Quick question for our British friends. - Page 4

VydorScope · 10-10-2011, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dworth

Americans seem to misuse the word momentarily, and use it to mean 'in a moment' rather than 'for a moment'. It does seem to crop up a lot in military themed books/films/games/ so maybe its restricted to military jargon.

"Reinforcments will be arriving momentarily" actually means "Reinforcments be arrving for a moment and then going somewhere else" not "Reinforcements will be arriving in a moment."

Umm, the dictionary disagrees with you:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/momentarily :"3. at any moment : in a moment"

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/momentarily : "2. at any moment; imminently: expected to occur momentarily "

andyh2000 · 10-10-2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Umm, the dictionary disagrees with you:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/momentarily :"3. at any moment : in a moment"

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/momentarily : "2. at any moment; imminently: expected to occur momentarily "

You mean American dictionaries disagree...

From the OED:

Quote:

momentarily, adv.

1. For a moment; for a very short time, fleetingly.
2. At the moment; instantly. Now rare.
3. At every moment; moment by moment. Now rare.
4. Chiefly N. Amer. At any moment; in a moment, soon.

Andrew

VydorScope · 10-10-2011, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyh2000

You mean American dictionaries disagree...

From the OED:
<snip>
4. Chiefly N. Amer. At any moment; in a moment, soon.

Andrew

So yep, its used properly that way. Even in your dictionary which does not define American English, nor more then American dictionaries can define British English.

ApK · 10-10-2011, 01:51 PM

The dictionaries document and describe how the word is used, they do not prescribe how to use it. And by the time you get down to definition #4 you're out on the fringes....

In any case, we do NOT misuse "momentarily." We've improved it. (That's my story and I'm sticking with it.)

By the way, I think here in the US, we would use the word "college" to mean any college or university, but we would not use "university" unless it actually was a university.

Unless we were trying to sound British. Or to sound pretentious. Or is that redundant?

Kidding! I kid.

ApK

DMB · 10-10-2011, 03:05 PM

What proportion of Americans automatically think that British people sound posh?

HarryT · 10-11-2011, 03:42 PM

Some of us ARE posh, of course

.

ScalyFreak · 10-12-2011, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMB

What proportion of Americans automatically think that British people sound posh?

Everyone who's seen Star Wars, I think. It's all Tarkin's fault.

Bilbo1967 · 10-12-2011, 04:34 PM

I'm visiting America next year. I can't wait to be thought of as posh

wayrad · 10-13-2011, 09:07 AM

For what it's worth, I've seen "church" used as a verb in some old books, specifically with regard to a woman being "churched". I believe it refers to a ceremony performed after recovery from childbirth.

DMB · 10-13-2011, 10:02 AM

Yes. I think the woman was unclean after giving birth until she had been churched.

dworth · 10-13-2011, 10:38 AM

I'm from Yorkshire and my accent seems to confuse people in the States.

ekster · 10-13-2011, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dworth

I'm from Yorkshire and my accent seems to confuse people in the States.

Considering people from a different state confuse each other in the States, it's not surprising that someone across the ocean confuses them.

ApK · 10-13-2011, 12:12 PM

"If you're an alien, why do you sound like you're from the north?"
"Lots of planets have a north!"
--Rose and the Doctor, from BBC's "Doctor Who"

Keryl Raist · 10-13-2011, 07:09 PM

In modern usage I've seen churched meaning someone who was raised as a member of a church/attends regularly currently. Likewise I've seen unchurched to mean people who are not members/not raised as members of a church. However, in both cases it's an adjective.

In the US a college is a degree granting organization that offers Associates (sometimes) and Bachelors (always) Degree.

Universities offer 'post grad' degrees of Masters and Doctorates. However, Universities can also offer Bachelors and Associates degrees. Universities often have (like in the UK) a collection of Colleges offering different specializations.

For example: Harvard University is made up of Harvard College, Radcliffe College, and Harvard University. It offers everything but an Associate degree. (I think, might be wrong about that.) But only the colleges offer the Bachelors degrees, while the Uni offers Masters and Doctorates.

DMB · 10-14-2011, 04:28 PM

At Oxford and Cambridge all degrees are conferred by the university. The colleges are relatively small self-governing academic bodies. Any lecturer, reader or professor of the university must also belong to a college. Undergraduates may attend lectures and seminars and labs organised by the university, but they will also receive tuition given by or organised by their college tutor (Oxford) or supervisor (Cambridge).

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10-10-2011, 01:51 PM	#49
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,389 Karma: 68329346 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	The dictionaries document and describe how the word is used, they do not prescribe how to use it. And by the time you get down to definition #4 you're out on the fringes.... In any case, we do NOT misuse "momentarily." We've improved it. (That's my story and I'm sticking with it.) By the way, I think here in the US, we would use the word "college" to mean any college or university, but we would not use "university" unless it actually was a university. Unless we were trying to sound British. Or to sound pretentious. Or is that redundant? Kidding! I kid. ApK

10-10-2011, 03:05 PM	#50
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	What proportion of Americans automatically think that British people sound posh?

10-11-2011, 03:42 PM	#51
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,547 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Some of us ARE posh, of course .

10-12-2011, 04:34 PM	#53
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 13,424 Karma: 81011643 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10	I'm visiting America next year. I can't wait to be thought of as posh

10-13-2011, 09:07 AM	#54
wayrad Fanatic Posts: 551 Karma: 1121392 Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Device: HTC One M8	For what it's worth, I've seen "church" used as a verb in some old books, specifically with regard to a woman being "churched". I believe it refers to a ceremony performed after recovery from childbirth.

10-13-2011, 10:02 AM	#55
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	Yes. I think the woman was unclean after giving birth until she had been churched.

10-13-2011, 10:38 AM	#56
dworth Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 2094632 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bradford, UK Device: kindle pc	I'm from Yorkshire and my accent seems to confuse people in the States.

10-13-2011, 12:12 PM	#58
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,389 Karma: 68329346 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	"If you're an alien, why do you sound like you're from the north?" "Lots of planets have a north!" --Rose and the Doctor, from BBC's "Doctor Who"

10-13-2011, 07:09 PM	#59
Keryl Raist Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 379182 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Charleston, SC Device: Kindle for PC	In modern usage I've seen churched meaning someone who was raised as a member of a church/attends regularly currently. Likewise I've seen unchurched to mean people who are not members/not raised as members of a church. However, in both cases it's an adjective. In the US a college is a degree granting organization that offers Associates (sometimes) and Bachelors (always) Degree. Universities offer 'post grad' degrees of Masters and Doctorates. However, Universities can also offer Bachelors and Associates degrees. Universities often have (like in the UK) a collection of Colleges offering different specializations. For example: Harvard University is made up of Harvard College, Radcliffe College, and Harvard University. It offers everything but an Associate degree. (I think, might be wrong about that.) But only the colleges offer the Bachelors degrees, while the Uni offers Masters and Doctorates.

10-14-2011, 04:28 PM	#60
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	At Oxford and Cambridge all degrees are conferred by the university. The colleges are relatively small self-governing academic bodies. Any lecturer, reader or professor of the university must also belong to a college. Undergraduates may attend lectures and seminars and labs organised by the university, but they will also receive tuition given by or organised by their college tutor (Oxford) or supervisor (Cambridge).

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