So I was reading The Register today, and I found myself asking this question:
When did the English stop speaking English?
No, really -- it's gibberish to me. Here are some examples:
"Microsoft WGA row continues" -- ok, I can get that one. "row" is like a fight. I've seen that before.
"Scientists breed allergy-free moggies" -- what on god's green earth is a moggie, and why are scientists breeding them?
"Boys' book on conkers and catapults tops Amazon hit list" -- conkers? What's that?
So I'm lost -- at what point did people stop speaking English? And yes, I am aware of where American English is derived from and yada yada yada. I'm just "having a spot of fun" at my friends across the pond.
But seriously, is there an idiot's guide to British English for those of us over in "the colonies?"
Conkers best explained @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conkers
Row = dispute
Moggie = non purebread cat
Conkers = chestnut
These words have always been in the language - the Americans just stopped using them. The funny thing is the American strange way of spelling things.. Why bother changing it?
@Chris -- ah, so it's a chestnut or a children's game. Heh, neat.
@Charlie -- ok, with chestnut, I can kinda fathom the leap to conker. But non-purebread cat to moggie? That's just plain weird. I can understand why we stopped using them. ;-)
As for the spellings, I don't know why the changed, but I have a hard time with the British spelling of them (colour, centre being the type of spellings I have the hardest time with). I always mispronounce them in my mind when I read them (co-lure and cent-ray, for example). :-P
Any cat can be a moggy, even a *pedigree* cat
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/moggie?view=uk
Don't try eating conkers, thy're horse-chestnuts which are poisonous.
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/conker?view=uk
And as for row, you do realise it rhymes with cow, do you?
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/row_3?view=uk
I have no idea where you could look these things up
Oi! why does my comment need to be moderated?
Is it because you've just found out I'm a Brit?
Language is a living thing. English has been evolving in both countries. Example look at the the word for a
knitted garment typically with long sleeves, worn over the upper body.
American - sweater
British - jumper
now look at what words other European languages use for this garment
Americans have made our share of changes however, looks to me like them Brits have been screwing with this word not us.
The one that seems to confuse more Americans I know than any other is "queue" (verb) which means to stand in a "queue" (noun) which is a line of people and is pronounced exactly like its initial letter.
Have you seen "The American's gude to speaking British" http://www.effingpot.com/index.shtml
Heathen.
@Steve Garman -- I didn't realize that row rhymed with cow! LoL, thanks for that. As for comment moderation, certain words shove it into the moderation queue. I've never fully figured out what determines who gets moderated and who doesn't. But it does work. :-)
@Steve -- uup, I know languages are constantly changing (remember the adage "ain't ain't in the dictionary, so ain't ain't a word" -- heh). I just wish I understood "english." ;-)
It's not entirely clear we ever "stopped" using these words. The oldest (as far as I can tell) is 'row', which dates back to the mid-1700's, well after the colonies were established and just before the American Revolution. As for 'conkers' (the chestnut use stems from the game, where chestnuts could be used as game pieces) appears in the mid-1800's. Moggie is really new, showing up in the early 1900's. I would say it's more like we never adopted them in the first place.
@Aaron: "That’s just plain weird" - duh! It's a language, they're all weird. Though I have to say, I prefer British spelling (colour, centre, etc). But I'm just plain weird too.
Aren't you the guy who only ate soda and bars at the pot-luck?
@Dean -- me? Nope. I ate anything and everything and took full advantage of the free drinks.
More disturbing, you're reading the Register. Is there a more biased and less professional news organization?
@James -- Fox News? CNN? The Onion? ;-)
Hey I like reading The Register... as for bias, I think their slant is funny. I look at some of their articles and authors as the Comedy Central (i.e. Daily News) for techies. And sometimes I learn something new.
Sorry, that is "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart". Can you tell I don't have cable? =)