Using American terms when you are not.

[Fendle]

I have noticed I tend to use American terms for example in my thread about the Pringles I did I used the word "Chips" instead of what in my country are called "Crisps" if you aint guessed I am from England. As most of you know this forum has many more Americans and Canadians than people from England so I just tend to adopt their spellings for words and sayings. Do you guys tend to do this too?

 

[bad_moose]

Nope, not at all. I'm English so I'll speak in the same way that the majority of other English people do. I try my best to avoid using American terms when I can.

 

[kill dank]

For a while, even though I'm from the US, I would use "ou" instead of "o" as in colour, armour or something..

 

[Eru]

For a while, even though I'm from the US, I would use "ou" instead of "o" as in colour, armour or something..

^^ I'm doing the same

 

[x339]

I don't understand why people "avoid" using American terms. I am American and I will occasionally say "Mate" or "Mum" which are not commonly used here in the USA, but that doesn't make me a bad person or anything. It becomes habit after a while and just helps add to each person's diversity.

 

Stay true to where you're from bud, represent and be proud. People will still know what you're saying.

 

[0belisk]

I tend to say a few American terms without even realising until people point them out and I'm like oh really? lol

Main one i can think of i keep pronouncing "status" as "stat-tus" instead of "sta-us". or perhaps even the other way round, i can't even remember which one is the English/American.

 

[Isildurr1]

I dont think it has anything about trying to be someone you arent. it is more that in movies, tv shows, games, the global language is English (american).

 

[Emperor Nero]

I dont think it has anything about trying to be someone you arent. it is more that in movies, tv shows, games, the global language is English (american).

There is no American English though. English, in the US, breaks down in to probably a good 30+ dialects that are all regional and all have different words and slang. I live in a state on the east coast, but on the western side. When I visited the eastern side of the state last year they spoke completely differently than we did. So there isn't a set American English, just as there is no just plain any language.

 

[Fendle]

I just use most of them in fear of not being understood I guess haha, thanks for the replies guys anyone got any other thoughts on this?

 

I always use English, but I've used American words in the past, as it appears some americans do not understand some English words.

 

[Moij1]

I try and avoid americanisms personally, especially word-subsititutions like Chips/Crips, Fries/Chips etc., however I do tend to use americanised spellings quite a lot without thinking. I guess that is a product of spending too much time on the internet where most people are American.

 

I write and talk like and how where i'm from, with British English.
Nothing annoys me more when a American complains about the British spelling of a word.

 

[Sun]

I'm in the United States but originally from Italy, I use British terms a lot.

 

[potatofortea]

I normally use British terms and spelling instead of American. We normally get told in school the British way of spelling worlds like colour (color). This is in New Zealand by the way.

 

[The S-Man]

In my case I like to use British terms. In my opinion they sound more professional and I like to use big words most of the time. ^_^