American or English?

A discussion of the peculiarities of languages and the differences between them.
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Slava
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American or English?

Postby Slava » Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:44 pm

A nice little piece from Roger Cohen of the NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/02/opini ... d=36849752
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Perry Lassiter
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Re: American or English?

Postby Perry Lassiter » Mon Dec 01, 2014 5:53 pm

Enjoyed it and a couple of dozen comments. I've encountered all or most of those through reading English authors. Still, I had a roommate from London in the late fifties and was more interested in his pronunciations, such as shedule for skedule. He's also the guy who asked me, while working on a Christmas sermon, whether we had the word "outhouse." I told him yes, but the meaning that first came to mind was an outdoor privy. His reply was, "I better not say Jesus was born in an outhouse." I agree. You can also wonder about my thoughts in reading history when I came across a privy counsel.
pl

bnjtokyo

Re: American or English?

Postby bnjtokyo » Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:14 am

In his second sentence, Mr Cohen mischaracterizes American English. He says "It can be as blunt as the shift from 'restroom' to 'toilet.'" It should be "bathroom" to "toilet." Living as I do in a place where the bath is only rarely forced into coexistence with the toilet, I resent this usurpation of this lovely word by yahoos as a means to avoid referring to excretory functions, particularly since euphemisms can only fail.

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bailey66
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Re: American or English?

Postby bailey66 » Tue Dec 02, 2014 1:49 pm

a privy counsel.
Well no matter what we talk about there's always someone to tell us how to do it.

M. Tongue-firmly-in-cheek Bailey
In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, Isa30:15

Philip Hudson
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Re: American or English?

Postby Philip Hudson » Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:16 pm

As I understand it, French kings used to do their business while they were doing their "business" and that is why it was called the Privy Counsel. If I am wrong about this, please don't disillusion me.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

Perry Lassiter
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Re: American or English?

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sat Dec 13, 2014 8:16 pm

I won't...:)
pl


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