Americanisms, and the evolution of language

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The planets have aligned once again to provide me with a topic for blogging: faery_fall posted a video of Stephen Fry discussing language as part of her 15 Day Meme, and fail_fandomanon had a discussion thread wherein a poster was complaining about the comments to an article on the BBC website about Americanisms creeping into British language. Surely these two occurrences are more than worthy of a mash-up here on this journal?

First, full confession: I used to be a total grammar pedant. I love language, and I love grammar! Mine is a brain easily seduced by the idea that there's a 'correct way' and an 'incorrect way' to do things. I love the idea that things can be done with "perfection", and I love to torture myself with the idea that perfection is obtainable. Unfortunately, I have a sneaking suspicion that it's not obtainable: or even desirable! And yet, despite a couple years of linguistics courses, my grammar pedantry persisted for years.

I can remember the exact day I gave it up.

I went to visit a close friend of mine: we were going swimming at the pool in her parent's condo complex. Before heading off, we chose reading material from her collection to read poolside. I was excited to discover she owned a copy of Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, by Lynne Truss, a book I'd been eying up in stores for months. I delight in learning grammar and punctuation rules the way sports enthusiasts obsess over the minutiae of the game.

I could barely make my way more than a few pages in before I was absolutely disgusted with the tone of the book: the way the author describes the shrieking paroxyisms of pain she experiences at the sight of a misplaced apostrophe! The agony of inadequate commas! Incorrect capitalization! Oh, the horror! THE HORROR!

*eyeroll* Please! It didn't take me long to realize I didn't want to give people the same vibe I was getting from this author.

After that experience, I quit cold turkey: no more complaining about the "10 Items or Less" line at Trader Joe's. No more "it's 'whom', not 'who'!" No more "better than 'they', not better than 'them'"!

(I still do have my Do Not Cross lines: it's "should have" or "should've", not "should of"!!! I am taking that one to the grave...)

All of this is to say: I know where these angry commenters are coming from. Really, I do! But...well, just look:

(These are responses readers sent in in response to the article about Americanisms creeping into British culture. I cherry-picked the most hyperbolic responses. You can read all of them in the article listed at the end of this post.) (Bolding is mine.)

14. I caught myself saying "shopping cart" instead of shopping trolley today and was thoroughly disgusted with myself. I've never lived nor been to the US either. Graham Nicholson, Glasgow

22. Train station. My teeth are on edge every time I hear it. Who started it? Have they been punished? Chris Capewell, Queens Park, London

27. "Oftentimes" just makes me shiver with annoyance. Fortunately I've not noticed it over here yet. John, London (Then why are you mentioning it?)

29. I'm a Brit living in New York. The one that always gets me is the American need to use the word bi-weekly when fortnightly would suffice just fine. Ami Grewal, New York

50. "I could care less" instead of "I couldn't care less" has to be the worst. Opposite meaning of what they're trying to say. Jonathan, Birmingham


(I had to mention that last one, as I've heard it before. It's actually a misunderstanding of the American phrase: "I could care less" is meant sarcastically.)

I have to confess that whenever the discussion of Americanisms comes up, I tend to find myself confused: America is a big country, and some vocabularly is not as wide-spread as one might imagine.

I remember listening to one of my favorite BBC radio programs, when one of the hosts started talking about a program on language that they'd recently listened to. He started talking about the phrase "tit-bits". "Did you know it's actually supposed to be 'tid-bits'?" he said. "'Tit-bits' is an Americanism!"

This was news to me! I've always said "tid-bits", and I'd never heard "tit bits" before I started listening to that program! It might be a genuine Americanism (as I said: it's a big country, and I'm not familiar with all its vocabulary) but I can't imagine that it is: mostly because the word 'tit' is much more common in the UK. I think it's considered a much ruder term in the US.

Which is to say: it's often confusing what terms and phrases are attributed to one country or another. Some 'Americanisms' actually originated in the UK, but fell out of use there before being re-imported via American media. Some Americanisms, reviled at their introduction, have simply merged with the language and become common use everywhere English is spoken: 'lengthy', 'reliable', 'talented', 'influential', and 'tremendous' all originated in the Colonies. (The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge was particularly disgusted with the word 'talented'. Read the article listed at the end of this entry for more!)

