Do you read it with an accent?

[MaryMary]

An American "yard" is a garden; our yards are paved areas often surrounded by tall walls?

A-ha! That explains it, then! @alp mentioned me one time, saying I referred to my garden as a yard, and I was confused.

We tend to define "yard" as the wide open expanse of grass. (Only grass in the yard.)

A "garden" is where specific things are planted - a vegetable garden or a flower garden. Or a "rock garden," which I consider a decorative "feature," not a real "garden."

The yard comes with the house - the garden is put there on purpose!

 

[Bootsy]

@Colin Well done on pulling yourself up by your bootstraps (is that an expression ever used in the U.S.?).

I agree that swearing at or insulting people is a definite turn off. You can disagree with someone's opinion but there is no need for any sort of personal attack - even if you do think they're an idiot!

I also agree that over this side of the pond a yard, when referring to a piece of land attached to a dwelling, is just a paved area which has no growing land with it. If it's a paved area with growing land (grass, trees or plants) then that area tends to be called a patio or something similar, but the whole area is called a garden.

This goes to illustrate that the well known phrase (well, it's well known over here ) that the UK and the U.S. are 'two nations divided by a common language'. It's widely attributed to George Bernard Shaw but some say it could have been Oscar Wilde. Churchill used it in his address to Congress in 1942 (I think).

 

[roadrunner]

....
Back on topic though I often smile when I read or hear our American friends; reading as Lori states involves correcting American dictionary again as Lori states often with American words involving the lack of "u" as in color which here over the pond is correctly written "colour".

American descriptions also differ in many ways to ours in the UK; why is solder pronounced sodder or aluminium pronounced as aloooominum? An American "yard" is a garden; our yards are paved areas often surrounded by tall walls? I've seen in American woodworking magazines kitchen cabinets called garages; I subscribe to "Fine Woodworking" an American high end magazine and sometimes the descriptions have me scratching my solar panel?

I don't understand why the Oxford English Language is being distorted in this way?

I've rambled on enough but I do enjoy the friendship of this forum between so many nationalities all rubbing along well together helping each other whenever possible; perhaps all our politicians should join this forum to create a better and peaceful world?

I'm truly Yorkshire born and bred ee bah gum.

Kind regards, Colin.

There's definitely a difference between American and proper English, I think one of the major factors is the amount of different groups we have here in America, there are a lot of other languages that have made it into our lexicon; a very commonly use of non-English words are from native Americans, but also a lot of Spanish and many others.

However, I'm curious how you see Australian English, compared to proper English?

 

[Bootsy]

However, I'm curious how you see Australian English, compared to proper English?

Their written and spoken language is very similar, with some slang words thrown in, but their pronunciation can vary a lot.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

There's definitely a difference between American and proper English, I think one of the major factors is the amount of different groups we have here in America, there are a lot of other languages that have made it into our lexicon; a very commonly use of non-English words are from native Americans, but also a lot of Spanish and many others.

However, I'm curious how you see Australian English, compared to proper English?

Bron and I have friends in Brisbane roadrunner and these do baffle us at times with a few of their descriptions. Out of curiosity I've just browsed the web looking at Australian slang and as expected it being Australian it's too crude for me to post so I'll pass.

Here in Yorkshire there are many dialects; the old coal mining communities in South Yorkshire (Barnsley area) can still be described as "Broad Yorkshire". Bron and I live very near where "Last of the summer wine" TV series was filmed also a few miles away "Last tango in Halifax" was filmed; just over the border in Lancashire it's different again then of course we have Wales and Scotland with their own languages. Compared to Australia and America though the UK is small only stretching about 1,000 miles top to bottom with us very near central; if we drive East or West we can only drive around 80 miles before we fall into the sea; the North sea to the East the Irish Sea to the West. The East coast is slowly falling into the sea destroying homes due to the fierceness of the North Sea.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...t-coastal-erosion-devours-roads-villages.html

The weather here is harsh but when the weather is a beautiful sunny hot calm day I don't think there's anywhere better on the planet and perhaps the reason why Bron and I haven't moved from this valley side; pity though such balmy days are so rare.

If we now visit Dewsbury or Batley then Arabic is taking over of which I don't understand a word.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[MaryMary]

pulling yourself up by your bootstraps (is that an expression ever used in the U.S.?).

Not by anyone under 50. It's sad, while I realize language is always changing, a lot of expressions are being lost, only to be replaced by expressions that are "colorful" in a different way.

"Textspeak" is replacing words, and it drives me crazy. Even my manager texts me things like - "Come n @ 12, K?" (If you are asking me to come in early, I understand that you are busy, but is it that hard to text 3 two letter words?)

 

[alp]

Australians like to turn every statement into a question with a rising intonation at the end. Very strange!

 

[DirtMechanic]

@MaryMary It is called re-booting now I suspect. Also I was informed that txting "k" is the feminine form and so please be aware that there must be rules to these non-rules.

 

[Bootsy]

Not by anyone under 50.

That's the trouble with youngsters!

"Textspeak" is replacing words, and it drives me crazy.

I'm happy to be an old curmudgeon so if anyone sends me an email with 'text speak' in it I ignore them completely or reply saying 'Sorry, I don't understand the foreign language you have sent me!'.

I don't have to worry about text speak on cell phones as I don't use one.