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

Ramseus said:
Still beats the overly dramatic inflection, pauses, and completely made up accents on 'mericuhn TV though. (obviously not talking about dramas)
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It's clearly not a 'mericuh-only thing. Do the words "in the world" mean anything to you? :p
 
We call pants pants. You call "underpants" or "underwear" pants. Trousers are pair of pants. Each half is a pant leg. Pants. Kind of like how it's a pair of scissors. Each "knife" is a scissor, just as each leg is a pant. You put two together, and you get a pair of scissors, or a pair of pants.

As for the call and write comparison, I was using the word, not like a shorthand for a phone call, but like "I'll call to him" as if he were in the back yard.

Entree? That makes sense. Apparently, "entree" got it's start as the "entry" to the meal...however, as meals changed, this is where NA and Eupore split their meanings. The meals of previous centuries began with a large communal dish...a large roast, a whole turkey, etc. This was both the main, and beginning of the meal. As this form of meal died out in favor of a staggered meal where the "main course" was later in the meal, the Europeans decided to still call the "entry" to the meal (the appetizer) the "entree" whereas the Americans used the term to describe the 1/2 of the concept of it being the main course. Realizing that the word means "entry" I think it does make more sense that it be the appetizer, but the American usage isn't without merit. But I agree that it doesn't make as much sense.

As for math vs maths....maths makes sense as it's short for mathematics...but anything that ends in "___ths" just sounds weird. Not saying it's wrong...just sounds weird..

Bathroom/restroom/facilities/lavatory: a) One doesn't always need a toilet, one just may be using the bathroom to shoot-up, to re-apply a fresh coat of deodorant, replacing a maxi pad, wiping their ass sweat, checking make-up, washing their hands before a meal, or trying to find a date under the wall of the bathroom stall. It's no business of the party to know why you need the use of the room. b) I don't want to know what you're doing in there. There are many reasons one might need to use it, I don't need to know that your diarrhea is kicking in again when we've just sat down for dinner. None of the names for the particular room are really all that good, either. Water Closet? really? Must have lost something in the translation. When I hear "water closet" I imagine a small pantry/linen closet that holds those big 5 gal bottles of water. Bathroom? Hmm...well, if it's a "half bath" you'll only be taking a sponge bath. Restroom? Not all that restful, although if you've got kids your time in there may be the only rest you get. Lavatory is too much like Laboratory. I always imagine test tubes and bunsen burners. Loo? Are you serious? WTF is that? It's just slang.

argatoga said:
"I could care less" translation "I am an idiot".
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That's a good one.
 
NecroJoe said:
We call pants pants. You call "underpants" or "underwear" pants. Trousers are pair of pants. Each half is a pant leg. Pants. Kind of like how it's a pair of scissors. Each "knife" is a scissor, just as each leg is a pant. You put two together, and you get a pair of scissors, or a pair of pants.

As for the call and write comparison, I was using the word, not like a shorthand for a phone call, but like "I'll call to him" as if he were in the back yard.

Entree? That makes sense. Apparently, "entree" got it's start as the "entry" to the meal...however, as meals changed, this is where NA and Eupore split their meanings. The meals of previous centuries began with a large communal dish...a large roast, a whole turkey, etc. This was both the main, and beginning of the meal. As this form of meal died out in favor of a staggered meal where the "main course" was later in the meal, the Europeans decided to still call the "entry" to the meal (the appetizer) the "entree" whereas the Americans used the term to describe the 1/2 of the concept of it being the main course. Realizing that the word means "entry" I think it does make more sense that it be the appetizer, but the American usage isn't without merit. But I agree that it doesn't make as much sense.

As for math vs maths....maths makes sense as it's short for mathematics...but anything that ends in "___ths" just sounds weird. Not saying it's wrong...just sounds weird..

Bathroom/restroom/facilities/lavatory: a) One doesn't always need a toilet, one just may be using the bathroom to shoot-up, to re-apply a fresh coat of deodorant, replacing a maxi pad, wiping their ass sweat, checking make-up, washing their hands before a meal, or trying to find a date under the wall of the bathroom stall. It's no business of the party to know why you need the use of the room. b) I don't want to know what you're doing in there. There are many reasons one might need to use it, I don't need to know that your diarrhea is kicking in again when we've just sat down for dinner. None of the names for the particular room are really all that good, either. Water Closet? really? Must have lost something in the translation. When I hear "water closet" I imagine a small pantry/linen closet that holds those big 5 gal bottles of water. Bathroom? Hmm...well, if it's a "half bath" you'll only be taking a sponge bath. Restroom? Not all that restful, although if you've got kids your time in there may be the only rest you get. Lavatory is too much like Laboratory. I always imagine test tubes and bunsen burners. Loo? Are you serious? WTF is that? It's just slang.



That's a good one.
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..............

My head has just exploded.
 
So what do you call "the facilities" then? I mean, I agree with you, I'm just at a loss.
 
Hidden_Hunter said:
Tasmania
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Win.