(Lest anyone think all the Brits are hyperbolically annoyed, here's my favorite reader quote from the article:

19. I enjoy Americanisms. I suspect even some Americans use them in a tongue-in-cheek manner? "That statement was the height of ridiculosity". Bob, Edinburgh

*touches nose* Bingo! Somebody get Bob a prize... And yes. I made up the word 'hyperbolically' to illustrate Bob's point!)

There are many Americanisms I wouldn't bother to defend. No, I take that back: I wouldn't bother to defend any of them! Because that's not how language works. Societies don't choose their vocabulary by committee: language evolves, with little influence from most individuals. (Oh, that I had the influence of Shakespeare and all of the many words he coined!)

The concluding point of the original article is that the author mourns the erosion of British culture as distinct from American culture. I can see why that would be worrying: the increasing globalization of the world means that a lot of change is happening very quickly, and I'm sure all sorts of culture and customs get lost in the shuffle. I just wonder if policing language is the tact to take? (I don't think so. Language evolves, and there's not much use in trying to stop it.)

I do think I might have lost the point in this long ramble of an article: I think mostly I want to spark discussion, as I love talking about language! So, here's a list of discussion questions, followed by a list of resources:

• Do you have an unfavorite Americanism?
  
• What about your grammar and/or punctuation pet peeves?
  
• Pro or anti-pedant?
  
• How do you feel about the natural evolution of language? Should we try to prevent it from happening in certain instances, or stand out of its way?
  
• Any favorite language anecdotes or facts to share?

Resources:

Stephen Fry! (The video faery_fall posted.)

The BBC articles:
Viewpoint: Why do some Americanisms irritate people?
Americanisms: 50 of your most noted examples

Separated By a Common Language: I should have guessed that she would be discussing these articles! :P I was merely going to suggest this as an excellent blog dealing with the differences between American and British English. It's written by an American linguist living in the UK.

Comments

[roh-wyn.livejournal.com]

Fascinating post! I remember we had a bit of a throwdown about language in the chat room recently, right? My single brain cell has since forgotten what the point was, fwiw. But I love the idea of language (and particularly the evolution of a common language separated by time and geography), so this is right in my interest wheelhouse. Thank you!

I should preface all my comments with two disclaimers. First, English is not really my first language, although I speak it as well as I speak any other language. Second, I know I'm guilty of some of the pet peeves I rant about below, so my apologies for the hypocrisy/inconsistency.

1. Do you have an unfavorite Americanism?

I don't know if this is an Americanism generally, but it's very common in the Midwest: Are you coming with? Obviously, the object is implicit and inherent, but it does sort of make me break out into a very mild rash when I hear it. (I suspect there's a historical reason for this usage. I think it comes from direct translation from German into English, i.e. Kommen Sie mit? becomes Are you coming with?)

Also, I want to run away when I hear people say "irregardless" and "supposably".

2. What about your grammar and/or punctuation pet peeves?

Split infinitives. I know most people don't even notice this, but when I see it in print, it makes me think the editors of the piece were just being lazy.

Oh, and I here's where I break with traditional punctuation: I hate the Oxford/Harvard/serial comma, and I don't care what CMoS has to say about it. ;)

3. Pro or anti-pedant?

I'm still something of a pedant, but I'm less pedantic than I used to be. I've come to realize, over time, that the point of written and verbal language is communication, and the occasional error of grammar or usage does not interfere with communication.

How do you feel about the natural evolution of language? Should we try to prevent it from happening in certain instances, or stand out of its way?

I don't think you can prevent it. Note how the French and the Germans are constantly having to create new usage rules to account for normal evolution of speech and usage in their language. It's just more work for everyone, and we should just let it happen as it always does--organically.

Any favorite language anecdotes or facts to share?

One of my relatives routinely says "all the both of you", and I'm now so used to it, I don't even laugh anymore. Or at least not in a cruel and derisive way. :)

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

My single brain cell has since forgotten what the point was, fwiw.

You were unhappy with the regional American vocabulary "crick" (for "creek"), and I was defending its use. :P Initially, at least!

You know what: I say "are you coming with?" all the time! But it's funny, because I remember how strange it sounded to me 10 years ago. (And yet, at some point I adopted its usage!) I think it originally comes from the East Coast?

You know what, I used the Oxford comma at one point in this post, and I was going to draw attention to it! Funny thing is, I remember being taught it was unnecessary at school. Yet, being a massive fan of punctuation in general, I adopted its use on my own! ;)

I like "all the both of you"! My goal for this next week will be to work it into a sentence. ;)