Mangled language

[oldmanofthehills]

Er -surely you're not claiming that the 'first car' was invented or made in America - are you?

Additionally, a bit of research into which side of the road traffic uses is instructional, it looks as though initially well over half the world drove on the left once, and the USA was one of the many that 'ended up' driving on the opposite side...

Left- and right-hand traffic - Wikipedia

There is history here. The English walked on the left so sword hand was toward centre of road. Later there were carriages as well as walkers. The French peasants walked on the right facing oncoming traffic still on the left. Come the French Revolution the aristos driving carriages got their heads chopped off. Those alive stayed on the right even in carts. The USA supported and were supported by the French and others saw Napoleons systemisation as sensible (which for units it is) but also adopted French driving side.

 

[johnalison]

Well they don't really have the right to do that, any more than the Brazilians could change Portuguese to 'American'.

I’m not sure that Americans are much concerned about rights when it comes to foreign policies, but equally, I’m not sure what gives us the right to stop them, though wars have been fought for less.

 

[HissyFit]

The Americanism that gets my goat is "off of" as in "to pick something up off of the the floor". It sounds like a stray possessive to me.

The thing that took me by surprise recently was the phrase used in a popular technical manual for over-engineering for the sake of robustness. We Brits would say "belt and braces". I can't remember if a put the book down or let it drop from my grasp due to the induced fits of laughter on reading "belt and suspenders." Brought up entirely the wrong image.

 

[lustyd]

I mean "belt and suspenders" does suggest a sort of complete and thorough approach in a best of both worlds kind of way ?

 

[KompetentKrew]

Bill Bryson makes points like that in his book on English, The Mother Tongue

I believe Bryson's etymology is unreliable: r/books - Let's discuss Bill Bryson

 

[mjcoon]

The thing that took me by surprise recently was the phrase used in a popular technical manual for over-engineering for the sake of robustness. We Brits would say "belt and braces". I can't remember if a put the book down or let it drop from my grasp due to the induced fits of laughter on reading "belt and suspenders." Brought up entirely the wrong image.

There are several technical sorts of "brace" which are innocent of any blue image. Can't say the same for "suspender"... Are American ones bi-sexual?

 

[westhinder]

I have read that Booee is the way the English once pronounced the word.

It is certainly closer to the pronunciation of the Dutch ‘boei’, which I believe to be the original. Lots of English nautical terms ( and French, German and even Russian ones for that matter) have their origin in Dutch.