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probably because American campaigns are so much longer
That's true!!! The Brit who told me about "standing" for election told me that they have three weeks or something to get their campaigning done. Wouldn't that be nice?
This is just get the impression I got but Americans tend to say 'will not', 'cannot' alot more than us. I never use the word 'cannot'.
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The goddam apostrophe is too far away from the alphabetical letters on the standard keyboard, so it is a pain in the ass to keep looking for it every time I try to touch type a sentence, so I never use is if I can avoid it. Meanwhile, I go days and days without ever using a semicolon, but it's right there where the apostrophe ought to be, since the apostrophe is the only printers mark that regularly occurs in the standard spelling of words. Maybe British keyboards are less sadistic, and have the apostrophe where it belongs.
I never say will not, cannot, do not, but I type them all the time.
The goddam apostrophe is too far away from the alphabetical letters on the standard keyboard, so it is a pain in the ass to keep looking for it every time I try to touch type a sentence, so I never use is if I can avoid it. Meanwhile, I go days and days without ever using a semicolon, but it's right there where the apostrophe ought to be, since the apostrophe is the only printers mark that regularly occurs in the standard spelling of words. Maybe British keyboards are less sadistic, and have the apostrophe where it belongs.
I never say will not, cannot, do not, but I type them all the time.
Why are you LOOKING? You use your pinkie. You are never supposed to be looking at the keyboard when you type!
My American friend comments on phrases he hasn't heard/finds strange. Oh another one, he said in American you would say, 'I went to the hospital' instead of 'I went to hospital' a small one but one he picked up on.
Isn't the latter grammatically incorrect in any English dialect?
I don't know why it would or wouldn't be, really - but I can think of one instance where people in the US use a similar phrase, and it's something that drove me NUTS every time I heard it in high school...
"Are you going to prom?"
Maybe I'm the one that's crazy, I don't know. I think that somehow, within the confines of English, there has to be some kinda rule that states to GO somewhere, it has to be a specific place (i.e. Nebraska, Wal-Mart, Tommy's 36th birthday party)... otherwise it needs a "the" in front of it (i.e. the next state over, the store, the party). Does that make sense to anyone?
The only other instance I can think of where similar phrasing is used in American English is "I'm going to church" - although that phrase implies going to participate in the actual mass (similar to "I'm going to pieces", or "this plan has gone to sh*t"). If you were going to the church for some other reason, you would include a "the" - for instance "I'm going to the church to drop off some clothes for the needy".
Great thread, I never noticed this section of the forum until today. I always think it's interesting the way things are said in different languages and dialects.
Isn't the latter grammatically incorrect in any English dialect?
I don't know why it would or wouldn't be, really - but I can think of one instance where people in the US use a similar phrase, and it's something that drove me NUTS every time I heard it in high school...
"Are you going to prom?"
Maybe I'm the one that's crazy, I don't know. I think that somehow, within the confines of English, there has to be some kinda rule that states to GO somewhere, it has to be a specific place (i.e. Nebraska, Wal-Mart, Tommy's 36th birthday party)... otherwise it needs a "the" in front of it (i.e. the next state over, the store, the party). Does that make sense to anyone?
The only other instance I can think of where similar phrasing is used in American English is "I'm going to church" - although that phrase implies going to participate in the actual mass (similar to "I'm going to pieces", or "this plan has gone to sh*t"). If you were going to the church for some other reason, you would include a "the" - for instance "I'm going to the church to drop off some clothes for the needy".
Great thread, I never noticed this section of the forum until today. I always think it's interesting the way things are said in different languages and dialects.
I thought it was used that way for any institution rather than the building itself, i.e. you would say you were in church/in prison/at school or I at least would say 'in hospital'. I'd only use 'the' if I was referring to the actual building.
I thought it was used that way for any institution rather than the building itself, i.e. you would say you were in church/in prison/at school or I at least would say 'in hospital'. I'd only use 'the' if I was referring to the actual building.
Like I said, I don't really know LOL... it just sounds "more right" to me. Should have paid more attention in English class.
You could very well be right, and Americans do say "going to school" / "going to prison" as distinct acts separate from "going to the school" / "going to the prison" (why didn't I think of these?)
Like I said, I don't really know LOL... it just sounds "more right" to me. Should have paid more attention in English class.
You could very well be right, and Americans do say "going to school" / "going to prison" as distinct acts separate from "going to the school" / "going to the prison" (why didn't I think of these?)
That is kind of funny. I would never say going to hospital, like I would never say going to office. It would be going to a hospital or going to an office, if we are speaking in generalities, and not specifics. Although I would say going to school, church, temple, college, yet I wouldn't say going to university. And regarding the thead title, I wouldn't say learnt.
"Are you going to prom?"
the party). Does that make sense to anyone?
Big difference between are you going to the party, or are you going to party.
Us New Orleans people would drive you nuts. We say things like, are you going to make groceries when shopping for food. Of course if we could make them we wouldn't have to shop for them.
busta
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And regarding the thead title, I wouldn't say learnt.
