This tag is for questions related to English as spoken in the isles of Britain and sometimes Ireland.
1
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1answer
199 views
deceit vs deception
There seems to be a boundary between these concepts, but I can't quite work out where it is. Camouflage and mimicry are deceptions; telling untruths is deceitful.
In common usage we would say, 'The ...
0
votes
1answer
69 views
What is the meaning of “at its discretion”?
What does "at its discretion" mean in the following sentence?
Dual Gadgets undertakes, at its discretion and cost, to repair or replace defective equipment covered by warranty in 3.b., provided ...
0
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0answers
33 views
Software to change American punctuation to British [migrated]
My apologies if this is off topic.
American and British writing have different punctuation styles. Is there any software that can change American style punctuation to British? I am referring to ...
-1
votes
1answer
95 views
(Presumably) an address without preposition
I'm trying to translate a contract between two parties, and I came across this:
Package and delivery Dual Gadgets, Kempston, Beds UK as defined in TERMS 2001.
and
Delivery Point
The ...
-2
votes
1answer
115 views
“Cant fight no more”, is this grammatically correct? [duplicate]
"Cant fight no more", is this grammatically correct?
If not, what is the correct way of saying this?
Thanks!
1
vote
1answer
81 views
When it come to bicycle tyres, what does “cheerful”, “sprightlier” mean?
The usage of those words can be found in this review of a certain make of bicycle tyres. Unable to understand what the author is trying to say using those adjectives, since they are usually used to ...
0
votes
2answers
121 views
whiskers vs sideburns usage in UK vs US English?
Is the word whiskers more like UK English and "sideburns" more like US English? I see the term originates from "Ambrose Burnside" who was American so the word "whisker(s)" can be older than the word ...
1
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4answers
164 views
In England, do people use “people” or “persons” more?
In England, do people use "people" or "persons" more? And do you use the phrase "Keep it on your person"?
3
votes
3answers
236 views
British term for 'washroom'? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Washroom”, “restroom”, “bathroom”, “lavatory”, “toilet” or “toilet room”
What is the British equivalent of the American 'washroom'? (Besides 'loo', of course, as it is ...
2
votes
4answers
337 views
“Fall term”, “autumn semester”, “autumn term” or “fall semester”?
Please clarify which is UK English, American English, and where and when to use which:
Fall term (American English?)
Autumn semester (UK English?)
Autumn term (wrong?)
Fall semester (wrong?)
4
votes
1answer
223 views
What does “to have a little form” mean?
In the article, "Not nein...but TEN reasons why we should love Germany", the following phrase is being used:
LET’S face it, Britain and Germany have a little form over the past century.
...
0
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5answers
1k views
What do you call a person who always has a pleasant smile on his face?
What do you call a person who always has a pleasant smile on his face. Is there anything better than calling him a "Pleasing personality"?
5
votes
1answer
163 views
Cardinal British Dates - A Kiwi Original?
I had never heard the use of cardinal numbers in dates when speaking until I moved to New Zealand. It seems particularly prevalent in TV and radio advertising, but doesn't seem to follow either ...
5
votes
1answer
171 views
Why is “accidentally” pronounced “accident-ly” instead of “accident-tal-y”?
Why is accidentally pronounced accident-ly and not accident-tal-ly?
Incidentally, some other adverbs have this same phenomenon, where some dictionaries show the second-to-last syllable as being ...
-1
votes
1answer
160 views
Why are there differences between US and UK English? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Where do accents and dialects come from?
I have heard a lot about US and UK differences in spellings and their accents but then why are there differences? What's their ...
3
votes
2answers
126 views
“Go shut the door” or “Go and shut the door”: AmE/BrE difference
The usage you put the verb (in its infinitive form) right after "go" is used in AmE but not in BrE, as I heard. For example,
Go shut the door.
However, I doubt this is true and want to know the ...
0
votes
5answers
179 views
Word for person who was ignored by everyone while alive, but whose importance was realized after he died
Is there a single word for a person who was ignored by everyone when he was alive, but later people realized his importance after he died? It can also be related to his work, teaching or something ...
3
votes
3answers
414 views
French Letters and condoms
Repartee (inexact quote) from a TV show:
Person A: Now, we're going to be getting some letters from French people.
Person B: It could be worse. You might be getting French letters.
(laughter)
...
3
votes
6answers
305 views
Word or phrase to refer to self-employed professionals working from home in the UK?
Other than homeworkers (which is vague), freelancers (which is, to my knowledge, US-specific, and non-exclusive to this), what other words do self-employed people working from home describe ...
6
votes
2answers
391 views
Why do American and British English use different quotation marks?
American English uses double-quotes, while British English uses single-quotes:
"This is a quote."
'This is a quote.'
Why do we use different quotation marks? When did this difference ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
“Tabled”, US vs UK [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the meaning of the expression “We can table this”?
Here's an example snippet for some context.
Ann had an idea. We tabled her idea.
In the UK this means ...
16
votes
3answers
1k views
Why does “corn” mean “maize” in American English?
I keep hearing "corn" as a synonym of "maize". This is widely popularized worldwide by popcorn. However, this is American English! In British English, "corn" can mean any type of "grain", especially ...
2
votes
1answer
284 views
Mixing British English and American English [closed]
I'm a non-native English speaker and as such, I was taught one variety of English In school--in my case, American.
However, I've also been extensively in contact with British English, and now I ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
Why do we say 'Tearing about' [closed]
Why do we say 'tearing about' meaning rushing around in a rather haphazard way. I can't find the expression in any dictionary or thesaurus and am not sure if I am spelling it correctly. Most ...
0
votes
1answer
92 views
Is “be-gruntled” a word? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When does a word become a ‘word’?
Someone in work asked about the welfare of my girlfriend, to which I replied "She's fine, a little be-gruntled but fine." People knew ...
