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Pavement/sidewalk; football/soccer; bum bag/fanny pack: we know that the English language is different in the UK and the USA. But why? Linguist Lynne Murphy points out the geographical, cultural and social influences that separate the common language.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
There is much fascinating stuff to read on Lynne's blog Separated By A Common Language and in her new book The Prodigal Tongue.
Listen to the episode about Please, to make yourself second-guess your own attempts to be polite. It received more responses from perplexed than any other episode I've done, I think. Lynne and her co-researcher Rachele De Felice followed up on the topic in the Continental episode.
About the term ‘Americanism’.
About Britishisms.
When is an Americanism actually a Britishism?
How patriotic British anthem 'Land of Hope and Glory' became the soundtrack of American graduation ceremonies.
The transcript of this episode is at theallusionist.org/transcripts/across-the-pond.
YOUR RANDOMLY SELECTED WORD FROM THE DICTIONARY:
vigesimal
CREDITS:
Lynne Murphy is a professor at Sussex University. She writes the Separated by a Common Language blog, and you can buy her new book The Prodigal Tongue: The Love Hate Relationship between British and American English. Also known as The Prodigal Tongue: The Love Hate Relationship Between American and British English. Tweet her @lynneguist.
This episode was produced by me and Martin Austwick, who also makes the music that you hear in every episode. He has a beautiful new album out - with lyrics as well as music! - at palebirdmusic.com.
Find me at facebook.com/allusionistshow, twitter.com/allusionistshow, twitter.com/helenzaltzman and instagram.com/helenzaltzman.
