The language is mutating (and always has done)

[J-G]

#rantmodeon
... the use of Z instead of S in words ending ‘ise’.
#rantmodeoff

!!!! I just knew someone would bring that issue up -- INCORRECTLY !!!!

'ize' is not the 'American' version! That idea came about because an early version of Word came with a dictionary which Bill Gates (or one of his minions) stole from WordPerfect thinking that it was a US version but was in fact their UK version. Over the intervening 30+ years - and of course the attendent rise in popularity of PCs in general and word-processing in particular the 'populace' have assimilated the corruption.

 

[Adam W.]

Correct!

Ha!

 

[dizjasta]

Why use:-
"my bad" instead of my mistake.
"absolutely" instead of yes.

 

[niall Y]

!!!! I just knew someone would bring that issue up -- INCORRECTLY !!!!

'ize' is not the 'American' version! That idea came about because an early version of Word came with a dictionary which Bill Gates (or one of his minions) stole from WordPerfect thinking that it was a US version but was in fact their UK version. Over the intervening 30+ years - and of course the attendent raise in popularity of PCs in general and word-processing in particular the 'populace' have asimilated the corruption.

Would agree that -ise and -ize is not a good example to illustrate the difference, Since it seems that- ize was the form favoured by Oxford English Dictionary and by Webster's. We have deviated over the years and now -ise is more common but -ize is still an acceptable alternative

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Bill Bryson's The Mother Tongue is worth reading.


edit - as are all Bill Bryson's.

 

[Garden Shed Projects]

Is English developing a global standard as we are all exposed to the same media. I can assume American and Australian English is developing the same way and robbing words from us. Likely to be less of an issue for them as they aren’t as influenced by their history as we are. It feels we are becoming more Americanised due to the prevalence of American TV, movies and YouTube. It has been happening since before I was a kid.

English initially became standardised due printing maybe we will look back at now and think the same about global media.

One thing that grinds a little for me is when English people on YouTube use American terms because they are expecting or hoping to receive the majority of views from our cousins in the states.

 

[Spectric]

Is English developing a global standard as we are all exposed to the same media.

No, language is devolving into a language without spoken words, communication is becoming social media where people will only communicate via so form of device.

 

[thetyreman]

One thing that grinds a little for me is when English people on YouTube use American terms because they are expecting or hoping to receive the majority of views from our cousins in the states.

same here, I've seen people do that too who should know better, if you're english speak like where you come from and be proud of it.

 

[John Brown]

yes the internet has definitely changed language mostly for the worst, many people now use american english and we're loosing some old english words, I hear a lot of people using terms like 'bunch' and 'I guess' at the end of statements, fine in america but it's not a very english way of talking.

Losing, not loosing.
Although a whole bunch of folks write loosing, I guess...

 

[Adam W.]

A load of pimps and faggots.

 

[Noel]

Would agree that -ise and -ize is not a good example to illustrate the difference, Since it seems that- ize was the form favoured by Oxford English Dictionary and by Webster's. We have deviated over the years and now -ise is more common but -ize is still an acceptable alternative

Can I offer you some advise…….

 

[MARK.B.]

Wassup dudes, bin hangin at my best homies crib jus chillin n stuff ,cracked open a few buds and bro i gotta tell ya dey was sweeeet innit. anyhoo so like base ic ally we woz jus sayin how sick my brah's new set of wheeelze woz an how coool my homie looked cruwesin roun da hood,so i mean like base ic ally aint no punk a ss gangsta gonna mess wid my boy coz he da man innit ,so i mean like base ica lly ya diss my bro an he gonna put ya in a whole world o pain an stuff innit . i mean like base ic ally ya gota shows some spect when yoouze iz on my turf innit.
Peace out dudes.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Did you steal that from someone working for the BBC?

 

[MARK.B.]

nah dude jus chill will ya i mean like base ic ally me an my puter bin doin the biz

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Language allows us to communicate. We can do that without getting upset about misplaced apostrophes, ise not ize, txtspk etc.

Does the recipient receive the message we thought we sent. Using archaic, local expressions, or languages only understood by 1 in 10000 (eg: Welsh) does not help communicate.

Language may create emotional or spiritual associations. It can even be intellectually stimulating to speculate on the roots and usage of words like "dado". There is little fundamentally worthy about them - that many fail to understand makes them an ineffective way to communicate.

Language changes - a little like history - it is written by the victors not the losers. Many words reflect the dominance of the UK in the industrial revolution for which a new language necessarily evolved.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

An English teacher wrote the words:

“A woman without her man is nothing”

on the chalkboard he asked the students to punctuate it correctly.

All of the males in the class wrote:

“A woman, without her man, is nothing.”

All of the females in the class wrote:

“A woman: without her, man is nothing.”

Punctuation is powerful.

 

[John Brown]

An English teacher wrote the words:

“A woman without her man is nothing”

on the chalkboard he asked the students to punctuate it correctly.

All of the males in the class wrote:

“A woman, without her man, is nothing.”

All of the females in the class wrote:

“A woman: without her, man is nothing.”

Punctuation is powerful.

Great story, but in reality both the males and the females would have stared blankly at the teacher.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

 

[Pineapple]

Well, if that's the case, I still don't know what a dado is. I always thought it was a plinth under a column or panelling to the lower part of a wall.

The panelling on the lower part of a wall is called "Wainscotting" or Wainscot. (Wain is a Scottish word - with Viking roots.)
It means children = "wee yuns", pronounced - wains.
Definition of wainscot | Dictionary.com (Usually oak in wealthier homes & any redwood - usually Pitch-Pine, in average homes.)
I think that the originating idea is to protect the wall from over-boisterous children or clumsy adults.

 

[gregmcateer]

This made me chuckle: