American

Knickers!

You both have it wrong! Jeans! Jeans, I tell you! :-P

And what is the point of calling a tap a faucet?? And the boot a trunk?? americans would be the laughing stock of the World! They would be treated as arrogant individuals who want their own so called language even though 99.5% of the words are the same as English!

I'm all for calling it American. Case in point. Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia are essentially dialects of the same language. Each can understand each other though there are differences in some words and expressions yet they are respectively called Indonesian and Malaysian. Yes, Sybill, these two languages are more than 99.5 % similar.

Simon, I don't think that by calling it American, we are erasing or being hostile to our British roots. We can not deny that the origin of our language lies in merry olde England. Just like the Irish can not deny that they are an Anglophone country.

Simon,

Why would it matter if American English was called American? Americans spoke English VERY long ago and there's nothing that you can do to change that.

That sounded out of whack: Americans have been speaking English for a very long time.

Plus our English is different from your English. We've customized it so why can't we just have our language? Learn to share, friend.

American English differs only in a few small areas, and many of those differences were invented by Noah Webster for no good reason other than differentiation. Americans have their language already, and no one can deny them that. The question is whether this language should be renamed American simply because it is spoken there, rather than English which is its proper name.

Please call it what you like. But just don't tell me I speak British English. That's all.

Howdy! I'm an American male living in Britain. It would be a great idea to call our language American. I totally share the same view with other Americans who posted messages in this thread. Americans are always accused of being American in Britain. Not even a day passes by without being criticized. I don't know why these guys make fun of us, though we create a lot of employment for these people in this country. They are very sly and cold. I wish they could treat everyone equal. I look forward to going back to the states for christmas!

Yeah, and don't come back... Only joking. I'm sorry if you've had a negative experience. But don't criticise us for being different in temparement. The United Kingdom is not the US. Leave us alone, we don't need your ideas. We are not sly and cold. We're just not superficial "warm" like the Italians. We're very warm once you get to know us.

Put your money where your mouth is and call it American please.

Simon,

What have I done to you? Isn't everyone entitled to their own opinions? You seem so keen on American-bashing throughout the thread. What's the fun?

No, I'm not. You don't seem to realise that a lot of your (plural) statements contain a sneering condescending tone. What have I specifically said that can be called American bashing?

I'm just responding to what you said. This is a forum after all. I'm not anti-American.

Why do you want to call it American? Probably because it implies ownership. I think a lot of you have a problem speaking a language that did not originate in your own country.

Why don't you mention positive things about England?

In fairness to you, a lot of people in the United Kingdom are hostile to Americans on the one hand but rampant consumers of Americana on the other. This is a hypocrisy that perplexes me too. It should be the other way around: people should be polite and welcoming to Americans but capable of independent cultural expression. Maybe it's something to do with being a satellite state of the US.

Just remember, my American friends, no one has ever stopped you calling it American. Ask yourselves why this has not happened already (although, didn't one state or county in the Northeast US try to do this?).

Simon,

Just read all of the messages in this thread. Whenever an American posted a message, you behaved like an idiot telling off Americans. Anybody reads these messages will be forced to think you are just another American basher. It's ok to say you hate the USA. I'd respect your opinion. Just be honest and don't be so sly.

See what I mean about condescending... How dare you say I behaved like an idiot. You're one of those people who think that they can just make a statement and the fact that they said it makes it true.

I don't hate the US.

Don't you think "They are very sly and cold" is a very strong statement?

The US of A is just another country. No more, no less.

I made one nasty comment about the future of the US but the rest is just home thruths that you don't want to hear.