Topic: What really grinds my gears: when British posters assume all American English words are neologisms.
Metæ started this discussion 12 years ago #33,929
For example, Green feigns ignorance of the word "faucet" when it dates back to the 15th century, being derived from Middle French fausset. The word was in use long before the English settled in America. Green: don't try to be edgy "hurrr I dunno what a faucet is lol". It's a valid English word.
As for aluminum, britfags, that was the name given to the element by Sir Humphrey Davy, who was working on isolating it from alumina:
As for "gray", this spelling also dates back to Middle English. From the Oxford English Dictionary etymology notes:
Even Shakespeare preferred "gray".
All definitions, etc. from the Oxford English Dictionary second edition.
2.2 A tap for drawing liquor from a barrel, etc. Now dial. and U.S.
Formerly more fully spigot and faucet, denoting an old form of tap, still used in some parts of England, consisting of a straight wooden tube, one end of which is tapering to be driven into a hole in the barrel, while the other end is closed by a peg or screw. The peg or screw when loosened allows the liquor to flow out through a hole in the under side of the tube. Properly, the spigot seems to have been the tube, and the faucet the peg or screw (as still in the Sheffield dialect); but in some examples the senses are reversed, and each of the words has been used for the entire apparatus. In the U.S. faucet is now the ordinary word for a tap of any kind.
? a 1400 Morte Arth. 205 Vernage‥In faucetez of fyne golde. a 1483 Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. 77 He asketh allowaunce for tubbys, treyes, and faucettes. 1468 Paston Lett. No. 549 II. 268 For claretts and fawcetts vi d. 1530 Palsgr. 740/1 Our men be to thrustye to tarye tyll their drinke be drawen with a faulsed. 1549 Chaloner Erasmus on Folly G iv b, He founde a backe faulset set in his wyne vessell. 1630 Randolph Aristippus (1652) 16 Thi Nose like a Fausset with the Spicket out. 1719 D'Urfey Pills (1872) I. 285 In spite of his Spigot and Faucet, The States⁓man must go to old Nick. 1780 Von Troil Iceland 190 A hole in the rock, which is shut with a spigot and faucet. 1881 Miss Laffan in Macm. Mag. XLIV. 379 This was furnished with a half-dozen faucets, which could be turned on at will. 1888 Sheffield Gloss., Faucet, a wooden tap-screw for a barrel. 1890 Harper's Mag. Apr. 751 The dripping of the water from the faucet in the sink sounded sharp and distinct.
The word goes back to the 1400s for god's sake. It's not our fault you lot forgot it. Formerly more fully spigot and faucet, denoting an old form of tap, still used in some parts of England, consisting of a straight wooden tube, one end of which is tapering to be driven into a hole in the barrel, while the other end is closed by a peg or screw. The peg or screw when loosened allows the liquor to flow out through a hole in the under side of the tube. Properly, the spigot seems to have been the tube, and the faucet the peg or screw (as still in the Sheffield dialect); but in some examples the senses are reversed, and each of the words has been used for the entire apparatus. In the U.S. faucet is now the ordinary word for a tap of any kind.
? a 1400 Morte Arth. 205 Vernage‥In faucetez of fyne golde. a 1483 Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. 77 He asketh allowaunce for tubbys, treyes, and faucettes. 1468 Paston Lett. No. 549 II. 268 For claretts and fawcetts vi d. 1530 Palsgr. 740/1 Our men be to thrustye to tarye tyll their drinke be drawen with a faulsed. 1549 Chaloner Erasmus on Folly G iv b, He founde a backe faulset set in his wyne vessell. 1630 Randolph Aristippus (1652) 16 Thi Nose like a Fausset with the Spicket out. 1719 D'Urfey Pills (1872) I. 285 In spite of his Spigot and Faucet, The States⁓man must go to old Nick. 1780 Von Troil Iceland 190 A hole in the rock, which is shut with a spigot and faucet. 1881 Miss Laffan in Macm. Mag. XLIV. 379 This was furnished with a half-dozen faucets, which could be turned on at will. 1888 Sheffield Gloss., Faucet, a wooden tap-screw for a barrel. 1890 Harper's Mag. Apr. 751 The dripping of the water from the faucet in the sink sounded sharp and distinct.
As for aluminum, britfags, that was the name given to the element by Sir Humphrey Davy, who was working on isolating it from alumina:
aluminum Chem.
(əˈl(j)uːmɪnəm)
= aluminium; being the name given by Davy in 1812, and the usual form in the U.S.
1812 Sir H. Davy Chem. Philos. I. 355 As yet Aluminum has not been obtained in a perfectly free state. 1833 Penny Cycl. I. 406 Alumina, the earthy oxide of aluminum sometimes called argil or the argillaceous earth. 1855 in Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. VI. 141 Mr. DuBois laid upon the table specimens of the metal aluminum. 1879 C. Cameron in Cassell's Techn. Educ. I. 170 Aluminum is a white malleable metal.
