# Can't.... Supress.... Urge.... To.... Insult... Am.... ericans..! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 1, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009 "2003-02-01T00:54:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/41 "2003-02-01T17:50:26Z")
I work with a Brit (in the US) who says “I’m not sure if I want to take a check from a company that can’t even spell it”. unclviny ---
**Author:** ![big\_alex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e56c9b/32.png) [@big\_alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/big_alex)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/42 "2003-02-01T18:10:49Z")
Lobsang, I find American accents are no more annoying than southern English ones which draw out some sounds: graaass instead of grass etc. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/43 "2003-02-01T18:22:40Z")
Now, now, it’s perfectly sensible to say “shedule”–_if_ you also say “shool” and “shism” and “sheme.” As for “zed,” Brits and Canadians have a perfectly reasonable explanation for saying it that way. Of course, this means they have no reasonable explanation for refusing to pronounce the second letter of the alphabet as “bed.” Apparently mangled Greek is only a permissible explanation for the last letter. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/44 "2003-02-01T18:23:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sir Doris \* > \*\*It helps if you talk like Prince Charles … \*\* I feel safe in saying it would not help anything or anyone if **I** talked like Prince Charles. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/45 "2003-02-01T18:30:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*I was under the impression that this is done only to “connect” words, to make them flow more naturally. > > As in: “The rebels in Nicaragua[sub][sup]_r_[/sup][/sub] are marching towards the town of El Torro Guapo” > > Leaving the “r” out makes it sound staccato. \*\* I said this already in another thread last week - this is called the _intrusive R_ and is used to connect two syllables, the first of which ends with a vowel, and the second of which begins with one. Of course in a Southern English accent, we don’t pronounce trailing Rs either, so the intrusive R occurs when there _is_ an R. Thus “Korea® is”. Or “my ca® is”, or even “draw®ing”. It’s also incorrect, especially with regard to speaking “Received Pronunciation”, the “proper” English accent. I had this habit without realising it until I attended speech classes at college. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/46 "2003-02-01T18:32:59Z")
Corollary: it isn’t incorrect when there actually is an R in the spelling, as in the “car” example. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/47 "2003-02-01T18:41:14Z")
Okay, let’s not have a country whose favourite words are “y’all” and “all y’all” be criticising anyone else’s speech, alright? (This from someone who can’t say two sentences in a row without inserting an “eh” or two. :D) ---
**Author:** ![Feynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@Feynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feynn)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/48 "2003-02-01T18:45:13Z")
“btw, I’ll take the **wor-ster-shire-sauce** and raise you an ala-min-I-um shed” That would be pronounced “Woostah” wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/49 "2003-02-01T18:50:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\ ***Giraffe** If only I knew the words. > > \*\* "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside let freedom ring. My native country, thee, land of the noble free, thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, thy woods and templed hills; my heart with rapture thrills like that above. Let music swell the breeze, and ring from all the trees sweet freedom’s song; let mortal tongues awake, let all that breathe partake, let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong. Our fathers’ God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing; long may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light; protect us by thy might, great God, our King. " Happy to help. 😃 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Feynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@Feynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feynn)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/50 "2003-02-01T18:53:12Z")
And you’d never catch me saying “eh”… “aye” would be more like it… ---
**Author:** ![little\_bit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@little\_bit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/little_bit)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/51 "2003-02-01T20:54:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by raisinbread \* > \*\*Let us not forget the baffling convention of “zed” over “zee” in the former empire. Do you also say “ped” instead of “pee”? \*\* L…M…N…O…Piss… Doesn’t quite have the same flow (pun intended)… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/52 "2003-02-01T21:04:49Z")
**Weirddave** , wrong anthem. **Giraffe** was refering to the british national anthem. I was trying to be funny by admitting that I, a brit, do not know the words to it. **Everyone** : I posted this thread well before the unfortunate tragedy in America. my thoughts go out to all affected. And this thread is meant to be a mild-mannered, friendly dig. I would never (not anymore at least) have a serious dig at you guys. