The American Language (21)
sonofadam: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Many words have been streamlined by removing un necessary letters like U in humour. I think it has to do with pronunciation. American spelling reflects American pronunciation. Whilst became while. No American says whilst. As to dates I think both are technically incorrect as to importance as in the English std of day-month-year is backwards and the American std is completely wrong as month-day-year. it would be technically correct as year-month-day.Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
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sonofadam: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
I'll leave this for Conrad to answer in a 5 page dissertation.
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sonofadam: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
I've been thinking on this probably half my life
and I do believe was done on purposed, maybe the founders
wanting to erased everything European in new established country
maybe the Manson in America wanted to be different.
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ReadyToTryAgain: I'll leave this for Conrad to answer in a 5 page dissertation.
he's looking right answer now
he'll get it right
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sonofadam: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
but listen, not only in America, others English speaking countries has their own difference, specially accent.
It's hard for me to understand a person from Australia
or Ireland.
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BTW: English is my 2nd, I've noticed here I have better
spelling than some of you you can do better
spelling than some of you
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sonofadam: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
New land, new race.
New people, new path.
New environment, new evolution. Neither Britain or America speaks the English of 1776, we're both just going our own way.
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How do you pronounce the last letter of the alphabet?
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In response to: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Probably the same reason we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway!!!
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In response to: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Language is also an art form. While some words simply fall out of usage, other words become more dominant in the current day. Also speech and the way words are pronounced can and do have an effect on what become more preferable in spelling. Language is a constant evolving art and does change with time. Just as slang words do come and go. Why do people in other countries drive on the other side of the road? LOL
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This question came up on tv a week or two back..I can't remember the full answer but if I remember right it was done for no particular reason by the writer of a dictionary in the US..He just decided to take the odd letter out..
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career30: Language is also an art form. While some words simply fall out of usage, other words become more dominant in the current day. Also speech and the way words are pronounced can and do have an effect on what become more preferable in spelling. Language is a constant evolving art and does change with time. Just as slang words do come and go. Why do people in other countries drive on the other side of the road? LOL
The reason Britain drives on the opposite side to most is because we weren't influenced by Napoleon who was left handed. .unlike most of Europe. .
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In response to: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Verily, methinks thou doth jest.
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I missed the part about the light switches. In the US up is on and down is off. Seems like the only logical arrangement. Unless in the distant past up meant off and down meant on as in decapitations.
As far as driving on the "wrong" side of the road, I think everybody is wrong. IMO the best system is with RHD people should drive on the right side of the road and vs versa for LHD. This way in a partial head on collision you might have half a chance to survive. Plus you would be closer to the mailbox. This would have made my paper route a whole lot easier to do.
As far as driving on the "wrong" side of the road, I think everybody is wrong. IMO the best system is with RHD people should drive on the right side of the road and vs versa for LHD. This way in a partial head on collision you might have half a chance to survive. Plus you would be closer to the mailbox. This would have made my paper route a whole lot easier to do.
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Was deliberate in the past as well,to incorporate in English
language.Mainly Latin and Greek.But why???
language.Mainly Latin and Greek.But why???
sonofadam: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
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sonofadam: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Even very educated people get many words, phrases, idioms wrong. I have heard "we can kill two stones" (the saying is "kill two birds with one stone"), "I could care less"( says the opposite of what the meaning is, as "I couldn't care less...") "I can't find no one to help" (should be "I can't find anyone to help", or I can find no one to help", etc...)It used to really irk me (irk me is OK to say, here, although "OK" isn't actually a word, but a modified contraction) but I've decided to be kinder, not correct people, etc...because the country is getting fuller and fuller of moderately educated people. We are no longer requiring handwriting, which is known to 'teach' memorization of English format. For the longest time Phonics was removed, and several decades later re-inserted. Sadly, we have a generation or two that cannot spell or put adequate sentences together. What a mistake, and mistakes we have, and are, making.Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
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sonofadam: This is not meant to insult anybody, it is simply honest questions I've had for a long time and I'm hoping that somebody can answer them in plain English and they are:
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?
may be part of a 3-way system
(control from more than one location)
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purr4mance: may be part of a 3-way system
(control from more than one location)
I actually rented a cool little house that had "buttons" you pushed in to turn the lights on.(control from more than one location)
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rohaan: I actually rented a cool little house that had "buttons" you pushed in to turn the lights on.
i've run across those before.
mostly older period homes.
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Why have the Americans deliberately changed the spelling of some English words when they speak and write, and why do they write the date the wrong way round, and why do they have their light switches upside down?
I can only imagine that this was done deliberately by someone in the past, but why?