Today I was compared to a spinster aunt, sitting knitting in a corner, casting disapproving glances at her nephews and nieces. With a crocheted blanket over my shoulders.
Just because I believe in standing up for - well, see for yourself.
Chris had come to the office to talk to Alun. I was typing away merrily when I overheard Chris use the phrase 'a ball park figure.' I spun round in my chair, looked at him over my glasses and raised my eyebrows.
'What?' he said.
'A ball park figure?'
'What's wrong with that?'
I raised my eyebrows even more.
And that's when the comparison came about. It's true what they say about prophets in their own lands; I am not appreciated. I should have pointed out that just because Chris is a devotee of Desperate Housewives, it doesn't mean we all have to suffer the Americanese.
I shall persevere. After all, where would women be today if Mrs Pankhurst hadn't chained herself to the railings?
11 comments:
You stick to your guns. I hate this insidious Americanese.
Of course, lots of the English idioms & phrases stink as well without an American influence.
(I nearly wrote "suck" but didn't want to suffer your wrath!)
Ahem...
No offense taken. The Hershman and I still love ya.
Yes, Elsie, I meant to send apologies to my American friends! It's fine to use the language if you're American, but we're Welsh!
You persevere, Liz!
You're right, Liz. I think the language we speak is being taken over by Americanisms (apologies to my US friends). It's the same in Australia, especially amongst the kids who avidly soak up American TV shows.
Maybe I'm getting old...
Personally as an American I like to pick up phrases from other countries, myself! My husband and I were in Australia last month and I love some of the things they say there. "No worries" is always a good phrase...Tell me a good Welsh phrase or two so I can use some of those too!
Chained to crocheted shawls, perhaps? Hehehehe!
Lots of British phrases get over-used and predictable, and they're just as bad.
It's probably more the way people use them. A phrase can start off quite innocuously and become a monster when it's adopted by people trying to be trendy. No, not trying, I don't think it's a conscious decision; it's more a reflection of what they read/watch/hear.
Regarding this particular instance, Chris is very prone to using phrases like that; I've had to pick him up on them before!
And we don't even have ball parks in Wales!
Mauigirl, Welsh phrases, hm.
By here (pronounced buy year, quite harshly), over by there - as opposed to here or there.
"Come by here.'
Quite often sentences are made to sound like questions by adding 'is it.'
"We're going to town now, is it."
Shwmai, butt? - How you doing, friend?
Any other suggestions, Welshcakes?
I am one American who wishes our Americanese and our American businesses had stayed HERE. I've never been any where in the world, but the thought of arriving at Heathrow or Dublin or Edinburgh and being greeted by McDonald's signs or whatever else might be advertised there...well, that just doesn't seem right, does it? When and if I ever travel out of the US, I want to absorb the language and the culture of wherever I'm VISITING, not being greeted by Mickey Mouse and Pluto in Paris. Good grief. 'Tis the almighty dollar...or pound...or euro...or franc...or yen....or...whatever. Greed and commercialism have taken over this world. Argggghhhh!
PS...I must admit I love the English 'fortnight'. For some reason that just sounds so romantic to me...like something out of "Romeo & Juliet". My great-grandpa used to read a page of Shakespeare, a page of the dictionary, and a page out of the Bible every day. I love Shakespeare.
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