How do Americans feel about UK spelling?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by mjhudston

IS this a particularly English issue.

No, all languages have it, where there's a substantial separated population.

Often the separated population retains old words and forms of words long after they've been superceded in the home country. (e.g. "Fall" and "Autumn").

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I do agree with you. I'm currently reading a book of "new" Sherlock Holmes stories, which are primarily written by American authors. I'm afraid it really grates on the nerves to hear Doctor Watson say "I walked three blocks from Baker Street", which is exactly what he did say in one of these stories!

We do not use block ("kvarter") in the US way in Sweden and we would not usually say that you walked three blocks. But in describing some directions it would be OK to say something like "the shop is two block up the street". Is that kind of construction not used in UK? If the street have obvious "blocks".

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by tompe

We do not use block ("kvarter") in the US way in Sweden and we would not usually say that you walked three blocks. But in describing some directions it would be OK to say something like "the shop is two block up the street". Is that kind of construction not used in UK? If the street have obvious "blocks".

I very much doubt it. There aren't many places that have obvious blocks for a start.

I guess it may be said in some places by people who have watched too much US TV, but in general it is not something a Brit would say.

[DMB]

Britain doesn't usually have grid-like town plans. Just look at the map of central London. http://maps.google.ch/maps?q=google+...ed=0CBgQ8gEwAA

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

If you guys want to make Brits at least raise their eyebrows, tell them you are going to wear pants held up with suspenders to the store.

Okay, what do the British call "suspenders"-- "galluses"? That is the term my grandmother (who just turned 90) uses for them.

[DMB]

Not sure which way round the question about suspenders is. Before tights for women came in, I used to wear stockings and they were held up by "suspenders". The things some men use to hold up their trousers (not pants!) are "braces".

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

Okay, what do the British call "suspenders"-- "galluses"? That is the term my grandmother (who just turned 90) uses for them.

Never heard of 'galluses'; possibly a dialect word from somewhere I've never lived.

The common word for them is 'braces'.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

Okay, what do the British call "suspenders"-- "galluses"? That is the term my grandmother (who just turned 90) uses for them.

Braces. If you mean the things worn over the shoulders to hold up ones trousers.

A cautious person might be described as having "belt and braces".

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by tompe

We do not use block ("kvarter") in the US way in Sweden and we would not usually say that you walked three blocks. But in describing some directions it would be OK to say something like "the shop is two block up the street". Is that kind of construction not used in UK? If the street have obvious "blocks".

No, we never say that, simply because almost no British town or city is built on a grid system (there are a very few exceptions to that, but not many). We'd say something like "the shop is 400 yards up the street", or perhaps even "cross two side streets and the shop is on your left", but we'd never, ever, talk about "blocks".

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, we never say that, simply because almost no British town or city is built on a grid system (there are a very few exceptions to that, but not many). We'd say something like "the shop is 400 yards up the street", or perhaps even "cross two side streets and the shop is on your left", but we'd never, ever, talk about "blocks".

But the Swedish word for block does not require a grid system. A "block" is the part between two crossing side streets. So you do not have a word for that?

[DMB]

Originally Posted by tompe

But the Swedish word for block does not require a grid system. A "block" is the part between two crossing side streets. So you do not have a word for that?

No we don't.

[crich70]

In the London of Holmes' time didn't they refer to mews and alleyways? I seem to remember Dr. Watson mentioning such in the story of The Empty House.

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, we never say that, simply because almost no British town or city is built on a grid system (there are a very few exceptions to that, but not many). We'd say something like "the shop is 400 yards up the street", or perhaps even "cross two side streets and the shop is on your left", but we'd never, ever, talk about "blocks".

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by crich70

In the London of Holmes' time didn't they refer to mews and alleyways? I seem to remember Dr. Watson mentioning such in the story of The Empty House.

Sure, those words are still in common use. An alleyway is a very narrow street. A "mews" is a dead- end street, originally leading to a block of stables behind houses, from the time when every house kept horses. These days, the old stables have almost all been converted into apartments.

[abigsmurf]

This thread reminded me of this poem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0QAq9CvUOM

[MacEachaidh]

Huzzah for Roald Dahl !!


(Thanks for the chuckle, abigsmurf!)