The Language (and travel) Thread

[aely]

You can get some great colours in gel pens. I have to use black ink for everyday writing in work, though I have a 4 colour biro for highlighting bits on my handover that need to stand out in order to remind me of stuff - current 4 colour biro has purple, pink, turquoise and lime green ink. I'd write in purple in work if we were allowed, but we're not, so I save the purple for fun stuff.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I'd still favor the turquoise (though mauve would also be nice), but it's available only in a multi-pack with five other colors. (I could mail you the purple one!)

[Carol the Dabbler]

This morning, I ran across the infamous list of "seven words you can't say on television." Those of you who remember George Carlin's comedy monologue on that theme will know what I'm talking about. For the rest of you, the Federal Communications Commission censors any words it considers inappropriate for American broadcast television, and Carlin's routine lists seven that are de facto taboo. I was a bit surprised just now to see that three of them are words that I use fairly freely in certain contexts (even when I'm talking to my mother), and two of those have already been used (more or less) on Sherlock.

 

The reason I say "more or less" is that American viewers never heard a disappointed John say "Shit!" in "Scandal in Belgravia," because (as I have previously mentioned elsewhere in this forum) the entire "danger night/walk your dog" scene was cut from the PBS broadcast. This may have been done because of that word, but seeing as how the specific cuts are made by Hartswood, I rather suspect that it was the other way around -- because that scene was already considered a sacrificial lamb, they felt free to use any language allowed by the BBC.

 

But I just now realized that a bit of dialog in "The Reichenbach Fall" may also have been influenced by the FCC. After receiving Lestrade's phone call, John tells Sherlock, "They're all coming over here right now, ... every single officer you ever made feel like a tit ...." (thanks once more to Ariane DeVere's meticulous transcripts for the exact quote). It had always seemed to me that John pronounces the word "tit" with even more than his usual precision, and I assumed he was merely emphasizing it. But now I'm thinking that quite possibly it wasn't John as such, it was Martin Freeman making it perfectly clear that he was using the singular form of the noun -- because what's on Carlin's list is the plural form.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Ain't I glad that the Regional One Sherlock DVDs restored those scenes. I can't believe that they believe that Americans are so sensitive to the whole sexual, bad word nonsense....has Hollywood actually watched their own shows like "Big Bang" and "Two and A Half Men"? Seems like a whole lot of hypocrisy going on.

[Carol the Dabbler]

As regards "language" on broadcast television, it's not Hollywood making the rules, it's the gumment. So it doesn't have to make sense, it's just legal.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

No wonder there's a whole lot of silliness going on....gumment indeed.

[Carol the Dabbler]

We've already had a bit of discussion on words and phrases that sound distinctively British to Americans, such as "not a sausage" -- and I'll add that an ex-Londoner friend cracked me up recently by exclaiming "Crikey!" It occurs to me that there must likewise be some expressions that sound perfectly normal to me, but which sound distinctively or even humorously American to the British ear. Obviously I can offer no examples -- how about the rest of you?

[Shangas]

Sadly, "Crroooyikey!" will forever be linked down here, to Steve Irwin the Croc-Hunter.

 

I've never known anyone but the Brits, to say...

 

"By Jove", "By George".

 

'By Jove' always makes me think of the really refined, upper-class aristocrats (think Jeeves & Wooster).

 

I've never known anyone but the British, to say "Jolly good", or "Cheerio" (the cereal does not count in this instance).

 

I've never known the British to ever say "dude". "Mate", "chap", "Buddy", "Chum", yes. "Dude" or "Pal"? Never.

 

I've never known anyone but those OUTSIDE the states, to refer to Americans universally as "Yanks". Sorry chaps. Take it for granted; to us Imperials, you're a Yank whether you're from Florida, Nevada, California, Washington, Iowa, Jawjah, or Nue Yawk.

 

And I'm sure there are loads for Australia...

[aely]

I get called 'dude' by at least 3 different friends - all British. Before Bill and Ted in the 80s/90s, I probably wouldn't have done. Never been called, or used, 'Pal' unless I'm talking about dog food.

 

I'm also one of those people who says 'jolly good' though that's usually in work.

 

In general, there are more Americanisms in English than there were 30 odd years ago, mostly thanks to films and TV.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

And I think English TV is starting to have some influence here in the US. At least I find myself using "joy" for luck and such.