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votes
2answers
76 views
Is “subordinated” a good translation of the Italian legal term “subordinato”? [closed]
I've found this translation http://www.wordreference.com/iten/subordinato but I am not sure if English legals use subordinate to define a party that is subordinated to another.
Any suggestion?
EDIT: ...
-3
votes
1answer
82 views
Can I use the verb “rise” transitively, as in “rise its fame”? [closed]
I wanted to express this concept:
"In Brazil a new football star has born. Will you be able to rise its fame to superstar?"
Is this correct? Or is there an alternative and better way to say ...
3
votes
2answers
97 views
Use of 'That“ rather than ”the"
The weather reports on the BBC frequently use the word "That" when I was expecting either no article or possibly "the". For example 'There will be more of that cold weather.' when no cold weather has ...
1
vote
1answer
215 views
“Drawing room” or “sitting room”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What’s a reception room / parlor / parlour / drawing room?
Please consider the following room:
The house is a late Victorian townhouse. The room (A) has a size of about ...
0
votes
1answer
435 views
“If I was to” vs. “If I were to” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“If I was” or “If I were”. Which is more common, and which is correct?
If I was to sum up my computer knowledge in one word, it would be “destitute”.
If I were ...
4
votes
3answers
280 views
Etymology and meaning of the word “snog”
Having looked to urban dictionary, witionary, online etymology, dictionary.com, Wikipedia and wordfreaks.tribe.net, I have found a wide variance in the etymology and definition of the word snog. I ...
0
votes
1answer
206 views
What's the difference between “bloke”, “chap” and “lad”?
Several synonyms are used in the UK: bloke, chap, lad. What's the difference between them?
6
votes
4answers
550 views
“S'il vous plaît” = “If you please”?
In Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot detective stories, Poirot uses the phrase “if you please” a lot. Does this come from the French phrase “s’il vous plaît”?
6
votes
2answers
619 views
Wedding invitations in British English
I'm an American calligrapher living in France, designing a suite of wedding invitations for a Spanish bride living in London! Complicated enough? I can't really go to the bride with questions ...
1
vote
2answers
246 views
Is “my place” correct and common in British English?
I was recently told that "my place", such as in "let's go to my place" is not commonly used in British English? Is that the case and what would you say instead?
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votes
1answer
90 views
Origin of “happen” [closed]
What is the origin of the word happen? If it comes from the word hap, what is the early usage of that word?
1
vote
2answers
2k views
“Each other's presence” vs. “each others' presence” [closed]
Which of the following is correct?
spend time in each other's presence
spend time in each others' presence
13
votes
2answers
804 views
“I'm on the brew”
A conversation between two Scots:
— What do you do for a living?
— I'm on the brew.
Assuming that I have the phrase right, what exactly does "on the brew" mean here? Based on the context, I ...
3
votes
3answers
173 views
He considers that X is Y. vs He thinks that X is Y
The following verb in sentence 1 strikes me as strange when it has the same meaning as in sentences 2 and 3 below.
He considers that blue cheese is delicious.
He thinks that blue cheese is ...
1
vote
2answers
170 views
In British English, do you favorite or favourite a post? [closed]
When using "favorite" in a computer technology sense (for example, bookmarking a question on Stack Overflow), do British English speakers still use "favourite" (the traditional spelling in British ...
1
vote
2answers
388 views
Is there a difference between British English phrases and American phrases? [closed]
My goal is to learn British English because I'm going to study there. I've found a good book about English phrases. However, the book is originally from the US.
Is there a difference between ...
1
vote
2answers
141 views
Help in demystifying the meaning of 2 sentences from an academic journal article!
1.) This is basically an english translation of a section of a Hittite Law code:
"If someone wounds a man and makes him ill, he shall nurse him. He shall give a man in his place who will work in his ...
-1
votes
1answer
119 views
Correct headline in scientific pro/contra table
Which words are appropriate for the headline in a table with pros and cons in a scientific paper (physics)?
PROS CONS
ice cheap cold
fish expensive warm
0
votes
0answers
18 views
punctuation when addressing a person's name [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is it proper to omit periods after honorifics (Mr, Mrs, Dr)?
Should I use a full stop after Mr. or Mrs. as in Mr. Smith or Mrs. Smith or should I write Mr Smith and Mrs ...
3
votes
2answers
298 views
Sapu Lidi: A broom made of many wooden sticks
For many Indonesians, the name sapu lidih or sapu lidi is somewhat familiar. Well, this "sapu lidih" is actually a broom made of many wooden sticks. If you translate the name directly to English, it ...
1
vote
3answers
411 views
Pronunciation of “lorry”, “worry” and “sorry”
I have always pronounced lorry as "lur-ee" (as if to rhyme with worry), for as long as I can remember. Everyone else I know pronounces it as "lor-ee" (as if to rhyme with sorry).
Which one is ...
11
votes
2answers
846 views
How and when did American spelling supersede British spelling in the US?
Considering that Webster published his first dictionary in 1806, is there a recognised tipping point (year, decade, etc.) that marked the move from traditional British spelling to Webster's American? ...
6
votes
4answers
556 views
Different Meanings of 'Jumper' (Transatlantic embarassment)
I'm originally from Wales, now living in the USA, and as the cold weather is approaching I'm determined, this year, to start using the word sweater to describe the item of clothing I'm wearing, as ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Alternative names for a place of trade [closed]
I am wondering what alternative names or nicknames there are for a place of trade. I know of market but I am hoping for others.
1
vote
1answer
273 views
What is the origin of “odds and ends”?
There's already a question (and answer) for "bits and bobs", which I believe is a Britishism, but what is the origin of "odds and ends"? "Odds" I have some reckoning for (as in, "odd items", meaning ...
