h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

While I may have many problems with American politics (as do many Americans, of course)...I regard criticisms of American English as wrong-headed, uninformed and deranged.

Here's the reply I posted to Vicky:

Name a better 20th century novel than:
The Catcher in the Rye
Another Country
Look Homeward, Angel
I've Heard The Caged Bird Sing
Catch 22
Slaughterhouse 5
The Plot Against America
USA
The Grapes of Wrath
To Kill a Mockingbird

Name a better film than:
The Godfather (so I'm told)
Apocalypse Now
A Streetcar Named Desire
On The Waterfront
Pulp Fiction
American Beauty
Citizen Kane
Raging Bull
Taxi Driver
Goodfellas
Do The Right Thing

etc. etc. etc. I'm being provocative again ...but I really don't think we can dismiss the stunning contribution that Americans have made to the English language over the last hundred-odd years.

Also...consider this: Many of the pronunciations and grammatical lapses that are now considered to be vulgar Americanisms were, in fact, once standard British usage. They have been retained in the US but have died out in the Commonwealth.

You might enjoy this website http://www.worldwidewords.org/index.htm

This fellow seems to feel the same way about embracing the variety of the English language.


(Of course I seriously do not know why we Americans dropped that second "i" from aluminium... it really doesn't make sense with out it, but it is fun to say, especially when you let the word "deisel".. aluminuminuminuminuminum.)

oops.... sorry... 'diesel'

Ah! I know that site well!

Have you joined in the British English or Language and Linguistics threads?

No, but I'll check it out.

Links: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F19585?thread=508032 http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F19585?thread=100569