Do you find yourself using the American terms more?

[Ginger Tea]

More a question for us in the UK than anyone who learns English as a second language as they may be using American English more for text books anyhows, but I just found myself typing Gas tank just now and did not delete it and type Petrol in it's place.

I do know on CS there have been a few times where British terminology has confused people from abroad and that sometimes a poster is in the UK yet someone says "I don't know about your state, but in mine.*" making me to assume there is a very American user base vs anywhere else.

So is this a one off, or do others plop in a word from abroad just to make it more understandable to (perhaps) the largest user base?

*I'm sure I saw that asked of CRML in his latest assault thread, edit: no it doesn't -even though his location clearly states UK.- but he has stated being based in the UK on more than one occasion I just thought I saw it listed as such /edit

[HYHYBT]

The state thing may simply be that people over here are less likely to think to check where the person they're speaking to is from. Part of that, in turn, comes from being in a geographically large country where most people don't live anywhere near a border. Checking Google, adding Alabama to my home state of Georgia makes an area larger than the whole UK, yet crossing both only gets you from South Carolina to Mississippi; not even out of the region. The big, sparsely populated states out west, even more so. We know, in theory, that other countries exist, but in a sense they *don't* exist in our day-to-day, real world lives.

[Gravekeeper]

So is this a one off, or do others plop in a word from abroad just to make it more understandable to (perhaps) the largest user base?

I've always posted in the English English, being Canadian and all. It has only rarely thrown anyone for a loop. Usually they just think I'm a terrible speller. ;p

[Rapscallion]

I sometimes find myself using terms I've come across whether they be from the US or elsewhere. Since I mostly interact with Americans on the boards, I pick up more. However, there's definitely signs of words going the other way.

The name of this site has become a community word that people understand as soon as it's said, for example.

Rapscallion

[NorthernZel]

As a potential ESL person I tend to use British terms (so I watch too much BBC, sue me LOL ) but eventually, some US terms may pop up unintentionally. Actually, I think I can admit that I once wrote a thread in CS.com about a "gas station" where apparently I should have written "petrol station" instead.

But hey, since I haven't been blasted with comments about that, I guess it's all good. As long we all get a gist of what the post is about.

[HYHYBT]

This seems like as good a time as any to ask: what *is* the origin of this site's name? I've never seen the word in any other context, though its general meaning is pretty obvious.

Yesterday, I ran across a conversation elsewhere about what we here generally call public restrooms. Someone then complained about Americans using that word because supposedly we're just too uptight or something to say "toilet" when that's what we mean. But first, if you want to get into that, then "toilet" itself is also a euphemism... and second, the subject was the room's design. In that context, using the same word for the whole room as for one of the fixtures it contains would be pointlessly confusing.

[Rapscallion]

Fratching or fratcheting is an old colloquialism for a quarrel or argument. The phrase 'fratching in lumps' was often used by my grandparents to describe my generation when we indulged in rough and tumble

Rapscallion

[SongsOfDragons]

Yesterday, I ran across a conversation elsewhere about what we here generally call public restrooms. Someone then complained about Americans using that word because supposedly we're just too uptight or something to say "toilet" when that's what we mean. But first, if you want to get into that, then "toilet" itself is also a euphemism... and second, the subject was the room's design. In that context, using the same word for the whole room as for one of the fixtures it contains would be pointlessly confusing.

According to one of the QI books, the thing you sit on/stand before to relieve yourself doesn't have a name. Every word used for it is a euphemism. Even the word 'toilet' is itself a euphemism, as you say - it's derived from a lady dressing herself IIRC - a 'toilette'.

It just seemed to be the shortest, least silly and least rude word used for it, so that's the name most people use!

[HYHYBT]

Fratching or fratcheting is an old colloquialism for a quarrel or argument. The phrase 'fratching in lumps' was often used by my grandparents to describe my generation when we indulged in rough and tumble

Rapscallion

Makes sense. (Well, except for the lumps.)

T

[NorthernZel]

According to one of the QI books, the thing you sit on/stand before to relieve yourself doesn't have a name. Every word used for it is a euphemism. Even the word 'toilet' is itself a euphemism, as you say - it's derived from a lady dressing herself IIRC - a 'toilette'.

It just seemed to be the shortest, least silly and least rude word used for it, so that's the name most people use!

Over here, a derogatory name for restroom/toilet is "lokum" - which derives from the Latin word "locum", which simply means "place" or "location".

[protege]

I'm sure it makes the guys at the local parts house go when I ask for gearbox oil, or where the 'spanners' are. At least they know what it means to "raise the bonnet" I have a feeling that I've been working on British cars a bit too much, and really need to quit reading Classic & Sports Car.

[wolfie]

I'm sure it makes the guys at the local parts house go when I ask for gearbox oil, or where the 'spanners' are.

Hook spanners, or face pin spanners? On this side of the pond, "spanner" refers to a specific type of wrench, rather than a generic wrench.