(əˈl(j)uːmɪnəm)
= aluminium; being the name given by Davy in 1812, and the usual form in the U.S.
1812 Sir H. Davy Chem. Philos. I. 355 As yet Aluminum has not been obtained in a perfectly free state. 1833 Penny Cycl. I. 406 Alumina, the earthy oxide of aluminum sometimes called argil or the argillaceous earth. 1855 in Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. VI. 141 Mr. DuBois laid upon the table specimens of the metal aluminum. 1879 C. Cameron in Cassell's Techn. Educ. I. 170 Aluminum is a white malleable metal.
As for "gray", this spelling also dates back to Middle English. From the Oxford English Dictionary etymology notes:
1000 Cædmon's Gen. 2865 (Gr.) Ac hine se halᴁa wer gyrde græᴁan sweorde. a 1000 Boeth. Metr. v. 8 Oft smylte sæ suðerne wind, græᴁe glashlutre, grimme ᴁedrefeð. c 1000 Ælfric Saints' Lives II. 324 Þa læᴁ se græᴁa wulf þe bewiste þæt heafod. a 1300 Cursor M. 9886 Þis castel‥It es hei sett a-pon þe crag, Grai [Gött. Gray] and hard. a 1400–50 Alexander 1330 He mas to graue sum in grete & sum in gray marble. 1527 Andrew Brunswyke's Distyll. Waters F ij b, It is rede that the graye water snakes engendreth them with the eale. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. ii. 28 Two goodly trees‥did spred Their armes abroad, with gray mosse overcast. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. iii. 19 It stucke vpon him, as the Sunne In the gray vault of Heauen.
Even Shakespeare preferred "gray".
All definitions, etc. from the Oxford English Dictionary second edition.
Meowth joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 1 minute later[^] [v] #468,865
This is where I just 360...Killer Lettuce !!iNo3FkiZx joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 36 minutes later, 37 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #468,869
Yes, because Green is every British poster here. Every British person in the world, in fact.
Metæ (OP) replied with this 12 years ago, 1 minute later, 39 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #468,871
@previous (Killer Lettuce !!iNo3FkiZx)
I know, I should have specified better. I definitely don't mean you or TTEH. You would make a good ambassador for Britain.
You're very kind and understanding and not pompous and arrogant like someone
:')
I know, I should have specified better. I definitely don't mean you or TTEH. You would make a good ambassador for Britain.
You're very kind and understanding and not pompous and arrogant like someone
:')
Green joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 2 minutes later, 41 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #468,873
Metæ (OP) replied with this 12 years ago, 1 minute later, 42 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #468,875
Anonymous E joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 16 minutes later, 59 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #468,878
Wud U on abat m8. giv der lingo a rest, doncha no.
Metæ (OP) replied with this 12 years ago, 2 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #468,879
@previous (E)
wot m8 u havn a giggle at the queens english? i'll fukn twat u and ur mum 1 m8. we dun speak english proper gov, innit?
wot m8 u havn a giggle at the queens english? i'll fukn twat u and ur mum 1 m8. we dun speak english proper gov, innit?
Anonymous F joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 34 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #468,881
@op
Bawwing and mad in space
Bawwing and mad in space
Metæ (OP) replied with this 12 years ago, 2 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #468,883
Anonymous E replied with this 12 years ago, 38 minutes later, 2 hours after the original post[^] [v] #468,893
HaikerensGuide !dBGi/iH4eY joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 1 hour later, 3 hours after the original post[^] [v] #468,905
I was taught that grey is the correct spelling.
Metæ (OP) replied with this 12 years ago, 1 minute later, 3 hours after the original post[^] [v] #468,907
Anonymous F replied with this 12 years ago, 15 minutes later, 3 hours after the original post[^] [v] #468,909
ShitArse !saAqdaazn2 joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 3 hours later, 7 hours after the original post[^] [v] #468,998
Americans need a more simple English to account for their lower IQ. They also need the description of item to be its name. Example... Trolley = Shopping cart. Tuna = Tuna fish.
decibelmilliwatts !!beW+FQoWB joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 1 minute later, 7 hours after the original post[^] [v] #468,999
ShitArse !saAqdaazn2 replied with this 12 years ago, 4 minutes later, 7 hours after the original post[^] [v] #469,000
@previous (decibelmilliwatts !!beW+FQoWB)
Oh yes. Pavement = Side walk. Just in case you forget that you can't walk in the middle of the road.
Oh yes. Pavement = Side walk. Just in case you forget that you can't walk in the middle of the road.