# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/61 "2003-02-02T02:11:03Z")
> [@](#): > > If I hear another Radio 3 announcer say “Don JEW-an”, I’m gonna go postal. It’s “HWAN”, dammit, “HWAN”. I want a hero: an uncommon want, When every year and month sends forth a new one, Till, after cloying the gazettes with cant, The age discovers he is not the true one; Of such as these I should not care to vaunt, I’ll therefore take our ancient friend Don HWAN – We all have seen him, in the pantomime, Sent to the devil somewhat ere his time. Dunno, somehow it loses something. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/62 "2003-02-02T02:45:07Z")
> [@](#): > > If I hear another Radio 3 announcer say “Don JEW-an”, I’m gonna go postal. It’s “HWAN”, dammit, “HWAN”. Of course, the BBC and several other Brit associations are going to follow the lead of Byron (as noted by **Fretful Porpentine** ). I have heard both that Byron simply was not that familiar with Spanish and that his mis-pronunciation was deliberate (in keeping with the tone of the poem) and have never followed up closely enough to discover which. However, once he had cast that pronunciation, it was difficult for certain segments of British society to “correct” his version. ---
**Author:** ![Peregrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Peregrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peregrine)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/63 "2003-02-02T06:05:04Z")
> [@](#): > > The thing where two vowels are stuck together in one freaky looking letter is called a “dipthong” (no, really.) Dip **h** thong can mean several things: [including](http://www.orbilat.com/General_References/Linguistic_Terms.html): "3. the ligature a and e joined together (æ) or o and e joined together (œ). " From the same page: “ligature n : a printed or written character consisting of two or more letters or characters joined together. See also digraph, diphthong.” And ligature is almost as much fun to say. Ligature, ligature, ligature. I’m going to go with ligature, though diphthong is apparently not wrong. I thought it was wrong, but it wasn’t. I was just used to one of its other meanings. Little did I suspect it could mean two other things. More nearly on topic: glacier, controversy, fillet. ---
**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 2, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/64 "2003-02-02T06:16:23Z")
At work we offer Jai Alai tracks. All the old guys that were there longer than me say “jaiy alaiy”. whereas I have quickly learned that “haay laaiy” is the correct way to say it. Isn’t ‘Forest Gump’ a great film!? ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/65 "2003-02-02T06:38:14Z")
Every time I post the words colour, cheque etc, I keep expecting to get called on it. Dammit, that’s how they’re spelled! My pet peeve is the Americanization of words like "nite"and “lite”. I like my “ou’s” and “gh’s”. They make me feel like I’m writing an intelligent sentance. And it’s ZED! ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/66 "2003-02-02T06:50:28Z")
Don Juan didn’t know what he was doin’. ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/67 "2003-02-02T09:11:21Z")
For the record, the online OED lists both pronunciations of centrifugal, with the “American” one first. ---
**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 2, 2003, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/68 "2003-02-02T10:29:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by amarone \* > \*\*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. \*\* Yes, I’m sure. I jokingly call this the “migrating ‘at’”: UK: orientate US: orient _but_; UK: oblige US: obligate There’s also the migrating s in maths/sport vs math/sports. And if we’re going by the OED (as we should, of course), it also tends to prefer “-ize” over “-ise” endings. I do enjoy pointing this out to snarky Brits who critici **z** e my spelling. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/69 "2003-02-02T15:00:28Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **zoogirl** :_ > My pet peeve is the Americanization of words like "nite"and “lite”. I like my “ou’s” and “gh’s”. Argh! Those are _not_ Americanizations! Those are moronic spellings used in stupid product names and by people who don’t know how to spell! [sub]Although you’re talking to the American who grew up using “colour” and whatnot, so maybe I’m wrong after all… 😭 [/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/70 "2003-02-02T15:40:40Z")
jr8 said: > [@](#): > > UK: oblige > US: obligate No, darlin’. Southerners in the US keep the British usage _oblige_ alive and well. That’s what happens when folks from England, Ireland and Scotland settle in the Appalachians and don’t get out much. I would be much obliged if you would make note of that. Also, we don’t allow other parts of the U.S. to use _y’all_. Therefore they stay confused about whether they are talkin’ to one person or more than one person. Silly people. And for those of y’all from Long Guylin – I never can find that on the map – the apostrophe in _y’all_ goes where the dipthong is left out. ‘Scuse me. I’m fixin’ to fix breakfast… ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/71 "2003-02-02T19:11:18Z")
> [@](#): > > They make me feel like I’m writing an intelligent sent **a** nce. If you say so. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/72 "2003-02-02T20:41:06Z")
When I’m having a conversation with Americans, I like to tell them that my favourite American band is Zed Zed Top. You’d be surprised how many people get offended by that. Hee Hee! Ain’t I a stinker? ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/73 "2003-02-02T20:44:19Z")
There’s a DJ here called DJ E-Z. DJ Easy. That’s cool, right? Except it’s pronounced E-Zed. He pronounces it DJ E-Zed. IT MAKES NO SENSE. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/74 "2003-02-02T20:54:57Z")
So out of curiousity is ‘Dragonball Z’ called ‘Dragonball Zed’ (or maybe ‘Dragounball Zed’ 🙂 ) ---
**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 2, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/75 "2003-02-02T20:57:57Z")
Oh, I forgot about one of my favourite shows for mispronunciations - “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”. Regis, Regis, Regis; for what they’re paying you, do you think you could do a little research on the words being used in your show du jour so you can pronounce them correctly? Maybe hire a staff member to write them out phonetically for you or something? (We laughed long and hard at his attempt at “Chinook” - just for the record, it ain’t “Chine Ook”.) ---
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/76 "2003-02-02T20:59:36Z")
what about sommat or something or blahdy or bludy or bloody ---
**Author:** ![Einmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Einmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Einmon)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/77 "2003-02-02T21:26:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jr8 \* > \*\*And Wagner’s first name is pronounced with a hard K sound. \*\* [German hijack] Ahem…actually…the sound in the middle is anything but a k. It’s one of those guttural throat sounds where you push air out from the back of your throat and sound like an angry cat hissing. Ri - \ - ard [/German hijack] _ducks and runs out of the line of fire_ ---
**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 3, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/78 "2003-02-03T00:08:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Einmon \* > \*\*[German hijack] > > Ahem…actually…the sound in the middle is anything but a k. It’s one of those guttural throat sounds where you push air out from the back of your throat and sound like an angry cat hissing. > Ri - \ - ard > > [/German hijack] > > _ducks and runs out of the line of fire_ \*\* Naah, you’re right. But I’d settle for at least a vague attempt at authentic pronuncation by the BBC. Can’t blame this one on Byron. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/79 "2003-02-03T00:56:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jr8 \* > \*\* UK: oblige > US: obligate > > \*\* But the words don’t mean the same thing, do they? If you’re obligated to do something that means you’re required to do it( ie the law obligates us to stop at a stop sign). If you’re obliged you appreciate that someone has done something for you and may or may not feel you “owe them one.” Or at least that how I’ve always heard them used, and people _do_ use both in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Cosmopolitan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@Cosmopolitan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cosmopolitan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009/80 "2003-02-03T04:27:15Z")
Originally posted by **Zoe** : > [@](#): > > And for those of y’all from Long Guylin – I never can find that on the map – the apostrophe in _y’all_ goes where the dip **h** thong is left out Oh, dear… 1. It’s _Lawn Guyland_ - get it right before you try to find it on the map. 2. What makes you think that we Lawn Guylandahs are less capable of placing the apostrophe correctly than any other non-Southerners? :dubious: 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-supress-urge-to-insult-am-ericans/152009.md?page=5)