[Carol the Dabbler]

And I actually overheard myself say something like "I might have done" (with no object stated) the other day. Got to stop watching so much telly!

[Undead Medic]

And I'm sure there are loads for Australia...

 

I've often wondered if it is only in soap operas that Australians say "Fair Dinkum" or "Strewth"

[Carol the Dabbler]

"Strewth" -- good Lord, are there live people who are still saying that? How Elizabethan!

[Undead Medic]

"Strewth" -- good Lord, are there live people who are still saying that? How Elizabethan!

 

It used to be commonly used by Aussie soap characters, and by the irrepressible Michael J "Crocodile" Dundee as an expression of surprise, similar to the British "Blimey" or "Bloody Hell" I have often wondered how common it really is, or if it's just something that the rest of the world thinks that Australians say.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Speaking of "blimey!" -- that's another expression I've never heard in real life. Do you folks really say that?

[Undead Medic]

Sometimes, often with a smidge of irony. But sometimes in seriousness!

[Shangas]

"Fair Dinkum", "Strewth" (from "God's Truth"), "Blimey!" (from "God Blind Me") are all alive and kicking in Australia.

 

Along with some shared vernacular from our British counterparts, such as bugger, blast and damn.

 

Does anyone in England really say "Giddy Biscuit"? Or is that just Hugh Laurie in "Jeeves & Wooster"?

[aely]

I have been known to say "Oh my giddy aunt!" but nowt about biscuits. Mind you, I have also been known to say "Oh Bugger me to buggering hell and back" when a simple "Oh bugger!" won't do.

 

They really do say "Och aye the noo" in parts of Scotland and "d'ye ken?"

 

Scousers really do tell each other to "Calm down!"

[Carol the Dabbler]

"Fair Dinkum", "Strewth" (from "God's Truth"), "Blimey!" (from "God Blind Me") are all alive and kicking in Australia.

That would imply that "Strewth" was still in common usage in the UK circa 1800 (when Australia was colonized). Don't think it ever got a foothold over here in the US.

 

 

Scousers really do tell each other to "Calm down!"

People say that in Indiana too. Does it have some non-obvious special meaning in Liverpool?

 

 

Is anyone else's spellcheck missing? Or did I somehow turn mine off?

[aely]

The calm down thing can be kind of explained by this -

 

 

The whole curly hair and shell suit thing was a dig at a certain section of the Liverpool population, but Scousers being Scousers, they kind of adopted the piss-take and made it their own...

[Shangas]

I have been known to say "Oh my giddy aunt!" but nowt about biscuits. Mind you, I have also been known to say "Oh Bugger me to buggering hell and back" when a simple "Oh bugger!" won't do.

 

"Do you know any swears?"

"Well, bugger, bugger you, blast, bugger you, you beastly bastard..."

"Bertie!...A public-school prig could do better than that!"

"SHIT! Shit shit ass balls shit bugger..."

"Do you know the F-word?"

"Ffffoooornication?"

"Beeertie..."

"F***!"

 

That's from "The King's Speech", if anyone's wondering. A wonderful film.

[Undead Medic]

 

 

"Do you know any swears?"

"Well, bugger, bugger you, blast, bugger you, you beastly bastard..."

"Bertie!...A public-school prig could do better than that!"

"SHIT! Shit shit ass balls shit bugger..."

"Do you know the F-word?"

"Ffffoooornication?"

"Beeertie..."

"F***!"

 

That's from "The King's Speech", if anyone's wondering. A wonderful film.

 

"And what if my husband were the Duke Of York?"

 

Best line of the film, along with the perfect "Can we start this conversation again?" facial reaction from Geoffrey Rush's character. Priceless!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Spellcheck is definitely not working at all, at least not on this computer. What's the situation for the rest of you?

[Undead Medic]

The forum doesn't have its own spell checker. That functionality is provided by your browser. Have you recently changed any settings or upgraded? which browser are you using?

[Carol the Dabbler]

Ah! Thanks, that explains it. Yes, I'm on a newer computer, with a newer version of Windows. Still using Firefox, but it's also a newer version (can't seem to get it to tell me which version, and the IT guy has gone to bed). After hunting around a bit, the only thing I see that sounds good is "Check my spelling as I type" -- but that was already checked.

 

Aha -- the help function was actually helpful! All I had to do was right-click in the editor box and add a dictionary. Duh!