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I never use "madam" (especially never "ma'am") and only use "sir" as the title for
a knight.
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>The English Language is Flawed!
Well, damn. It's a good thing you caught that. Now, do you think English will be
abolished within the next week or so, or will we phase it out a little more slowly?
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It'll be phased out in favour of Hebrew within Bush Jr's next four years.
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Jim, please do not use obscenities in this forum.
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I'm sorry. Never again shall I write the "B" word.
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<<I'm sorry. Never again shall I write the "B" word. >>
Is that a new 4 letter word?
What the B are you talking about? LOL
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It is a four letter word but are you trying to trick me into using bad language again,
Denis?
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No, Jim, I'm just laughing :)
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QOCUMBR wrote:
<<In English we use words like "sir" and "madam" to show respect.
In Spain it seems like less and less people are using "usted" and more are using
"tu" form. I wonder if in time the "Usted" form will become archaic just like "thou"
has in English.>>
In contrast "ustedes" sounds modern in Latin America and "vosotros" sounds archaic.
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Do you guys ever use the (legitimate!) word "bushed" ..meaning exhausted and extremely
tired? Like: "I'm too bushed to do anything about it right now!"
According to my Collins dictionary in Oz and NZ it means to be lost and bewildered!
Even worse, in Canada apparently it means to be mentally disturbed from living
in isolation! LOL
Check it out guys.
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Yeah, people use "bushed" for tired around here, especially the farmers where I grew
up. You come in from making hay and you say "Whew, I'm bushed... how 'bout a beer?"
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<<In contrast "ustedes" sounds modern in Latin America and "vosotros" sounds archaic.>>
True, on both points, but "tu" is slowly becoming more popular in Latin America.
I believe it's most used in the Caribbean countries, and along the coast. My stepfather's
family is Colombian (not from the coast) and they use Ud. for everyone, even family
members.
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One of the things we have to remember is that there isn't one English. The language
is used differently be different groups of people all over the world. The use of
the subjunctive "I wish I were..." or "If I were..." is mostly learned by the "educated"
these days. But there are some vestiges left.
Even individuals don't use the language the same, say at work as they do with family
and friends. Teens certainly don't use it the same with friends as they do with parents.
Although English is difficult to learn, it has spread partially because it is flexible.
English speakers are enthusiastic about adopting words and phrases from other languages.
Some words like restaurant are accepted as English while others like 'siesta' or
'verboten' are still seen as recent adoptees.
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Damian,
I've never heard the word 'bushed' used to describe someone who has gone crazy from
isolation. Maybe some people use that word somewhere in Canada, but I've never heard
it. Actually, I don't think I've ever heard anyone use the word at all, except on
tv. Sometimes in the winter when it has been 10 or 15 below for a couple of months
and no-one goes outside very often some people say they are getting cabin fever .
. .and there's only one cure for the cabin fever . . .
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Intriguing! The cabin fever bit, I mean. I use my imagination. As for the "bushed"
definitions, I got the Canadian connection from my current Collins English dictionary.
I'd never heard of it meaning going bonkers because of loneliness. I have always
taken the term "bushed" to mean knackered, shattered and whacked....exactly my condition
right now.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwnn...been one of those days.
btw: I reckon I'd lose it too if I was on my tod in a log cabin in the frozen wastes
of the Yukon with nothing but a husky for company. ;-) I'd have to seek out
that cure....
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