American English versus the Real McCoy

[truffles 2]

"The english language doesn't have an ustedes, though. That's my issue. Y'all sounds much better than any other form I've heard; yous, you guys, yous guys, youtz, you, etc."

1 result for: ustedes

you1 [juː] pronoun

(used as the subject or object of a verb, or as the object of a preposition) the person(s) etc spoken or written to

Example: You look well!; I asked you a question; Do you all understand?; Who came with you?

Written in english and very clear - it looks like it does have it after all!!!!

[Scott & Lai 12]

Can anyone explain the difference between trash and garbage? I still don't get it!

Garbage includes things like food wastes, hence, the garbage disposal in a kitchen sink. Trash includes things like paper items that don't tend to decompose rapidly and can be recycled. If it smells bad, it's probably garbage.

[Don_Joy's Prince 0]

Well if you ever get the chance watch the series called "The history of English" on the discovery channel I think. It has 4 parts each an hour. Very good show.Try Tivoing it on your DVR's.

[Mags 112]

Man, if have soooo many funny stories about vocab confusion, but I'm too lazy to type them out right now...

...but 'spanner' as a curse word? #######? (ref 39 iv

Spanner is used as a derogatory term for a person who is a little slow, or stupid. Used in the Southeast of England (London, Essex and some parts of Kent). I grew up in Essex and it was used a lot.

Another word used a lot for a similar reason was doughnut. This tended to be used in a slightly more affectionate manner. Say you had a friend who took a wrong turn...then you'd be likely to say "what're you doing now, you doughnut!". You could also use "plum" instead; that's another term used a lot where I grew up.

Edited December 18, 2007 by Mags

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

"The english language doesn't have an ustedes, though. That's my issue. Y'all sounds much better than any other form I've heard; yous, you guys, yous guys, youtz, you, etc."

1 result for: ustedes

you1 [juː] pronoun

(used as the subject or object of a verb, or as the object of a preposition) the person(s) etc spoken or written to

Example: You look well!; I asked you a question; Do you all understand?; Who came with you?

Written in english and very clear - it looks like it does have it after all!!!!

The problem with that is that it doesn't differentiate between 3rd person singular and 3rd person plural, so it's the closest thing we have to ustedes, but it is not ustedes.

[desert_fox 32]

"The english language doesn't have an ustedes, though. That's my issue. Y'all sounds much better than any other form I've heard; yous, you guys, yous guys, youtz, you, etc."

1 result for: ustedes

you1 [juː] pronoun

(used as the subject or object of a verb, or as the object of a preposition) the person(s) etc spoken or written to

Example: You look well!; I asked you a question; Do you all understand?; Who came with you?

Written in english and very clear - it looks like it does have it after all!!!!

??

In English we have a word for second person sigular (e.g. YOU), there is no word for second person plural. There is no plural 'you' like there is in Spanish (ustedes). So when you are talking to more than one person, how do you refer to them....YOUS, ALL OF YOU, YOU GUYS, Y'ALL??? Take your pick.

I shudder every time I see the word 'whilst' posted in these forums. It's something we dont use in American English...I guess we us 'meanwhile'.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Chav-speak is a language unto itself.

A'Wight Geez! Goin dahn'na pub on furzday? Wikid!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Can anyone explain the difference between trash and garbage? I still don't get it!

Garbage includes things like food wastes, hence, the garbage disposal in a kitchen sink. Trash includes things like paper items that don't tend to decompose rapidly and can be recycled. If it smells bad, it's probably garbage.

I have heard others say that too, but I wasn't raised in an environment that differentiated between trash and garbage. You will also hear me refer to a can of Coke in any number of words: Soda, pop, soda-pop, Coke, booze. I use all of them and never knew until I was about 21 that anyone didn't understand some of these things. I also say "Where is it at?" a regionalism that annoys the ####### out of people from other parts of the US according to a flaming thread battle about it on another board.

[Scott & Lai 12]

I shudder every time I see the word 'whilst' posted in these forums. It's something we dont use in American English...I guess we us 'meanwhile'.

"Whilst" and "while" mean the same. I don't think they are exactly equivalent with "meanwhile."

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

"The english language doesn't have an ustedes, though. That's my issue. Y'all sounds much better than any other form I've heard; yous, you guys, yous guys, youtz, you, etc."

1 result for: ustedes

you1 [juː] pronoun

(used as the subject or object of a verb, or as the object of a preposition) the person(s) etc spoken or written to

Example: You look well!; I asked you a question; Do you all understand?; Who came with you?

Written in english and very clear - it looks like it does have it after all!!!!

The problem with that is that it doesn't differentiate between 3rd person singular and 3rd person plural, so it's the closest thing we have to ustedes, but it is not ustedes.

I just caught my 3rd person mistake. Like desert_fox said, it should have been 2nd person. Oopsy.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I shudder every time I see the word 'whilst' posted in these forums. It's something we dont use in American English...I guess we us 'meanwhile'.

"Whilst" and "while" mean the same. I don't think they are exactly equivalent with "meanwhile."

Meanwhile, the least said about "irregardless", the better...

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

I shudder every time I see the word 'whilst' posted in these forums. It's something we dont use in American English...I guess we us 'meanwhile'.

"Whilst" and "while" mean the same. I don't think they are exactly equivalent with "meanwhile."

Meanwhile, the least said about "irregardless", the better...

Or literally. David Cross has a great rant about misusing literally.

"No, dude. I didn't REALLY ###### my pants. I LITERALLY ###### my pants."

[truffles 2]

despite all the discusion on "YOU" i still cannot find an example where the YOU would be better than Y'all.....i appreciate your view however i personally can not come up with an example where it is more fitting to use y'all instead of you.

A teacher in a classroom addressing pupils can use you or you

writing a letter to one person is " you should come and visit "

i beleive the reason we intially started the ustedes debate was because someone though the y'all was better and the beauty of you is that everyone who speaks english still understands "you" i think like many other languages - not all pronouns and verbs follow the "rules"..however each to there own....horses for courses and all that!

Merry Christmas by the way - as i am leaving my pc behind for the holidays! You all have a safe Christmas and may the New Year bring you peace and prosperity

[Alhamdulillah 0]

LOL this is funny. It's not only that we use different words but the way we pronounce them is quite different as well in some instances. I can't think of any specific examples right now but this comes up with me and my husband all the time. He learned "proper" English (British English) and he's fluent but sometimes he gets annoyed at my English because I'll "correct" something he says and he'll say "that's not how the British say it" to which I reply "Well, they're wrong" and I get a raised eyebrow accompannied by "it's THEIR language woman! "

[Fandango 1,439]

Man, if have soooo many funny stories about vocab confusion, but I'm too lazy to type them out right now...

...but 'spanner' as a curse word? #######? (ref 39 iv

Spanner is used as a derogatory term for a person who is a little slow, or stupid. Used in the Southeast of England (London, Essex and some parts of Kent). I grew up in Essex and it was used a lot.

Another word used a lot for a similar reason was doughnut. This tended to be used in a slightly more affectionate manner. Say you had a friend who took a wrong turn...then you'd be likely to say "what're you doing now, you doughnut!". You could also use "plum" instead; that's another term used a lot where I grew up.

I might be taking it too literal cos while I have heard it used as an insult, I wouldn't put it up there with 'curse' words...

Edited December 18, 2007 by LisaD