Regional English differences

AprilHare · 11-23-2012, 10:07 PM

I have to plead ignorance on this, however is it true "Sign out, and sign in as a different user" is British English whereas "Sign out and sign in as a different user" is American English?
Google think so: that is what happens when you switch between English (United Kingdom) and English (United States) in their Google Drive application under Windows 7!

qlob · 11-25-2012, 08:01 AM

It's because either most of us americans don't know how to use commas, or someone at Google just typed it differently than the other.

Dylrob · 11-26-2012, 12:09 AM

Generally we do not put a comma between only two non-contrasting clauses in a short sentence.

badgoodDeb · 11-26-2012, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Generally we do not put a comma between only two non-contrasting clauses in a short sentence.

In fact, we are specifically TAUGHT that line. I rather prefer that the comma should be present, but we are taught not to use it. Maybe we are running out of commas? Are they over-hunted?

Quexos · 11-26-2012, 03:44 PM

Come on, aren't we splitting hairs in this thread ?

badgoodDeb · 11-26-2012, 03:57 PM

Yeah, but some people (like editors and typesetters) care about this particular hair.

HomeInMyShoes · 11-27-2012, 06:44 AM

^Agreed. In Canada we were taught not to use the comma as shown above. We do still spell things with a u though. Colour, humour, etc.

cassidym · 11-27-2012, 04:14 PM

A really interesting book on the subject is The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson. You will learn fascinating things about English including, among many others, that the single most understood word in the entire world is an English one. And it is an artificial word, invented by a bunch of upper middle class school boys in Boston at the turn of the century (19th to 20th).

You'll also learn how we ended up making plurals with an 's' rather than the Anglo Saxon way, by adding an 'en'. Interestingly enough there are still at least four words we still make plural with an 'en'

Angst · 11-27-2012, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidym

A really interesting book on the subject is The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson. You will learn fascinating things about English including, among many others, that the single most understood word in the entire world is an English one. And it is an artificial word, invented by a bunch of upper middle class school boys in Boston at the turn of the century (19th to 20th).

You'll also learn how we ended up making plurals with an 's' rather than the Anglo Saxon way, by adding an 'en'. Interestingly enough there are still at least four words we still make plural with an 'en'

I have Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words. Bill can make a dictionary interesting! I love reading his books.

AprilHare · 12-02-2012, 10:54 PM

Apparently the comma is more important than I first thought! http://www.newscientist.com/article/...opyright.html?

RickyMaveety · 12-21-2012, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidym

A really interesting book on the subject is The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson. You will learn fascinating things about English including, among many others, that the single most understood word in the entire world is an English one. And it is an artificial word, invented by a bunch of upper middle class school boys in Boston at the turn of the century (19th to 20th).

You'll also learn how we ended up making plurals with an 's' rather than the Anglo Saxon way, by adding an 'en'. Interestingly enough there are still at least four words we still make plural with an 'en'

Can I guess? Is it "OK"?? I would think that would be the single most understood word anywhere. However, I'm going to end up buying the book, because it sounds like my sort of read.

RickyMaveety · 12-21-2012, 03:42 PM

Rats .... not available for Kindle. I'll have to see if the local library has it, or if it is available digitally elsewhere.

Bilbo1967 · 12-21-2012, 03:42 PM

People probably know this, but it's also where I learnt what 'ghoti' spells.

Cracking book - I've reread it many times for the sheer enjoyment of it.

Kirtai · 12-21-2012, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

People probably know this, but it's also where I learnt what 'ghoti' spells.

If you mean "fish" then I've heard that actually depends on breaking the rules of english pronunciation. I think it was an article by a speech synthesis researcher I saw it in.

Bilbo1967 · 12-21-2012, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirtai

If you mean "fish" then I've heard that actually depends on breaking the rules of english pronunciation. I think it was an article by a speech synthesis researcher I saw it in.

It makes perfect sense if you know how it's done.

