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Old 06-17-2009, 01:09 PM
 
7,845 posts, read 20,733,436 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by j33 View Post
Oh spare, me, so if one doesn't speak American English, he or she is speaking incorrectly? The entire field of linguistics laughs in your general direction.
When I was teaching in London, the kids laughed at me when I called a "." a period, as we do in American English. Period only has one meaning in England - the ladie's monthly visitor...they call "." a full stop.
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Old 06-17-2009, 01:34 PM
 
Location: North Carolina
10,196 posts, read 17,746,094 times
Reputation: 13903
Quote:
Originally Posted by burgerflipper View Post
The term flashlight was derived from an 18th century Halloween tradition. Young folks would go door to door, in protest of "trick or treat", and flash their private parts to the homeowners.

However, their amusement was very limited as the home owners had a very hard time seeing their genitals due in part to poor lighting conditions.

This is how Joshua Cowens flashlight invention, which was originally designed for lighting fixtures for potted plants, was able to finally be commercially manufactured.

Hence the term, "Flash Light".
LOL! I certainly hope your joking, because Wikipedia says differently but my main point was ..... it's just a word, is it really necessary to nitpick? Who cares? It's off topic anyway.
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Old 06-17-2009, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Omaha
2,716 posts, read 6,875,283 times
Reputation: 1232
Quote:
Originally Posted by PA2UK View Post
LOL! I certainly hope your joking, because Wikipedia says differently but my main point was ..... it's just a word, is it really necessary to nitpick? Who cares? It's off topic anyway.
Nah, I made it up. That was my point as well, it really doesn't matter.
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Old 06-17-2009, 10:05 PM
j33
 
4,626 posts, read 14,044,196 times
Reputation: 1719
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeaconJ View Post
When I was teaching in London, the kids laughed at me when I called a "." a period, as we do in American English. Period only has one meaning in England - the ladie's monthly visitor...they call "." a full stop.
I taught in the UK for three months (London area). It was a wonderful cultural education for this Chicagoan (and for the students I had, who had a lot of misconceptions about my fair city, and what it meant to be from it ... they need to stop watching gangster movies ), and the difference between American and British English was only part of it.

I spent more than a few nights going over my US/UK spelling guide so that I'd get it right when writing words on the chalkboard.
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Old 06-18-2009, 01:01 PM
 
784 posts, read 1,973,259 times
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I go on "holiday" or vacation 2 to 3 times a year during which time I travel far from my hometown.
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Old 06-18-2009, 01:07 PM
 
2,437 posts, read 8,155,604 times
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Assuming that this is primarily a linguistics debate, the use of the word 'holiday' in lieu of 'vacation' is perfectly legitimate. If you look up the word in any dictionary, you'll see that the word can indeed be defined in this way. For example:
holiday - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
4: a period of exemption or relief

So what's the problem? I'll be going on holiday soon myself...
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Old 06-18-2009, 01:57 PM
 
11,289 posts, read 26,069,949 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by City Fanatic View Post
You go on "holiday"?

You can take a trip on a holiday (holy day).

You don't go on a holiday. (A holiday is not a vacation, nor is it some type of motorized craft.

What kind of drugs were you taking when you wrote that?

I'm in no way a religious person, so I NEVER have any Holy Days.

I do take advantage of not working on Holidays though, which are not Holy Days....they're HOLIDAYS. A Holiday can be a Holy Day, but it obviously doesn't have to be.

Holiday - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Likewise I also take advantage of the 3 weeks of vacation given to me by my company. I normally take a few days off at a time and either travel, or relax at home.

What's the point of this thread?
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Old 06-18-2009, 02:00 PM
 
11,289 posts, read 26,069,949 times
Reputation: 11353
Quote:
Originally Posted by City Fanatic View Post
Am I incorrect in saying that holiday mean "Holy Day"?
Yes, you are.

Holiday is derived from Holy Day, but in any and all modern day English it does not MEAN Holy Day.

Should I list off the other 17,000 English words that are derived from some other word or congegation, but have nothing to do with that in the modern day?
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Old 06-18-2009, 02:02 PM
 
12,823 posts, read 24,290,735 times
Reputation: 11039
Hmmm ... I think I'll start a new thread. I'll call it:

"Darn it, it's a TRUNK, not a BOOT, for crying out loud!"

Or maybe:

"Why can't you Limeys call it a shopping cart instead of a trolley?"
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Old 06-18-2009, 02:08 PM
 
925 posts, read 2,598,014 times
Reputation: 542
Quote:
Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly View Post
Hmmm ... I think I'll start a new thread. I'll call it:

"Darn it, it's a TRUNK, not a BOOT, for crying out loud!"

Or maybe:

"Why can't you Limeys call it a shopping cart instead of a trolley?"
I didn't start this thread.

I responded to a comment in another thread, and so many people made an issue of it, that the moderator created this thread for others to carry on the conversation.
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