Tagged Questions
3
votes
2answers
176 views
Have American English speakers always used the term “last name” instead of surname?
I am aware that speakers of British English generally use the term "surname" and AmE speakers use "last name." What I want to know is how long it has been this way, i.e. if AmE speakers ever used the ...
1
vote
1answer
133 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
190 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
507 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 ...
2
votes
3answers
126 views
how to handle EN US/UK differences [closed]
If you are from Great Britain, or other English speaking country (except US), or even most of European countries where you learn british-english
and are working for an American company
would you ...
10
votes
4answers
388 views
Ambiguous connotation of “just” - How do natives interpret these?
First of all, these questions are a bit related but not what I'm actually asking about:
Is “I just spent all my money” grammatically incorrect?
“I just ate them” and “I've just eaten them” - What's ...
2
votes
1answer
326 views
Convolve vs. convolute
I understand that for common usage these words have distinct meanings. However in mathematics there is a process called convolution, and sometimes you hear "you need to convolve X" and sometimes "you ...
13
votes
2answers
549 views
Is “so” more feminine than “very”?
Many Japanese textbooks of English mention the "feminine 'so'": the use of "so" for "very" is more typical of a feminine speaker. I don't think this is true in the US (I learned English living in ...
3
votes
3answers
290 views
Is “Most of the world does not distinguish captions from subtitles” true?
In the wikipedia article about closed captioning one reads
Most of the world does not distinguish captions from subtitles. In the United States and Canada, these terms do have different meanings, ...
1
vote
1answer
571 views
Mixing British and American spellings in writing [closed]
I like color more than colour, but I like favourite more than favorite. For me it is better to write
My favourite color is blue.
Is it wrong to mix British and American spellings in writing, and ...
5
votes
1answer
428 views
What's the difference between “Yours sincerely” and “Sincerely yours”?
I have read online that "Yours sincerely" is British English and "Sincerely yours" is American English.
Is this true?
Or is the difference in formality? I think the first one is more formal and the ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
“Lunch” vs “luncheon” [closed]
What is the difference between lunch and luncheon? Is it just American spelling vs British spelling, or do they have some sort of formal/professional touch to them, say, a casual midday meal with ...
1
vote
2answers
286 views
Difference between “engage” and “hire”
For example,
"We decide to engage a lawyer for the case."
"We decide to hire a lawyer for the case."
Is engage used particularly in British English? Do speakers of American English use engage in ...
0
votes
2answers
357 views
Are there clear differences in formality of words between British-English and American-English [closed]
I wonder if there are any clear distinctions regarding using formal words in British-English and in American-English. Do American and English people use different words when for instance asking a ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
“Interfere in” vs. “interfere with”
I was taught that when interfere is followed by in, it means to get involved in something that doesn't concern you; when followed by with, it means to prevent something from being done. And this is ...
3
votes
2answers
311 views
“cold cash” vs. “hard cash”
Context (New York Times):
Besides piling into Treasuries, institutional investors are also
seeking out the safety of cold, hard cash, pouring billions
into commercial bank accounts backed up ...
2
votes
2answers
184 views
“What it is that is” versus “what is”
I recently heard an American presenter using the phrase "discover what it is that is important to you."
What is the linguistic difference between saying "what it is that is," rather than "what is"?
3
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the difference in meaning between “pattern” and “rhythm”?
What is the difference in meaning between pattern and rhythm?
It seems to me that the former is more American-English and the latter more British-English. Are these more or less synonyms or are there ...
10
votes
6answers
3k views
Difference between “canteen” and “cafeteria”
Are there any differences between canteen and cafeteria?
In India, usually an eating place attached to an office, factory or school is called a canteen. Of course, in some new offices it is called ...
1
vote
2answers
222 views
The use of “for” and “of”
Are for and of interchangeable in these circumstances? Is the meaning affected at all?
He was the Minister for Education.
He was the Minister of Education.
The Institute of Medical ...
4
votes
3answers
444 views
Spelling protocol (American/British/Canadian) for an International conference
If I'm a Canadian who'll be presenting in an international conference, should I use my country's spelling, which is the Canadian/British spelling like "grey" or the more used American spelling like ...
2
votes
1answer
695 views
What is the difference between American and British pronunciations of “world” and “girl”?
I can definitely hear a distinct difference but I am not sure if it is from the long vowel or from the "r".
12
votes
1answer
533 views
“Defense” or “defence”
Is the only difference that in USA they write it with s and in UK they write it with c, or is there anything more?
3
votes
1answer
507 views
American English: which vs that [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When is it appropriate to use 'that' as opposed to 'which'?
We've had an American Americanise some phrases for us (with the point of teaching children ...
25
votes
6answers
11k views
“Oriented” vs. “orientated”
What are the origins of the word orientated?
As far as I know, the correct spelling is oriented and orientated is not an alternative spelling but an error that is in common use.
Is it for example ...
9
votes
3answers
533 views
“I park my car in the yard”
What is the origin of the different pronunciation of words like park, yard,
cartoon, margarine in American and British English?
In other words, why doesn’t British English generally pronounce the r ...
3
votes
1answer
278 views
What's the difference between these sentences?
What's the difference between
I'm going to eat my lunch
and
I have to go for my lunch
and where can I use these sentences?
2
votes
1answer
1k views
What is the difference between “to oblige” and “to obligate”?
What's the difference between oblige and obligate?
Speculating, is the latter an Americanism of the British former? Or is there any distinction about what/who has caused someone to be oblig(at)ed to ...
25
votes
5answers
6k views
Is there a difference between “arse” and “ass”?
From a comment here, in frequent usage, arse and ass are often interchangeable when used to refer to buttocks or to a person of dubious charms. However, although “to arse about” has a vague connection ...
0
votes
0answers
358 views
How Would One Use A Semicolon (;)? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How does one correctly use a semicolon?
I'm wondering about the difference between just ending the sentence and starting a new one based on the same subject and using a ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
Why is “a couple of <things>” often shortened to “a couple <things>”?
I would write a couple of . I often read/hear a couple .
I assumed this was an American English thing (I'm British), and just a convenient shortening of the phrase for speaking. It's easier to say a ...
11
votes
3answers
3k views
Is there any difference between “color” and “colour”?
What is the difference between color and colour?
