Telegraph.co.uk's top 10 most annoying Americanisms - we can do better.

He was taken to hospital. (was hospitalised, without any specific information as to which one)

He was taken to the hospital. (as the answer to an example question like: "Was he taken to the clinic or the hospital?" -- denotes specific place.

Same thing about cricket. Would work in this case. But if it's just a general statement, it's wrong.
 
EDIT: Also for the cricket thing - I would say that I was going to "the Rugby" or "the football" as well - would you say "I'm going to football"? what else would you say?

You would have to say what about football you are going to. "I am going to the football game" When I say why is there a "the" in front I'm asking why there isn't anything after "cricket".

For example...to me... "I'm going to the cricket test" sounds a lot better.

Who knows, maybe you guys just got lazy and said "Well everyone knows what we're talking about lets just leave off the word test!"

Don't believe me? When appealing to an ump you guys have gone from "How is that good sir? Is that sufficient for an out?"

to...

"Owzat!?!?!?!"

:D
 
I've just thought of something, When people say "A MP3 player" it sounds wrong, to me it should be "An MP3 player." I've noticed it with other words too, or am I just being pedantic?
 
I've just thought of something, When people say "A MP3 player" it sounds wrong, to me it should be "An MP3 player." I've noticed it with other words too, or am I just being pedantic?

Well, since the rule is that "an" precedes vowel sounds, not vowel letters (hence "an hour" instead of "a hour"), it should be "An MP3 player". Which reminds me: I hate it when native speakers mess that up and type stuff like "an unique". :no:
 
I've just thought of something, When people say "A MP3 player" it sounds wrong, to me it should be "An MP3 player." I've noticed it with other words too, or am I just being pedantic?

When you say, or write "An MP3 player", you're conducting what is known as speaking english correctly. :)
That's not pedantic, that's proper.

And when you point out a mistake, at least in my world, it's not pedantic either, it just shows that you care about the language. And caring about something is supposed to be good isn't it?

Oh, something else, something really important: If you find a particular discussion or debate annoying or gratuitous, it is your right to point that out, but it's not yet a proper argument for or against the matter at hand. Just as being offended isn't an argument in and of itself. If you really want to have a stand in the discussion, you will have to find some arguments for your position before you have your say, otherwise you're just going to make noise, which is gratuitous indeed.
 
Good to know because whenever somebody says "a" instead of "an" or vice-verse I point it out and they do the whole I'm right you're wrong thing. I've never heard anyone say "an unique" before though.
 
No, they don't. It's the Americans that cut out the H.

To quote Eddie Izzard: "And we do pronounce things in a different way! Like you say 'caterpillar' and we say 'caterpillar.' And, uh... No, you say 'a-*loo*-min-um,' we say 'a-loo-*min*-yum. You say 'cen-*tri*-fugal,' we say 'centri-*fu*-gal." You say 'leisure!' We say 'lie-sur-eye-ay.' Uhh, uh, you say 'bay-sil', we say 'bah-sil,' and you say 'erbs,' and we say 'herbs!'...because there's a fucking 'h' in it."

I've only heard it on American TV and from the yanks in #gear.
 
Well, since the rule is that "an" precedes vowel sounds, not vowel letters (hence "an hour" instead of "a hour"), it should be "An MP3 player". Which reminds me: I hate it when native speakers mess that up and type stuff like "an unique". :no:

Is that why it's "a one-cent coin" and not "an one-cent coin" ?

That one's always puzzled me.
 
It is. The word one starts with the w-sound, which is a consonant.
 
No, they don't. It's the Americans that cut out the H.

A lot of British dialects also like missing out letters, especially an H. In fact I would probably actually say "an 'istory" but that is just my accent/dialect.
 
I would still like my "The cricket" problem resolved.
 
I read it...doesn't really satisfy me :p
 
You would have to say what about football you are going to. "I am going to the football game" When I say why is there a "the" in front I'm asking why there isn't anything after "cricket".

For example...to me... "I'm going to the cricket test" sounds a lot better.

Who knows, maybe you guys just got lazy and said "Well everyone knows what we're talking about lets just leave off the word test!"

Don't believe me? When appealing to an ump you guys have gone from "How is that good sir? Is that sufficient for an out?"

to...

"Owzat!?!?!?!"

:D
OK well I would say I am going to the test, or to the test match. No one would question what test, they would know. If I were going to a county game I'd say I off to Hants versus Kent and again they would know immediately what I was talking about. I could say "just" I am going to the Cricket match but that would be to women.

You are American, do not ever try to understand Cricket - you will fail.

/EDIT Well you start from: it takes up to 5 days, you can get a draw and a tie and they are not the same and finally you do not always get a winner even after 5 days.

See what I mean about it would be difficult for an American to understand - it is just too alien I think.
 
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Simply put: "Going to the cricket." is wrong, unless you're talking about the annoying chirping insect right outside your window. It should be "Going to the/a cricket game/test/pitch/ball". You could say "I'm going to cricket." if you intend to use it as a verb, to either mean playing cricket or immitating the said insect, but you have to be a rather formidable and famous linguist ala Shakespeare to coin such a phrase (he was famous for verbifying every day nouns).
 
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