Have you noticed?

[Roscoe]

It has just taken over. Nothing has an effect any more. These days everything has an impact. I wonder why that is. The Yankee influence yet again? 

We have our own unique identity. Why does everyone have to copy the Yanks? I'm a Kiwi and proud of it. Next thing you know, they will be copying the Yank accent as well. It doesn't bear  thinking about.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Well, seeing I speak BBC English, I guess it could be worse. And it might be because a lot of people don't know the difference between affect, effect, as nouns and as verbs. Some don't even know there are differences...

Which is very irritating for us nerds.

[Olive]

I have no idea what the original poster's first sentence is about. What has just taken over what?

[Roscoe]

I have no idea what the original poster's first sentence is about.  What has just taken over what?

Perhaps you need to read it again, then. I thought that which I wrote was fairly plain. Oh_hunnihunni seems to understand what I said and has made a sensible reply. Try again. 

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Don't be rude Roscoe.

We are nice to each other in here, even when totally disagreeing with each other.

---

I have no idea what the original poster's first sentence is about.  What has just taken over what?

The way Americanisms have taken over British English words as go to choices by the media - the example being the choice to use impact over effect or affect...

The reality is American English is different from British English, as anyone engaging on US internet forums soon discovers. While we don't need translators yet, both sides have to think about the difference at times. And it isn't just spelling.

I can recall being tossed out of one forum for trying to post a phrase using the word 'bugger', common enough in New Zild, but rather rude in the mid west forum I was playing in.

Since those days though, I think the US has widened the gap even further, and as a progressive nation we have surged ahead in a number of areas, I am rather proud of that. Language though is an ever changing mode of communication, I am trying not to insist on right ways and wrong...

Though gross errors still irritate the hell out of me.

[Roscoe]

Don't be rude Roscoe.

We are nice to each other in here, even when totally disagreeing with each other.

---

I have no idea what the original poster's first sentence is about.  What has just taken over what?

The way Americanisms have taken over British English words as go to choices by the media - the example being the choice to use impact over effect or affect...

The reality is American English is different from British English, as anyone engaging on US internet forums soon discovers. While we don't need translators yet, both sides have to think about the difference at times. And it isn't just spelling.

I can recall being tossed out of one forum for trying to post a phrase using the word 'bugger', common enough in New Zild, but rather rude in the mid west forum I was playing in.

Since those days though, I think the US has widened the gap even further, and as a progressive nation we have surged ahead in a number of areas, I am rather proud of that. Language though is an ever changing mode of communication, I am trying not to insist on right ways and wrong...

Though gross errors still irritate the hell out of me.

[Zurdo]

So, will it be back to feet and inches, pounds and ounces...but not pints and gallons, will we have to use quarts ?

[Roscoe]

Don't be rude Roscoe.

We are nice to each other in here, even when totally disagreeing with each other.

---

The way Americanisms have taken over British English words as go to choices by the media - the example being the choice to use impact over effect or affect...

The reality is American English is different from British English, as anyone engaging on US internet forums soon discovers. While we don't need translators yet, both sides have to think about the difference at times. And it isn't just spelling.

I can recall being tossed out of one forum for trying to post a phrase using the word 'bugger', common enough in New Zild, but rather rude in the mid west forum I was playing in.

Since those days though, I think the US has widened the gap even further, and as a progressive nation we have surged ahead in a number of areas, I am rather proud of that. Language though is an ever changing mode of communication, I am trying not to insist on right ways and wrong...

Though gross errors still irritate the hell out of me.

---

I was not meaning to be rude. I just thought that what I wrote was plain enough and you certainly understood what I meant so I did not see why others would not understand it as well.

The Americanisms annoy me as well. I, too, speak BBC English as I come from an English background and although America is a great country and I have found the Americans lovely and welcoming people, I also think that New Zealand is a great place to live and we have our own unique style of life and tongue and I would like to see NZ remain that way and not be overrun by the American way of life and way of speaking (and spelling), but it seems a pity that many people in this country don't seem to care and seem to be quite happy to take on the American way of doing things.

[Lilith7]

I've noticed that lately, pronouncing words of more then one or two syllables is apparently far too difficult, so we get definly instead of definitely.
And that no one dies any more; they pass. Which makes me have to bite my tongue to prevent asking what mark they received.

Kiwi language is becoming very Americanised lately though - but that has always happened. In high school I remember a friend's Mum getting quite annoyed when we said yeah rather than yes - I now know how she felt!
Language changes over time & I think the recent Americanisms may be due to TV & the internet; it seems some teenagers who've been interviewed for various things have developed a faux American accent & that's not limited to NZ but is apparently happening around the world.

[Zurdo]

Also how or where immigrants are taught English...easy to pick when they say zeee. In the written word, Mom infuriates me.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

98% SC English. Just a bit of a brag here.

Don't ask about the maths though...

[Roscoe]

98% SC English.  Just a bit of a brag here.

Don't ask about the maths though...

I know what you mean. English was my best subject as well but I just did basic maths because I had to.

But it has worked out well as SWMBO is good at maths but her English is not very good so we compliment each other.

[Lilith7]

I always did well in English too, but rubbish at maths & often got zero in maths tests. Only decades later did I stumble across discalculia.

[Zurdo]

Same here, not exactly excelling in English...although I never really tried, mid 60's was always my aim. I was able to drop maths as a subject, although we went to maths, but never did any. And in my '50's stumbled across dyscalculia...it appears to common with them, a lot becoming authors. Have you noticed a red line under maths ? We can't use English, american English is the proper internet language.

[Lilith7]

Same here, not exactly excelling in English...although I never really tried, mid 60's was always my aim.  I was able to drop maths as a subject, although we went to maths, but never did any.  And in my '50's stumbled across dyscalculia...it appears to common with them, a lot becoming authors. Have you noticed a red line under maths ?  We can't use English, american English is the proper internet language.

Yeah I get the red line - & ignore the damned thing.

 I'm attempting to educate my language thingy to gradually change to UK English since it can't be changed otherwise.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

That may be at the heart of the problem. Like McDonalds, American colonisation by stealth...

[Lilith7]

That may be at the heart of the problem. Like McDonalds, American colonisation by stealth...

Could be - I tried it once when it first arrived didn't think much of it & have never bothered since. Besides I don't much like the way those fast food places operate.

[zqwerty]

McDonalds has always been horrible.

KFC was so tasty when it first came here but it's horrible now as well.

[Lilith7]

I think both McDonalds & KFC haven't the best of reputations when it comes to the way in which they exploit both the planet & their staff.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

My daughter worked for McDs when she finally left home. She worked appalling hours, but went up through the ranks very fast ending up as a team leader for one of the morning shifts. She enjoyed it, but she worked for a good franchise owner - that is where the problem can lie. Some of them are total exploiters, and others are amazing bosses. As they should be, it is a licence to print money being in that game, unless you are a complete numpty. The side benefits to being a franchisee are pretty good too, they have a very good social side built in. Lots of celebrations with lots of rewards for being an owner.

But like supermarkets, it costs to buy in.