an idiot

R202 incorrect, as to describing a men’s suit. Same term in both places.

Thomases !

r189 You are incorrect. That combo of users did not express disbelief.

R206, sounds like disbelief to me:

[quote] Please, the French are notorious for not taking showers. = R125

[quote] Since when do the French shower?? = R172

[quote]Calling redheaded people a "ginger." At least where I grew up, no American ever used the term.

Where the fuck did you grow up, Sudan? I heard this in the 70s.

I'll admit that I have slipped up and used the word "wanker" just because I really like that word, lol.

[quote] Americans say "bathroom" because of some weird innate squeamishness about bodily functions. Ditto "rest room" - are you resting in there? "Ladies room", "powder room" etc.

I always find this argument stupid. Brits are just as squeamish--they also use mostly use euphemisms to describe the room where you piss and shit.

For example, Brits tend to say "lavatory," which comes from "lavatorium," which means literally "the place for washing" in Latin, or they'll use the term "the loo" which comes from the French "l'eau" (meaning "the water"). They also say "the W. C." for "the water closet."

I fail to see how ANY of these are really less euphemistic than the American "washroom." They all mean the same thing: the place where you use water to wash. None of these have any direct or explicit reference to pissing or taking a shit.

It's true that in less polite company Brits will sometimes say "the toilets," but Americans will say that too (for example, it's what Archie Bunker always called the rool where he took a shit). And remember even the word "toilet" comes from the French wore "toiler" (or "to dress" or "to wrap"), because originally it's what you did in your dressing room. So even saying "the toilets" is euphemistic too.

The only thing that's NOT euphemistic is really to say "the crapper" or "the shitter," and I would guess the Brits and Americans use those terms according to roughly equal percentages.

That should read "what Archie Bunker always called the [bold]room[/bold] where he took a shit)." and "the French [bold]word[/bold] "toiler""

Sorry for the typos.

A friend says "the post" instead of "the mail" or he's going to "post" a package instead of "mail" it.

“Hhhhhhhhhhherbs.”

But it sure led to ratings that paid for my servants’ quarters!

R210 that's all very well, if I was British. Which I'm not. Why do stupid Americans assume that anybody who disagrees with them is British?

OP You must be that crazed loon who every other month posts complaints about joined-up writing, "pretentious" phrases, and now this.

Fick Dich in’s Knie, OP

I hate how the British say telephone numbers:

Oh four, double six, three zero, triple nine

R209 I like pillock.

meaning fool or idiot but also used as a general insult. In very widespread use throughout the UK but especially in the North of England. Often paired with an adjective, the most popular being “He’s a dozy pillock”. It has been around since the 16th Century when it meant penis (so etymologically,

Anyone who watches Rory Sutherland TikToks and then tries to sound like him in meetings or conversations.

[quote]I hate hearing Americans say "sacked" rather than "fired."

I prefer "shitcanned."

Yes r215, I asked a question you disliked, so I must be the cause of every bad thing that ever happened.

[Quote] A friend says "the post" instead of "the mail"

Oh god, that’s final-boss annoying.

R217 as opposed to...?

R217 is disqualified for saying he hates the way British people say something. That is not the point of this thread.

As an American I use gobsmacked. I think it's a great word. Bloody is good too. As is simpatico because there is no exact english translation and is easy to understand.

[quote] [R210] that's all very well, if I was British. Which I'm not. Why do stupid Americans assume that anybody who disagrees with them is British?

Does it really matter when you're from? My post exactly addresses the multiple misunderstandings and the ignorance you display at r108, where you just keep getting it wrong.

R208 I never heard it in the '70s. I grew up in the Northeast. Where the fuck did you grow up, Dustin?

Quora post fron 6 years ago: "Redheads in the US aren’t referred to as gingers. I’d heard the term of course but was a bit surprised when I was visiting in the U.K. last month to be called an old ginger."

"It’s the UK term for redhead, which makes a lot more sense since the hair is orange not red."

I assumed it became more widespread in the US after Harry Potter became popular. But it may not be used in Harry Potter, I don't know (not a fan).

Growing up we always said "redhead."

I also grew up in the Northeast and never heard ginger for redhead.

Hi, Martha at r213!

I grew up in North Jersey. I never heard of "ginger" except as food until an American friend of mine moved to Ireland, and he simply had to pepper his speech with Irishisms.

"Save" for "except."

In r230, I am talking about the year 2005.

Americans saying "Ciao" for hello or goodbye but you know in their head they are thinking "Chow"

Americans calling their buddies their "Mates"

and saying "throw a shrimp on the barbie" even when they aren't cooking shrimp.