11-23-2012, 10:07 PM	#1
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,778 Karma: 11230745 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	Regional English differences I have to plead ignorance on this, however is it true "Sign out, and sign in as a different user" is British English whereas "Sign out and sign in as a different user" is American English? Google think so: that is what happens when you switch between English (United Kingdom) and English (United States) in their Google Drive application under Windows 7! __________________ I'd much rather be discussing battering ram powered fusion power reactors than this! http://www.generalfusion.com/ The EPUB related update path is now available for the PRS-500. dead link The hyperlink that followed was censored by MobileRead admin.

11-26-2012, 12:09 AM	#3
Dylrob Murderous Mustela Posts: 6,006 Karma: 7839996 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sin City Device: Apple iPad (1st Gen) & iPod Touch (4th Gen)	Generally we do not put a comma between only two non-contrasting clauses in a short sentence. __________________ My ongoing experience with the Onyx Boox M92 - Episode 2: A Quick Peak Down The Rabbit Hole NEW! "All my life I've had this strange feeling that there's something big and sinister going on in the world." "No, that's perfectly normal paranoia. Everyone in the universe gets that." Last edited by Dylrob; 11-26-2012 at 12:22 AM.

11-26-2012, 03:44 PM	#5
Quexos Freethinker Posts: 1,470 Karma: 7053978 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: European Union Device: Glo, Aura HD 2.5.1	Come on, aren't we splitting hairs in this thread ? __________________ 吾輩はQuexosである "All in all you're just A-nother brick in the wall" (Pink Floyd)

11-26-2012, 03:57 PM	#6
badgoodDeb Wizard Posts: 4,098 Karma: 9501039 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago outskirts Device: Palm-many, Kindle1, K3, iPad, iPhone 4	Yeah, but some people (like editors and typesetters) care about this particular hair. __________________ -----------Found him! Wanna join the chat?

11-27-2012, 06:44 AM	#7
HomeInMyShoes Ginormous Intergalactic Posts: 10,026 Karma: 33642889 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: junkyard Device: Kindle3	^Agreed. In Canada we were taught not to use the comma as shown above. We do still spell things with a u though. Colour, humour, etc. __________________ Reading Lists: 2011 \| 2012 \| 2013 “Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.” - Diane Duane

11-25-2012, 08:01 AM	#2
qlob Horse Posts: 1,019 Karma: 7087247 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: Kindle3G+WiFi	It's because either most of us americans don't know how to use commas, or someone at Google just typed it differently than the other.

11-27-2012, 04:14 PM	#8
cassidym Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,334 Karma: 5032368 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Northern Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-505, iPhone 5, Sony T1, iPad 3	A really interesting book on the subject is *The Mother Tongue* by Bill Bryson. You will learn fascinating things about English including, among many others, that the single most understood word in the entire world is an English one. And it is an artificial word, invented by a bunch of upper middle class school boys in Boston at the turn of the century (19th to 20th). You'll also learn how we ended up making plurals with an 's' rather than the Anglo Saxon way, by adding an 'en'. Interestingly enough there are still at least four words we still make plural with an 'en' __________________ I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. - Jorge Luis Borges

12-02-2012, 10:54 PM	#10
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,778 Karma: 11230745 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	Apparently the comma is more important than I first thought! http://www.newscientist.com/article/...opyright.html? __________________ I'd much rather be discussing battering ram powered fusion power reactors than this! http://www.generalfusion.com/ The EPUB related update path is now available for the PRS-500. dead link The hyperlink that followed was censored by MobileRead admin.

12-21-2012, 03:42 PM	#12
RickyMaveety Holy S**T!!! Posts: 5,186 Karma: 108401 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego, California!! Device: Kindle and iPad	Rats .... not available for Kindle. I'll have to see if the local library has it, or if it is available digitally elsewhere. __________________ The Texas Trucker's Association have issued a fatwa on my head!!!

12-21-2012, 03:42 PM	#13
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 6,379 Karma: 18759332 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Solihull, UK Device: Sony 650, Sony T2, Xoom, Nexus 7, Nook ST	People probably know this, but it's also where I learnt what 'ghoti' spells. Cracking book - I've reread it many times for the sheer enjoyment of it. __________________ The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them. Mark Twain My early and invincible love of reading, . . . I would not exchange for the treasures of India. Edward Gibbon

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