Sorry about the silly title.
Having been fortunate enough to write on LiveJournal for a few years, I’ve met many fellow/lady journal keepers from all over the world. Some, I’ve made such firm friendships with that I long to meet them. Others have butted heads with me or fallen away or never wanted to get to know me in the first place.
It’s an online microcosm of any interest/hobby/passion group we might stumble across in real life, and personalities gel (or don’t) accordingly.
This is beside the point. Several of the LJ users I keep in contact with hail from the US, and sometimes we discuss the differences between Aussie English and that which is correctly used by the girls in the States. They have wonderful senses of humour, that’s why I always bag them for never using quite enough vowels. Or words.
A good example was recently mentioned by artsez, a mate and talented lady of the yarts. The phrase she used to illustrate (with word omitted, by Australian standards) was ‘I’ll write you.’
If you said this down here, we might expect you to pick up a piece of chalk and write YOU on a blackboard. However, our exposure to American literature, film and television allows us to ‘get’ that you’re gunner write us a letter. Thank goodness. Writing YOU on the blackboard/chalkboard is as exciting as watching leaves fall in Autumn (er . . .Fall).
The turning of the new decade gave rise to another example of expression and/or language difference. The concept was raised about how we might say the new year – 2010. An American bud asked whether it should be phrased as Twenty Ten or Two Thousand Ten.
Now, when I came across her query in her LJ, I sat on my hands for about two seconds. I didn’t want to cause a fuss in her journal and tease her. I didn’t want to create a stir. I certainly didn’t need to shout out that – yet again – the Australian way of announcing a year in timeline is far superior.
This didn’t last. I entered the kerfuffle (controversy) but before doing so, I belled (called on the phone) a coupla sheilas (two women) a handful of blokes (a few guys) and chewed the fat about the prob (discussed the problem). Crikey (yeah, we never say this), they reckon youse are all barking up the wrong tree (they believe you are all wrong).
Most of them were flat out like lizards drinking (busy) but all agree, you are too full-on (you’re way to intense about the mispronunciation). Two Thousand Ten is just not cricket (two thousand ten is not correct – as in cricketing standards *g*). They were stumped (dumbfounded) that you shoot through (leave out) the AND.
Stone the freaking crows!
The funniest thing is that when I mentioned to my friend from the States that we always say Two Thousand AND Ten, she was cheeky enough to suggest that this was great and all (you Aussies. So strange) but she and her fellow countrywomen were right.
It made me laugh. It also made me extremely aware of how wonderful it is to have electronic pen pals with fabulous senses of fun, even if they cannot spell humour correctly.
No matter how you say it – or your personal feelings about the language differences – happy two thousand and ten. Or twenty and ten. LOL
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8 Responses to A word is a word is an adjectival clause
Can I put my own French thoughts in the kerfuffle ?
I’m on your side! lol
In school they taught us to say the date two thousand AND ten (or twenty AND ten…)…and you know, they taught the truth in school *nods*
And for the record, in French we say 2010 the two thousand and ten version, not the twenty and ten, it just sounds weird.
Twenty-Ten FTW!
LOL! Absolutely right, hon. Two thousand AND ten is the way we say it in this household too, as do the rest of my family over the ditch in New Zilland.
Typical ‘mericans… always thinking they know about EVERYTHING. *said with tongue FIRMLY in cheek*
Hey Pauline. Love your french kerfuffle input and thanks for becoming a member at this blog. YOU are the first one, so ta love.
Laura! Two thousand AND ten is more accepted, lady *g*
Sarah K? Your tongue is always in your cheek. Thankfully. We don’t know where THAT’s been. Lots of love.
xx
Strewth, has this turned into something? Deadset!
There are a few Americanisms that’s I’ve never quite got, like math not maths, anyways no anyway and my favourite, which may be a general term but I only hear it on American shows, the first being the film ‘The Breakfast Club’ is ‘I could care less’. This says that yes, you do care a bit after all if you are able to care less. There’s not a lot of impact in this statement.
But we have shockers ourselves, so Ill shut up and just say that I put the ‘and’ in Two thousand and ten.
Hey Sarah! Strike a light, you’re right. I don’t understand ‘math’ as a singular, either! And ‘I could care less’…
I do agree with you about our ‘shockers’ though. The fact that we differ on these little things makes life interesting and brings me lots of laughs as I have a love for playing with language. Thanks for visiting, love. Enjoy the day. It’s warming up down south, for sure xxx
G’day you bonza Sheila! Finally catching up on blog-business and LOL at your most recent entries. Stone the crows when will the Yanks get it right?? Have they forgotten who invented the language? We Aussies are true disciples of English as it should be spoke. Two thousand AND ten. Easy!
G’day Sheila mate. How’s ya. How’s the hols? What the bloody Nora is this two thousand ten aboot? Anyone would reckon that AND is hard to say, hey?
Miss you. Hope all is well and looking forward to sharing a billy tea *g*. Travel safely.