[quote] Oh four, double six, three zero, triple nine

Added to which, local telephone numbers in the UK have variable length.

When someone says he’s going to the toilet I hear sounds of someone dumping out and flushing.

I do like the use of "cunt".

French were into B.O. since Napoleon- he wrote a letter to Josephine not to bathe so he could smell her body odor. There was also something about putting pomme d'ambre into your arm pit, let it absorb your odor, and sending it to your lover.

But yes, the French bathe.

[quote] Starting this because of the use of the term “tinned fish” in that other thread.

Tinned fish is not a Britishism, you ignorant, uneducated wanker.

Which is what going to the toilet is, R235. You Americans are so prissy.

r238 "toilet"is rather vulgar.

Tinned fish is what Americans say for sardines, mackerel, and the like, so I don’t know what OP is going on about. No one says canned except for tuna and that’s because it’s in a round can, not a rectangular tin.

[quote] (for example, it's what Archie Bunker always called the rool where he took a shit).

That was TERLET

The French use "weekend", "basketball", "jogging", "link" (referring to SM), etc., and no one is giving them grief.

Drugstore aussi

R221 "How are things in the third grade"

LOL you're writing with crayons!

[quote]LOL you're writing with crayons!

I am SUPER Super! I am writing with crayons!

R245 ^ I always knew you looked like that

r246 is projecting.

R240 I've never said "tinned fish," and I'm an American. I have said, "A can of sardines." And "canned salmon." Calling as can a "tin" is usually not common in American English.

Calling a movie theater "the cinema," though the General Cinema Corp. did popularize the term in my neck of the woods in the '60s and '70s, when going to the Cinema meant going to a particular theater with the brand name, Cinema.

Cinema I, Cinema II, Cinema III, for ex.

Fucking hell, if they called it a movie theater in some Hooterville in 1967, then goddamnit it's a movie theater forever. Not a fucking pretentious "cinema." Anything else is some fancypants pretentious shit. Except of course of a particular theater linked to a brand name, the Hooterville Cinema I...

What bizarre fucking specific rules posters have for a word that may be more a Britishism than an Americanism, but which should be understood perfectly well by a Brit or an American.

I don't see the pretense of saying cinema rather than movie theater (except of course for Cinema I, Cinema II, Cinema III...)

R250 You must have a lot of friends.

[quote] [R240] I've never said "tinned fish," and I'm an American. I have said, "A can of sardines." And "canned salmon." Calling as can a "tin" is usually not common in American English.

Maybe you’re just ignorant then. In all articles about the resurgence of tinned fish, all US media calls it tinned fish. Not one article, video, or podcast has called it canned fish.

[quote]Calling a movie theater "the cinema,"

I deliberately say “cinema”, and it’s not pretentious. I’m distinguishing between where movies are shown and a theater that has live action performances. A theater has a stage or performance area. A cinema doesn’t.

However, spelling it “theatre” is pretentious.

^^Oy vey

[quote] I deliberately say “cinema”, and it’s not pretentious. I’m distinguishing between where movies are shown and a theater that has live action performances.

[italic] Mary.

r253 pees sitting down, and tears off a perfectly square piece of toilet paper to dab the dew off of his dick. Then he washes his hands vigorously, for exactly 25 seconds. And then does it again.

R252 That's media. I think the intention here is to talk about terms used in conversation by fellow Americans. Not the New York Times. By the way, I don't think I'm "ignorant" because I haven't read some articles you happened to have read about fish. Maybe you should read up on how not to be so rude. And you type fat.

r257 has stated her boundaries.

R258 I didn't actually state any boundaries.

r259 you're late for menstrual hut cleanup.

R260 Has to have the last word.

Reminder of OP's reason for starting the thread:

[quote] Starting this because of the use of the term “tinned fish” in that other thread.

[quote] I like to think I’m an openminded, bohemian sort, but I’m lying to myself. I’m really quite provincial and judgmental.

[quote] One of the things that gets on my last nerve is some Americans’ use foreign terms, primarily terms from the UK. Which ones annoy you the most?

[quote] I’ll start — I hate when an American says “spot on.” Go fuck yourself. I’m totally fine with British people saying it.

Notice he says nothing about what is written in articles.

Also hate when Americans use British spelling, like favourite. Ok Mary Poppins, give it a rest.

Local US sportscasters who insist on calling soccer “football.”

All the restaurants I go to all say tinned fish, never canned fish.

r108 you sound like a really charming guy.

r261 is telling you NOW so she doesn't have to tell you THEN.

I AM glad I’ve never heard anyone here say they’re going to “have a wash.”

It sounds grubby. And not very thorough, somehow.

