Americanizms

javaboy

nice1franko wrote: »

have even heard 'vacuum' instead of hoover. sad state of affairs.

The eye-urn-ee is delcicious.

nice1franko

how so

nice1franko

ps. great tags for this thread

javaboy

nice1franko wrote: »

how so

Well it's just that vacuum cleaner is the correct term for the invention. Hoover was a brand name of vacuum cleaner albeit the first. An American brand name.

nice1franko

javaboy wrote: »

Well it's just that vacuum cleaner is the correct term for the invention. Hoover was a brand name of vacuum cleaner albeit the first. An American brand name.

I know the origin of the word ye big mickey head but here in Ireland we all call it the hoover.

English

[edit] Etymology
The common noun and verb are taken from the brand name Hoover of one of the first vacuum cleaners.


[edit] Noun
Singular
hoover
Plural
hoovers


hoover (plural hoovers)

A generic term for a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.

[edit] Translations
[show ▼]See: vacuum cleaner



[edit] Verb
Infinitive
to hoover
Third person singular
hoovers
Simple past
hoovered
Past participle
hoovered
Present participle
hoovering


to hoover (third-person singular simple present hoovers, present participle hoovering, simple past and past participle hoovered)

(transitive, UK) To clean (a room, etc) with a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.
I need to hoover this room.
(intransitive, UK) To use a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.
My husband is upstairs, hoovering.

Earthhorse

I just Googled that and he's right.

nice1franko

Earthhorse wrote: »

I just Googled that and he's right.

I know tecnically "vacuum cleaner" is the correct term but "hoover" evolved. Like "D'Massey" or "D'Massey [Fergusson]" evolved to mean "tractor".

Earthhorse

I was just making a joke about how Google has become a verb.

javaboy

Earthhorse wrote: »

I was just making a joke about how Google has become a verb.

I got it terrapony. You're too cool for this school.

pickarooney

Isn't 'hoover' the American verb for to cross-dress and persecute anyone with a socialist leaning?

javaboy

nice1franko wrote: »

I know tecnically "vacuum cleaner" is the correct term but "hoover" evolved. Like "D'Massey" or "D'Massey [Fergusson]" evolved to mean "tractor".

Yes hoover evolved to mean all vacuum cleaners. But the fact still remains that it was an American brand name. So if someone gives the case of using the term vacuum instead of hoover as an example of Americanisms creeping in, I find that ironic.

/not a mickey head

Hauk

I can't believe no-one's mentioned 'trunk' as opposed to 'boot'.

Also, another one that gets me, is 'gas'. It's petrol! It flows as a liquid!

Hauk

pickarooney

Hauk wrote: »

I can't believe no-one's mentioned 'trunk' as opposed to 'boot'.

Also, another one that gets me, is 'gas'. It's petrol! It flows as a liquid!

Hauk

Yet another trade-name (Petrol) instead of an abbreviation (gas(oline)).

Anyway, isn't this thread about how we all hate Patsy from Bundoran using yank terms he heard on CHiPs and not just how we express our misplaced vicarious pride at being speakers of the Queen's English through mocking people on the other side of the planet for having the temerity to use a few different words?

Sligonians use more silly words than Americans allegedly.

[edit] Damn FACT! filter[/edit]

javaboy

pickarooney wrote: »

Yet another trade-name (Petrol) instead of an abbreviation (gas(oline)).

Yep it's true folks. Petrol, an abbreviation of petroleum, was originally a trade name and was predated by gasolene.

Looks like our American brethren have done been talking proper for years and we're the dummies.

milod

pickarooney wrote: »

You do know those are completely different English words and are not interchangeable on any of the major continents?

Indeed I do know, and I've argued with an American about this. He asked me in a work situation to use his 'alternate' solution to a technical problem. I said ok, so we'll use mine on monday, yours on tuesday, mine again on wednesday, yours again on thursday etc etc. He didn't get it...

milod

Earthhorse wrote: »

I was just making a joke about how Google has become a verb.

Don't get me started on verbed nouns or I'll have to progress this issue

javaboy

milod wrote: »

Don't get me started on verbed nouns or I'll have to progress this issue

Verbed. The past tense of the verb 'to verb'.

Earthhorse

javaboy wrote: »

Looks like our American brethren have done been talking proper for years and we're the dummies.

I'm half American so it's all good.

milod wrote: »

Don't get me started on verbed nouns or I'll have to progress this issue

To boldly verb where no noun has been before.

javaboy

Earthhorse wrote: »

I'm half American so it's all good.

Please explain this concept of half-Americanism?

milod

javaboy wrote: »

Verbed. The past tense of the verb 'to verb'.

Well heck buddy nothing gets by you. High fives to the sharpest knife in the box!

Earthhorse

javaboy wrote: »

Please explain this concept of half-Americanism?

My mommy's American, therefore I'm half American, half Irish, all man.

javaboy

Earthhorse wrote: »

My mommy's American, therefore I'm half American, half Irish, all man.

I'm Pangaean so.

javaboy

milod wrote: »

Well heck buddy nothing gets by you. High fives to the sharpest knife in the box!

You could cut your hand doing that.

Blisterman

Speaking of Irony,

Isn't it funny that people in Ireland, are complaining about other people using American terms, and yet they speak English as a first language, not Irish?

nice1franko

As in, "haha"-funny or "country was invaded, population decimated and native language outlawed"-funny?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

nice1franko wrote: »

As in, "haha"-funny or "country was invaded, population decimated and native language outlawed"-funny?

rofl

Overheal

nice1franko wrote: »

I know the origin of the word ye big mickey head but here in Ireland we all call it the hoover.

You also called the Radio a Marconi for a good span. Morons.

In fact the Radio wasn't invented by Marconi at all, the patents that marconi built it from were owned by Tesla.

The one that really gets me though? Nokia. Over here its pronounced "No Kee Eh"

Terry

Overheal wrote: »

You also called the Radio a Marconi for a good span. Morons.

In fact the Radio wasn't invented by Marconi at all, the patents that marconi built it from were owned by Tesla.

The one that really gets me though? Nokia. Over here its pronounced "No Kee Eh"

Nokia?

The same way the Finnish pronounce it.

Racist.

baglady

ok at first reading this pi**ed me off, esp OP, what a dumb comment to make aout 70% of Americans...........but then I remembered there is one thing they say that really bugs me, how they say "tan" as an adjective and not a noun, like "omg you're so tan!" or "i'd love to be as tan as her!"

IT'S TANNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JuliusCaesar

Even the Irish Times uses 'gotten'.
And we used to have adverbs - you know, the describes-a-verb word that often (except in America) ends in '-ly'.

But how about Irish words getting popular in Britain - like '****e' and 'feck'? Father Ted has a lot to answer for!

It's gas.