Did you already......?

[Globalti]

Instead of simply "Have you....?"

Where did this stupid Americanism come from?

 

[dudi]

America?

that's what i was going to say... so i guess it must be.

 

[Fnaar]

Did you look it up already?

 

[Dayvo]

Equally annoying is the 'Can I get ...' at shops, pubs etc.

There's 'get' as in 'to receive', and 'get' as in 'to have'.

Too many people don't know the difference.



Hope you get that!

Do you see what I'm having at?

 

[Aperitif]

way to go Dayvo.

 

[Kirstie]

No I didn't get it already but I'm going to have you read about it...

 

[Auntie Helen]

It seems most people don't notice they're using phrases like "can I get..."

In my Uni course yesterday one of the other students translated a word from German into English as "Work colleague". I immediately said, "yikes, you can't say work colleague, that's an American tautology. We only have 'colleague' in English as that refers to a fellow worker." He looked at me as if I'd sprouted horns.

 

[ColinJ]

You shouldn't knock America - that great nation managed to produce the winningest Tour de France rider of all time ever!

 

[ColinJ]

Very true - how many times was he medalled for that?

Dunno - really, I could care less...

 

[Maz]

Are you done yet?