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Thread ID: 139744 2015-06-20 02:12:00 Kiwi English under threat Roscoe (6288) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1403257 2015-06-21 01:20:00 My ears gradually became aware this year of another American expression that I now seem to hear every other word during sports news. "Conference", meaning a group of teams or a league.

When hearing these commentators rabbiting on about this conference and that conference I get the mental impression of teams all huddled together in deep conversation.

Quote:
In American football specifically:
The American Football Conference (AFC) of the National Football League
The American Conference of the Arena Football League
The All-America Football Conference, a professional league which played from 1946-1949

en.wikipedia.org

when was the last time you have heard that word used in NZ in relation to a sport?
nmercer (3899)
1403258 2015-06-21 01:39:00 It is used 'all the time' on the evening 3News Sport after the main 'news', just listen.


At the conclusion of the regular rounds, the top three teams from both the Australian and New Zealand Conferences will progress through to the finals.
www.anz-championship.com

Magic win NZ netball conference
www.radionz.co.nz

Who will be crowned NZ Conference champion?
www.mynetball.co.nz


.and that's just a snippet of Googling NZ netball, haven't got around to Googling rugby..................
Terry Porritt (14)
1403259 2015-06-21 04:11:00 What I don't like about Americanisms is not so much the different words (truck versus lorry, cookie versus biscuit) but the idea that whatever you personally think is right. In other words, no rules

I heard an American guy pronouncing giga as jyga ('jygatons of coal'). He seemed to be insisting on his way for no other reason than that it sounded right to him. Fortunately the international people at the conference ignored him

Some American usages are ridiculous, probably even to Americans. 'Bathroom' for one. I also dislike them trying to make 'football' refer to gridiron, against the wishes of more than 90% of the people in the world. America wants the rest of the world to change to 'soccer'.

(Unfortunately, it is possible that America used the name 'football' first. Back in the mid 1800s)
BBCmicro (15761)
1403260 2015-06-21 04:36:00 At 3.31pm today, the female announcer on Fox News referred to it being "the bottom of the hour", whilst on CNN, the female announcer said "we will have the news at the top of the hour".

Not quite as bad as "it is now 40 minutes past the top of the hour......." as stated the other day :(
Zippity (58)
1403261 2015-06-21 04:40:00 Soccer is important to a lot of people as an outlet for those who can't play real sport.

People who say lorry, meadow, or their ilk should be sent downstream among the piranhas as soon as possible.
R2x1 (4628)
1403262 2015-06-21 04:47:00 I don't see anything untoward with the use the word 'bathroom' for bog :) I like the French 'Pissoir', full of meaning, also reminds me of the film 'Cloche Merle'. There are some very remarkable pissoirs in France.

If a word or expression is used often enough then you don't really query it.
Terry Porritt (14)
1403263 2015-06-21 04:53:00 People who say lorry, meadow, or their ilk should be sent downstream among the piranhas

I must admit that 'lorry' is a bit quaint. So is 'mending' a computer or lifting the 'bonnet' of a car. But if you watch a lot of Peppa Pig you have to fit in. (Peppa Pig is British)

('Fixing' breakfast has got to be one of the silliest Americanisms)
BBCmicro (15761)
1403264 2015-06-21 05:00:00 ..snip........

('Fixing' breakfast has got to be one of the silliest Americanisms)

It is no sillier than the common NZ misuse of the verb 'deal' as in "deal to someone or a problem". Because it is common usage NZers can't see anything wrong with it, so I suppose it becomes OK.
Terry Porritt (14)
1403265 2015-06-21 23:32:00 Language evolves. New words get added all the time. Words get new meanings .

Is this just more anti US ranting :-)
If we want to dump all the US words & spelling, lets also dump all the French, German , Latin derived words as well.
And go right back 400 years and only use English as it was spoken & written back then .

Kiwi English: Id say we are getting closer to US culture than UK culture, so perhaps US English is more appropriate for KIWI usage ?
1/4 pounder or Royale Burger ?
1101 (13337)
1403266 2015-06-21 23:48:00 Do we still shoot traitors? Cicero (40)
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