Re: alfa-digest V7 #1241 - English as she is spoke?

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

John,
    I have been trying to ignore all the arguments about language usage, but 
I found your comments refreshing.  Someone once said that American and 
Britain were two countries separated by a common language.
    So it is 32 C there?  Lemme (allow me to) think. 32 x 9 / 5 + 32 = 90 
degrees F.  That is warm for Christmas.  Oklahoma only got to 59 degrees 
today - Fahrenheit is assumed as obviously no one ever would use Centigrade 
to describe the weather.  Centigrade is something you learn in Chemistry 
class and never use again. <grin>
     Rocker panels are the sheet metal parts below the doors - the ones that 
go away on our beloved Alfas.
    And, "How can a "water tap" become "fawcet"?  Well, it should be spelled 
"faucet" if you refer to the plumbing on a sink.  However, if you are 
referring to one of the actresses on Charlie's Angels some years ago, then 
yes, I liked the concept that I might be allowed to "fix" Farria's Fawcet. 
<only slightly off color - colour?>
    In the front of my Haynes Alfetta (obligatory Alfa content) manual there 
is a list translating English into American.  I found it amusing when I 
noticed it, but your note brought it to mind.  I also note that this manual 
lists the "Kerb" weight of the Alfetta models.  Since this term was not on 
the translation list, I had to go by context to figure out they meant "Curb" 
weight.
    This discussion is far more interesting than abuse of the language was.  
And yes, my AOL spell checker barfed / choked / questioned much of the 
spelling in the "English" portion of your list.  Thanks again.
Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City
That is in the state of Oklahoma,
formerly known as Indian Territory,
in the EWE Knighted Steaks of a Merica,
Planet Earth. <grin>
Do y'all say y'all?


In a message dated 12/25/1999 6:35:02 AM Central Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< 
 Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 14:15:09 +0200
 From: "John Fielding" <johnf@domain.elided>
 Subject: English as she is spoke?
 
 Some Alfa content - a little anyway!
 
 Hi all Alfisti's and seasons greetings from a hot and sticky South Africa - 
32C today!!
 
 I have been pondering the usage of the English language both by the British 
and our
 American cousins.  Although we both claim to speak English much of the 
technical
 terminology is different.  Trying to hold a conversation when the other 
party doesn't
 understand some of the words is very counter-productive.   
 
 For example "Space Shuttle" in English would become "A part of an areo-space 
weaving
 loom"  see what I mean?  How can a "water tap" become "fawcet"?  this 
confuses the hell
 out me and other English speaking Brits.
 
 So I have endeavoured to put together a list of common car terminology (that 
I have
 managed to work out) which should assist both our British and American 
readers.  The list
 is by no means complete - I am still trying to work out what a "rocker 
panel" is, some
 part of the bodywork?

<snip> 
well that's enough for one lesson!!
 
 Have a peaceful Xmas and what out for Y3K!!
 
 John Fielding
 
 from the Rainbow Nation  >>

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