Like a warthog flopping around in a puddle.

What about having to rinse off?

[quote]All the restaurants I go to all say tinned fish, never canned fish.

I don't want to go to a restaurant where they pretentiously say "tinned fish", instead of the normal "canned fish".

The occurrence of "tinned fish" in American English books is hardly new. There's a big spike now, but two other very significant periods of popularity, (roughly) 1900-1930s and again in the 1950s-1960s.

[quote]significant periods of popularity, (roughly) 1900-1930s and again in the 1950s-1960s.

That's interesting that there were some people speaking pretentiously back then.

I am quite sure I have never been to a restaurant that specifies either canned or tinned fish.

Not sure if it’s already been mentioned but the overly accented pronunciation of “CWUHHSANT” has always struck me as overly effete and precious.

R272 Right? What restaurant has canned fish of any kind on the menu anyway? Even if they were serving tuna salad, I've never seen it described as "canned" or "tinned" tuna--it's just understood that's where it comes from.

Charcuterie restaurants always specify an array of tinned fish.

R273, worse are the people who say it without a preceding article.

My Cwuhhsant Vinnie.

UK....

In 2018 they still said canned. Until the NY Times, I guess, told us it was supposed to be "tinned."

He spoke FRENCH to the counter man, at SCHRAFFTS. Can you IMAGINE?

R173 I assume that you pronounce it "croysant"?

Cros-aunt. "Aunt" like "ont"

New England strong, bro.

Best place in the fuckin' world.

If you don't think New England is the best place in the fuckin' world you're fuckin' RETAHDED.

Just makin' a little stawp befoh I get on fuckin' 6 to Provincetown. Full of fags but whathefuckevah. I have two cousins who ah fags. Don't mean nothin'. They like Dunkin' too. We're family, right?

People who say "Yom Kippur" like they're talking about a brand of smoked herring.

In the 1960s, in my New Jersey hometown, r284, “Yom KIPper” is how Yom Kippur was pronounced. All these years and places later, “kipPOOR” is the only pronunciation I ever hear.

Can anyone who lives in the Morris-Essex-Union county area tell us how it is pronounced today?

[quote]I worked for an old lady whom I loved and respected, but every time she talked about someone being “in hospital” I had to look away.

But when you think about it, R4, "in the hospital" doesn't make sense, either, because it sounds as if there's only one hospital in the world :-)

[quote]In the 1960s, in my New Jersey hometown, [R284], “Yom KIPper” is how Yom Kippur was pronounced. All these years and places later, “kipPOOR” is the only pronunciation I ever hear.

But that doesn't apply to this thread, as "Yom KIPper" is not a foreign pronunciation.

R281, I pronounce it “cruh-sahnt”, with little emphasis on either syllable. I think this is the way most Americans typically pronounce it. Yes; I know it’s the incorrect pronunciation: no I don’t care.

that's how Bogie would pronounce it with tight teeth.

Buck never would have mispronounced croissant.

r288, I don't see Humphrey Bogart ordering a croissant. Not in a movie, maybe in real life

r108 is the Anti-American Troll, one of the most hateful posters on Datalounge. His style is unmistakable. he's from a Commonwealth nation, and claims to know tons about the UK, and then if anyone ever mistakes him for a brit he will go nuts (but he will never say from which Coomonwealth nation he originates).

He loves particularly to troll threads about the British Royal Family and scream at people he assumes are Americans, and tell them their only knowledge of royal history comes from watching "The Crown."

Oh look, my stalker's back! You really need to get some hobbies, R291.

Garçon, trois cent soixante croissants, s’il vous plaît !

You never fail to crack me up, R293! Especially now that you've discovered Google Translate Just be careful with trying to dox me like you tried last time when you earned a timeout from Muriel for your efforts. I'll miss you if it happens again - you're much more entertaining to me to laugh at when you're around. Keep smiling!

Vado a fare una passeggiata. Devo uscire da qui.

I don't see Humphrey Bogart ordering a croissant.

R290 there was a scene in Paris in Casablanca.

R296, I don't recall a croissant in that scene, just Ingrid Bergman. I always focus on Claude Rains in that movie & may miss a lot.

[quote]But when you think about it, [R4], "in the hospital" doesn't make sense, either, because it sounds as if there's only one hospital in the world :-)

Americans will say "my kids are in school" or "my husband is at work" but find it fucking bizarre and quaint if a Brit refers to someone "in hospital."

You miss me, R297!

R298, how about if they're from Croydon and pronounce it "in opsi'oo"? Still quaint?

Nobody is criticizing Brits for saying “in hospital.” We are pointing and laughing at Americans who do so as a way to sound sophisticated.