That is all. :lol:

I usually say "restroom." Washroom occasionally (picked that up from my grandparents who's parents were German immigrants) even though I know that one is rare and can also mean a laundry room. Bathroom is often a restroom that has a bath/shower in it. Like...a bathroom would be in a house, whereas as restroom would be in a restaurant. Hey...restroom...restaurant...I wonder if that has something to do with it? Probably not but...
 
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Cobol74 said:
Khazi - Now let that be an end to all the crapper words.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=khazi
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Urban Dictionary said:
Richard sat on the khazi and launched a mersey trout
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:lmao:
Cobol74 said:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=crapper+
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Urban Dictionary said:
Crapper
Latin crappus - to study, or to drop

a. Place or room in which one or many written text (i.e. Jugs, Playboy, Maxim, Sports Illustrated, Autoweek, etc.) are tediously studied by men

b. Place or room where sturdy brown logs are dropped in a porcelain container
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:roflmao:
 
chaos386 said:
Is it just me, or do you have to have a stick shoved really far up your ass to find "Happy Holidays" offensive?
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Nah, , just need to live in the midwest. Missouri about rioted in front of every walmart when they announced they would say "happy holidays' instead of "merry xmas." The news there seriously spent several weeks on the god damn subject.

The next year walmart went back to using "Merry Xmas."

Dogbert said:
So what do you call "the facilities" then? I mean, I agree with you, I'm just at a loss.
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ba?o
 
^ That might be fine in your part of the country, but here in Missouri we speak 'murican, not that Chinese shit.

Also, please don't use anything that happens in Missouri as an example in any discussion... ever. It's always embarassing. :\
 
Dogbert said:
^ That might be fine in your part of the country, but here in Missouri we speak 'murican, not that Chinese shit.
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:lmao:

You may want to start looking around you, when I went there the place was void of anyone south of the boarder, when I left nearly every town/city from STL to columbia along the I70 had at least 1 Mexican meat market. You're city is also some of the highest usage of the workers visa's during summer...

Also, please don't use anything that happens in Missouri as an example in any discussion... ever. It's always embarassing. :\
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Sorry, can't help it, there is just too much material to be obtained from your neck of the woods :p
 
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Oh god no, I know on both accounts. The Post-Dispatch actually ran a front page article this year about how St. Louis is becoming a haven for illegal immigrants (though, they're much less rude or noticeable than the immigrants in your neck of the woods :p).
 
Dogbert said:
Oh god no, I know on both accounts. The Post-Dispatch actually ran a front page article this year about how St. Louis is becoming a haven for illegal immigrants (though, they're much less rude or noticeable than the immigrants in your neck of the woods :p).
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They seem to stay in relative seclusion out there. Go to walmart at just the right (err perhaps wrong is a better choice of words) and you'll shit bricks at how many people are there that you don't normally see.

There is one benefit, you'll finally get some decent food :p Oh and don't be afraid to hit up one of those markets, they usually sell imported Coke/pepsi for about $1.50/glass bottle, and they taste WAY better than the junk we get in the states. Added benefit is the Mexican water they use to make it will put some hair on your balls :p

CraigB said:
Yes, please stop using Missouri as a reference. Just because we live in the state doesn't mean we want to be here...
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Kansas ain't much better my friend :tease:
 
Do you know if I were to be an illegal immigrant I'd be found and booted out of the US within minutes of overstaying my visa - passport stamped undesireable Alien (like I am from the planet Zog or something). The penalties of not being a Spanish speaker for you.
 
9. "Can I use your bathroom?"
Translation: "I would like to use your lavatory."
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zaybxcwd12 said:
Restroom? Your going for a pee where is the rest? your going to sit down and the fact you uranaite is just a bonus? Bathroom there is no bath what gives is that all about?
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STUPID! What does lavatory mean? It's latin for washroom. So when brits ask to use the lavatory, what are they asking? Do they want to wash someones clothes? How about wash their hands? Or maybe wash the dishes? Or wash the toilet bowl with their urine?

Oh wait, you want to take a PISS!? Why didn't you just ask for the pissatory then?

Sorry, but that's the most hypocritical argument I've ever heard.
 
Ooh its much more complicated than any American can imagine. ...

Toilet = working and lower middle class.
Lavatory = Middle, upper class,
Khazi = London working class, but only of a certain age. ...

Some people avoid mentioning the room at all.

This class thing we have is so complex most Brits are only vaguely aware of it then on one layer up or down. You can pocket a "social Climber" through it and keep out the hoi polloi - it has very little to do with money really. Yous can be stinking rich and yet not accepted - see knifes and forks. ....
 
klankymen said:
STUPID!Sorry, but that's the most hypocritical argument I've ever heard.
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Can only be hypocritical if I infact use the term which I do not, fact is lavitory is rarely used as Cobol74 pointed out. In everyday speech I am guessing most americans have heard the term as much as I have. While we are on the subject.

Cell..............Cell-phone which means a mobile phone, excuse me........the term cell which refers to a battery of sorts hence the terms cell phone, why is a standard landline cordless phone used in the term "Can you call me on my cell?". Oh it's not and then I am asking why not?.
 
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