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/53 "2003-02-01T21:09:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ivylass \* > Not [today](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=160038), please. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mehitabel \* > Fine, but be gentle with us today (Feb. 1), ok? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > Anyway, I think we should be nice to Americans, today, given the horrible tragedy that has just been suffered there. The world didn’t end today, no reason anyone needs to be tip toeing through the SDMB. Tragic yes but the world didn’t come falling down around us. Oh and the OP started this before the shuttle burned up. :rolleyes: Now, on to the OP, remember that various parts of the US have varying degrees of how words are spoken. Heck we even have ebonics which they tried to get into the public schools as a proper language. Dats some funky language. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/54 "2003-02-01T21:31:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\ ***Weirddave** , wrong anthem. \*\* Right tune, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/55 "2003-02-01T21:39:29Z")
> [@](#): > > Heck we even have ebonics which they tried to get into the public schools as a proper language. Dats some funky language. As this is the Straight Dope®, we should probably be sure that even our quips are not erroneous or misleading. The Oakland School Board attempted to secure funds to instruct their _teachers_ in Ebonics (or African American Vernacular English, as the actual linguistically recognized dialect is more formally known), so that the teachers would be able to more effectively communicate with their students. The proposal was flawed from several perspectives, (and brought down the scorn of such unlikely allies as Bill Bennet and Jesse Jackson), and may have been nothing more than a crude attempt to get more Federal monies into the district, but there was never any attempt to get Ebonics “into the public schools as a proper language” (despite the fact that it _is_, indeed, a recognized dialect of English and merits the phrase “proper language” every bit as much as Standard English Vernacular). ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/56 "2003-02-01T22:16:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by featherlou \* > \*\*Okay, let’s not have a country whose favourite words are “y’all” and “all y’all” be criticising anyone else’s speech, alright? \*\* With all due respect, are you insane? Great(er?) portions of the country _never_ say “y’all” unless they’re reading out loud from a work by a southern author, or poking fun at southerners. Y’all indeed 😛 Most of us don’t own cowboy hats or boots neither. ---
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/57 "2003-02-01T22:34:00Z")
is it chicago or shicago? I was surprised when a native shicagan referred to her hometown as chicawgo, for all this time I have been saying it wrong, but I’m pretty sure oprah says shicago too. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/58 "2003-02-01T23:32:22Z")
Right. It’s “sh” (like “chic”). I’m guessing this is a French influence. And while we’re at it, Chicago is on Lake Michigan (that’s “MISH-ih-gan”, not “MITCH-ih-gan”). “Worcester” is pronounced “Wooster”. “Worcestershire” is “woostashur” (or “woostasheer”). I don’t even want to get into the “aluminum/aluminium” debate without a detailed history of the word (which was briefly “alumium”, BTW, before becoming “aluminum”, “aluminium”, and then “aluminum” again). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it **has** to be “zee” because otherwise the Alphabet Song won’t rhyme. I’m not sure anyone can accuse Americans of liking syllables after the “aluminium” thing, but I’ll also offer up “orientate” as an example of British words with more syllables than their US counterparts. Don’t get me started on BBC English. If I hear another Radio 3 announcer say “Don JEW-an”, I’m gonna go postal. It’s “HWAN”, dammit, “HWAN”. And Wagner’s first name is pronounced with a hard K sound. You’re a professional radio announcer; please try not to butcher foreign names. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/59 "2003-02-01T23:41:56Z")
The thing where two vowels are stuck together in one freaky looking letter is called a “dipthong” (no, really.) The thing that goes in the beginning of Aesop is an “a-e dipthong,” oestrogen begins with an “o-e dipthong,” etc. Dipthong dipthong dipthong. Man, what a great word. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/60 "2003-02-01T23:48:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jr8 \* > \*\*I’ll also offer up “orientate” as an example of British words with more syllables than their US counterparts. > \*\* Are you sure that is a US/UK difference? Having just looked in two American English dictionaries and one English English dictionary, they all include both words and none of them identifies either word as being associated with a particular country. In fact, the Concise OED is the most dismissive of “orientate”: it says “= orient” and leaves it at that. The US dictionaries were Websters and American Heritage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009.md?page=4)